CHRISTMAS MEMORIES: The Chicken race!

Hey People!

Yeah, it's the day after Christmas but guess what? Yours truly is still feeling all Christmasy. So I am still on my tour of Africa and here's another tale of a Zimbabwean childhood Christmas.

Has a chicken ever been thrown at you? Yes? No? Read and enjoy!

The signature dish of my childhood has to be rice and chicken! For weddings, birthdays and most importantly for Christmas. If your childhood was anything like (meaning an average Zimbabwean one) then you definitely know what I am talking about. 

Come Christmas Day, we would get up and do our chores quickly. Take a bath, dress in Christmas clothes (new or otherwise), and head out to get provisions. These would mainly be the rice, a live chicken and soft drinks, and/or Mazoe Orange Crush.

 I hardly remember if we ate in the morning or afternoon. If we did, I do not recall what we had. I do remember that we always had supper a bit earlier than we did during the year.

The preparation of the chicken was always the most wallowing of all the food preparations. It had to be killed, dressed, cut into 8 pieces, marinated, and then roasted. I initially started with the roasting and with every Christmas that came after that, I learnt to do the step preceding the one I learnt the Christmas before that.

I remember that the year I was supposed to learn the killing process, I just could not (still can not, to this day) and my mother thought it a good idea to throw the chicken at me because I could not even bring myself to touch it. Did I not run away with my life? Kuita tsoka ndibereke! 

I bet I ran faster than Usain Bolt. The chicken did brush against me as I ran and my heart stopped for a bit. Had it landed on me I would have fainted, had a panic attack, or worse.

 Anyway, after the chicken is done, the rice, sides (mostly potato or coleslaw salads) would be prepared. In the early evening, we would have our Christmas dinner, rice, and chicken with family and friends which made it a little extra special. I think this is when my love affair with food started, why I love being around people also why I love Christmas.

I have long moved from rice and chicken on special occasions but every time I have it cooked a certain way with a roadrunner then yes, memories flood in, and I am back to those days when all I worried about was what I would wear and eat for Christmas.

                        ***

Written by Anesu Nyakubaya-Nhevera a Zimbabwean-born writer, blogger, and poet. Her work has been featured in Zimbolicious Anthologies 3 and 4 as well as several websites. When she is not writing for her blog kintsugionline.wordpress.com, she enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with her family.  She is also very passionate about equality in all its forms. Follow her on Twitter @suenyakubaya

Welcome back!

How was your Christmas celebrated? Did you enjoy yesterday? As for me, I spent it with my family. The mission for 25:12:2020 was, Eat, Watch movie, Sleep and of course Blog. You know I gat you!

If you have missed any of the previous tales of Christmas Memories, here they are: Blast the pastA tale from ZimbabweA Christmas that was or wasn'tWhat we couldn't tell our parents , What mama did to me

So what did you do yesterday?

Let's go to the comment section!

Hey, Tory Teller still loves you!


Photo credit: 

Comments

  1. Hehehe! I haven't had chicken thrown at me before but I've had several chase me. Dad used to own poultry and each time we go into the dip litter room during Christmas come and see serious chasing from those mannerless agric fowl😂

    Anesu is so beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have been chased by a turkey and honestly, it's not funny at all.
      These animals are indeed very mannerless!😂😂

      Delete

Post a Comment