How to: Tomar Banho

I too thought taking a bath was a simple task that needn’t explanation. Then I found out I was doing it all wrong.

So a bucket bath consists of a bacia (bucket/tub thing) with water, a bar of soap, and a cup to pour water over yourself.

My understanding was that you carry your bathe accessories (ie shampoo, bacia, cup, bath-water) out to the outside cement structure in which you bathe (The soap usually remains outside, although some little punks often steal my bar. It doesn't really surprise me considering the level of cleanliness necessary in this culture), and commence the pouring of water, lathering, and rinsing cycle.

And then I got ridiculed and semi-socially ostracized for not taking long enough in my banhos. Ok, not really socially ostracized, but people talk, and make comments.

“Catarina, I didn't see you go to take a bath this morning” – that's because it was 6am and really fing cold. An outdoor bath with lukewarm water, no thank you.
“You call that a bath, you took like 10 minutes” – yes, again, really freaking cold and also dark outside. Plus I have already bathed like 7 times today.

So now I bathe, then lather with soap a second time just to make the whole process take a little longer, and then stand shivering like a sad little puppy outside in my little cement hut for a few minutes until a socially acceptable amount of time has passed and I can again enter my house. Or I time my baths so that no one will be around, and I can just slip in and out unnoticed.

I also often forgo the morning banho in this time of frigidity, and just pray that no one notices.

But I recently learned that I was going about the whole washing process the wrong way.

Iraque: “Accompany me to take a bath”
Me: thinking, ‘oh god, do I have to bathe again.’ “I already took my second banho today.”
Iraque: “Just come accompany me, you don't have to take a bath too. Just stand, and watch, and have a conversation.”
Me: thinking ‘well this is a little strange for me, but ok, why not.’ “Ok”

Nothing like seeing a man really go at the balls and but crack with that bar of soap.

And apparently, a washcloth is the key to a mozambcian banho. I never would have thought. But you soap that baby up to get to all the unreachable parts of your body. For example your back and bum. Like literally, the washcloth was straddled, wedged up in there, and really wrangled around to ensure cleanliness.

No wonder they take so long, there is more washing going on then I thought possible. And the level of vigor is what is really impressive. I just casually soap up, then gently pour the cup of water over myself. Oh no, there was a ferocious battle against dirt and disease going on… and Iraque was the obvious victor. How they do it 2-3 times a day I have no idea. But it must be exhausting.

My next problem: I have been ridiculed for only using one cup of water when I brush my teeth. My roommate uses an entire water pitcher filled to the brim.

Hortencia: “You have to really wash your teeth!”