A Day with Xei Xei

Hi guys!

I know it has been a while since we met (almost 2 months). But you know have so much to do when the weather is good so that there is enough for days when it is not so good.

I have been kept very busy by mei and kpa (my parents).Apart from working in the fields we (me and my sisters) also help them in making traditional bamboo and cane handicrafts. My mother is an expert in making them. She takes thin strands of bamboo, softens them in water and moulds them in beautiful toys, lamps and various kitchen utensils. She gets up at 5 in the morning, makes our breakfast and goes to the forest to get fresh flowers so that she can color her artwork by using juices of these flowers. Then my father would catch the bus (only bus from the village to the nearest city of Mankachar) at 7:00 in the morning so that he can reach the city by 8:00 before the local market starts (you see the competition is so much with most of the villagers from all the nearby villages coming to sell the artworks to a handful of tourists). But my kpa is the smartest of all since when he comes back home by afternoon, his basket is empty and his bag is full of goodies for us like potato chips and the latest comics with enough to give mei for her tireless efforts.

But dear friends if you think that I have forgotten about my day with Xei Xei, I have not and I will not disappoint you by not telling you about the experience.

Well, after leaving us at the gate of our house, he left since it was raining and getting dark.

We did not see him in school for a few days and then we forgot about our promise to meet him as well. However, he did not.

It was 23rd January 2020. We as usual got up at 5:30 a.m. My mother never allows us to sleep after that since she says that we have to get up earlier than sunrise to welcome the Sun Goddess (Ka Sngi) before starting the day.

It was a school holiday since it was the Chinese New Year. For us, it was no different from any other day. But, this year it was going to be different. After a quick breakfast of Pumaloi (steamed rice dish) we sat down to the regular routine of helping mei in making her beautiful artwork.

All of a sudden we heard a polite knock at the door. It was Xei Xei. We welcomed him in. After the usual pleasantries, he asked my mother, “Ahyi (aunt in Mandarin), may I ask you to send Mankara and his sisters to my home to celebrate our traditional Chinese New Year.”

My mother was a bit reluctant to send us to his house as she always thought that Xei Xei was the child of a richer person and accordingly he would not treat us properly, however he won her over by his sweet talk and polite behavior.

We were all very excited to go to his house. All of us dressed in our best clothes and went to his house to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Like in big cities like Mankachar and Shillong we also have a seclude place where the Chinese people reside called the China Town. This was the first time we were to watch a Chinese New Year being celebrated.

Xei Xei must really have considered us his very special friend since Chinese New Year is celebrated only with one’s family when the family sits around a table and do their prayers and offer incense to their forefathers. The younger generation gets extra pocket money in bright red covers with which they can buy as many goodies as the money can get (according to Xei Xei it is the best part of the celebrations apart from off course the delicious goodies which he boasts about at the school)

Inspite of meeting us for the first time Xei Xei’s mei, kpa and kmeirad (grandmother) and kparad (grandfather) welcomed us as though they knew us for a long time. They were not in the least arrogant and instead spoke to us about the Chinese culture with the similarities and dissimilarities with our local Khasi culture.

We were even given individual red envelopes with the pocket money just as Xei Xei got them. Inspite of our awkwardness and declining the same it was pressed into our little hands (wonder what mei will say to that; she hates to accept anything where we cannot reciprocate, but I will ask her to prepare the signature fried rice cakes which Xei Xei loves).

The highlight of the event was the Chinese cuisine like the traditional dumplings, steamed fish, , mouth watering chicken, mushroom etc.. I can go on and on and on and on like a never ending saga. I liked the sweet rice ball the best served in hot sugar syrup. After almost two years my mouth still waters at the mere memory of it.

Well after a heavy lunch and exciting new experiences with our friend Xei Xei and his family we once again left for us own little but cozy home. It might not have running water and electric bulb but it has my mei and kpa with all ears to listen to our new experiences and look surprised at new tales (we know and they know that we know that they do all this for show just to keep us happy). But this is the best part that we have a cozy house to come back to after any amount of excitement and loving mei and kpa to tell us stories and put us to sleep.

Tomorrow I will have to make her signature Pu Kleing (fried rice balls) for Xei Xei in return for the fun and the red envelope

So friends, I am feeling too sleepy to go on and have to get up early tomorrow.

Good Night and may U Blei Nongthaw (the Creator) bring good and mouth watering dreams to you (for I am going to get them tonight)

But I promise to meet you sooner than 2 months.

So bye for now with promises of fresher tales of life in the village and adventures with Xei Xei.