Handwashing
Posted By Sika on September 4, 2009
I don’t think I’ve written about the routine of handwashing here in Malawi. I love ritual–I find it soothing–and this is one of my favourites. In Malawi, because nsima is eaten with the hands, hands must be washed before the meal and then again after to remove the last remnants of the nsima and ndiwo (finger licking, for this purpose, is unacceptable–unless you’re a crass American).
Amayi brings a basin and pitcher to the table and offers them, usually to the guest first. Sometimes this duty will be relegated to someone else. The person washing places their hands over the basin and water is poured from the pitcher over the hands.
If you’re special, the water is heated.
The washer rubs their hands together, maybe with soap, and then declares basi when done. Then they can offer the basin and pitcher to the person who helped them.
What gets me is how everyone know this routine: If a child is old enough to eat real food, they are old enough to rub their hands under a stream of water before and after eating.
It’s not just in homes. In restaurants without a sink for customers, there are buckets with spigots at the bottom and a basin set underneath to catch the handwashing water. Even at restaurants with bathroom sinks, waiters often bring the pitcher and basin to customers who are eating nsima.
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