Bupopo

“Manyiye Bupopo?” Baguma asked as I approached the gathering of young men in my front yard. They all speak English but Baguma likes to test our Lubwisi now and again, and usually I fail, but that’s okay because usually it makes for a good laugh all around.

“Mmm” I answered in the affirmative, accompanied by the affirmative raising of the eyebrows. Wait, hold on…maybe I don’t…so I asked “do I know them, or do I want them?” trying to clarify his question.

“Manyiye Bupopo?” he repeated, louder and slower this time, hoping that maybe I’d get it the second time if he said it slow and loud enough (sound familiar?).

“Do I know them? Yes, I know them” I replied.

“What are they?” he quizzed.

“Papayas” I answered relatively confidently…everyone put their heads back and laughed.

“No, DIMPLES!” he laughed again. “Bu-po-po! B-U-P-O-P-O” he repeated, spelling it out this time.

Pawpaws are papayas…bupopo is Lubwisi for dimples evidently….details details.

“Ahhh!” I exclaimed. “Then yes, I do know them.” I said with a smile, bupopo and all ☺
“Everyone has told me there is no word for them here, when I've asked” I said. He questioned my sources and the dimples discussion continued. He pointed out that some people only have one (mupopo) and some have two (bupopo)…and I informed him that my brother used to tell me it looked like I had bananas in my cheeks….they all got a kick out of that seeing as bananas are a pretty culturally appropriate description in these parts. The discussion reminds me that my dear grandmother, my only living grandparent, who doesn't remember much, but loves to smile, every time she sees me she pauses, smiles, and sighs and says "you have the most beautiful dimples, doesn't she?!" to whoever may or may not be nearby...love you Gram.

It was a good end to the day. Sarah and I had just returned from a 5 o'clock stroll down Butogho road in which I had been close to tears in frustration with a guy who touched me as he passed too closely on a boda-boda...infuriating...but now, it was dusk, my favorite time of day, and the dimples discussion lead to more laughter and the opportunity for me to encourage a few of my friends. There was a reason for there to be young men gathered in my front yard actually...it's not like there are usually gatherings of english speaking, respectfully and appropriately smiling and laughing young men in my front yard. I had asked 2 of them to come with another coworker so that I could take their picture, and I had them review some Nutrition fundraising information I've been putting together. So, we laughed, and chatted and took pictures and laughed some more in the front lawn as the sun went down.

PS - it was in the course of these conversations I was reminded that I rarely spell anything correctly in Lubwisi, so all of the above is recounted as heard by my english speaking ears :)

PPS - The photo is just a demonstration of my bupopo, and a picture of my dear sister and I from March when I was Stateside who I am very much looking forward to seeing in a matter of weeks now!