The Beach Boys...

Late Saturday afternoon our group decided to go check out the nearby beach. We went through the gate, down the thick grassy path onto the dirt path which leads to the shore of the Indian Ocean some 400 yards. Our path intersects another and I see a group of boys playing with make shift toys heading our way. I am intrigued by local people and more so by children. We wave and they wave back along with "Habari" (greetings). Once I raise my camera they quickly sprint towards me. These kids like most in the surrounding villages do not often or ever see things like this. They eagerly want their picture taking and also want to know how it works. Although I have to speak slowly and choose my words to fit their vocabulary they understand my English.  As much as they are interested in my camera I am just as interested in their hand engineered toys. The boys have made their own race cars that are pushed by steering wheels. Trips to Toys "R" Us are unimaginable so kids here have to put their mind to work.

I continue to chat with the "leader" as we finish the path to the beach. Interrupted by the call of his friends playing in the waves, he too darts off to jump in, but not before leaving his clothes on a bush. All dozen of the boys are splashing and laughing without a care in the world... for the most part.

As my group and I push down the beach we find a spot to hangout that is also occupied by two 20 something guys. The guys were eager to talk to us once they discovered we were from the states.  What I was shocked to find out is that many local coastal people are deathly afraid of the ocean, mainly adults. There is a myth that the sea will swallow you up! I just assumed that local people used the ocean as a source for many things and swimming was apart of that. The guys shared us that boys in this culture run free of responsibility from early in the morning while the girls must help the mom with all daily chores (collecting firewood, cooking, cleaning and whatever else needs to be done). The reason the boys were swimming without their clothes was because wet clothes would be a dead give-away to their parents that they went swimming. Since a majority of the homes don't have electricity their adventures would only be discovered if their parents licked them!

Written by
Ben Brown