Measuring success in kid steps.

It's a greeting that's hard to adore. Anybody will yell “Lekhooa” but kids are usually the worst yelling it with vigor and repetition at that high octave child's tone. It means 'white man', and though I'm used to mono-cultures and their words of endearment for foreigners -Taiwan's was “Adoua” which means “big nosed foreigner”-but it still originates from some derogatory connotation . A chorus of kids yelling “Lekhooa, Lekhooa” and waving is obviously not hostile. Surely they simply don't know what to say to a passing white guy. More than anything, I would just like to be greeted without knowing that I'm being called “Whitey, Whitey”. Kids who don't know what to say get stopped and I try to help them out.
Each time I tell them, in Sesotho, to greet better because I am “Ntate” which is Mr. or Sir. They usually look at me funny and run off laughing cause I just tried to talk to them. On my way to work one day, however, Palesa and I heard one group of kids try out the new greeting I had previously given them. “Ntate Lekhooa” they yelled with a wave. I could not resist laughing out loud but the mother of these children scolded them “that is not his name” she said. Small steps; at least they are more polite using Mr. Whitey! I will leave the rest up to the mom. Hopefully she will get them to introduce themselves next time so they can call me something else.