The Matebula Household

My family is so lively and sweet. Their door is always open. People coming in and out like a revolving door of family and friends.

Sometimes Sema and Shannon will casually push their toy cars outside and beside my window acting like it’s just an accident when we both know they are just trying to peak at what I am doing in my room.

My sister has been teaching me more words and phrases in Xitsonga. I was trying to ask how to say, “Be Quiet” or “Quiet down.” Mainly so I could use it on my younger brother who never is silent. My mother kept shouting at me a word that after inquiring I discovered it means “Shut up!” “No, no, no,” I explained, “I need to know a respectful way to tell someone to be quiet.” They laughed and laughed imagining me saying “Shut up!” to community members thinking that I was saying “Please be quiet.”