Soccer Tournament

I went with my friend, Mangena, to a soccer tournament at one of the local farms. The farm owners built a small field just outside the living compound on the farm. Someone offered the winner R500 (~$58) and then charged R5 at the gate. Apparently you can make bank doing that. Mangena was smart enough to bring folding chairs, so we set up near his friend Julia’s table, where she was selling some home cooked food. She gave us giant plates of pap, fried chicken, boiled cabbage, and beetroot. So good.

There were around 100 people there that day. The organizers had hooked up giant (as in, more than eight feet tall) speakers (as in, more than one giant speaker more than eight feet tall) right near our table and blasted (as in, eardrums are overrated anyways) local kwaito. People went around selling cigarettes, snacks, and booze. Judging from how little soccer was actually watched that day, I think the thing was just a pretense to have a dance party, but that seems to go for most things here in SA.

Some photos:


What, were you expecting grass?


The kid on the left wandered around all day selling snacks out of the basket on his bike. He also had some sweet shades.


The crowd, which was mostly made up of people who work at the farm and live on the compound.


Me and Julia.


Peace Corps: holding babies, saving lives.


Bush sunset at 30km/hr.

A video of the farm compound after the tournament. It is sideways at first because I didn't realize it was on the video setting. Professional to the last.