FROM CHINAMWALI TO CHILANGIZO:

wife welcomed us, greeted the girl, and said to the two instructresses, 'Here is work for
you!'
They asked one another about the booklet, but they had all forgotten their copies. One
instructress asked the girl, 'What did you see the other day?' When she did not reply,
the other instructress said that the mother is the one who saw her stained pant in the
washing basket. The mother then invited the instructress to come and check with her,
which she did and confirmed that it was her first menses. The instructress explained to
the girl that what had happened is kutha msinkhu (maturity) and showed her how to
wear the menses linen. Another instructress told her that the instructresses have come
concerning the menses, and encouraged her not to feel shy or afraid. One instructress
started talking, and in turn, they all joined in to instruct her. The following are the areas
they talked about, not in this order, but randomly.
Meaning of menstruation. Have you ever heard about menstruation (kutha msinkhu)?
One instructress asked the girl. She replied in the affirmative but that she did not know
the meaning. The instructresses explained that the meaning ofwhat had happened to her
was blood coming out from her private parts. One mlangizi told the girl that another
word for menstruation is kusamba (literally bathing). But she explained that in this
sense, 'it is the monthly flow ofblood' that she had just begun.
When menstruating. Proper care must be taken to wear the menses linen so that it does
not make a heap at the back between the buttocks. One instructress took time to demon­
strate. She called for the small plastic bag which the pastor's wife brought. She pulled
out a small string and put it around her waist without taking off her clothes. She also
pulled out a piece of cloth and folded it into a pad with more linen in its middle. She
demonstrated on the girl herselfhow she should wear it. The idea in folding the piece of
cloth was that there is more cloth across the private part and less on the sides. The
instructress warmed that sometimes the flow gets heavy. It was therefore necessary that
the girl has at least three pieces of linen, and change at least three times a day. She
should wake up early in the morning and wash the linen thoroughly with soap and
change often. This would also take away bad odour. She should avoid playing games
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