One of the definite highlights of our Big Perth Trip was Camp Buma. I looked forward to it with such anticipation. I’m sure people thought I was slightly crazy to be so excited about a family reunion, but that’s only because they clearly aren’t part of the BUMA family! Only one of the best in the world!
The Buma family has not had any large kind of reunion for about 15 years. That was for my aunty’s wedding, and I wasn’t even there so it clearly doesn’t count!
So when we announced our Perth Trip, the idea of a family reunion started to be thrown around, and before we knew it, around 50 of us were booked in for a three-day Buma Spectacular. My aunties planned everything to a T- and let me just say, finding accommodation for and feeding 50 odd people for three days takes some considerable planning!
And so, when boxing day arrived, so did the Buma’s. To Annapanna Ridge, a gorgeous and massive house in Lesmurdie, just outside of Perth. It was madness and mayhem and love and laughter and people everywhere, and just SO much fun!!!!
Hanging out
There was no major plans for anything, other than the food of course. On the first day a bunch of cousins sat down and organised rosters so that all the cousins were divided into teams to help with setting up and cleaning up after meals. I was happy that our team was only put on clean up once, because trust me, setting up and creating salads is waaaay more fun than cleaning up after a 50-person feast.
Day two, Sunday, was our Dutch Day. Delicious Dutch Day, as I like to call it. Copious amounts of beautiful, Dutch food. Mmmm.
Dutch day breakfast | Dutch day dinner
In the afternoon, we headed back into the city to St John of God Hospital in Subiaco, where we were blessed enough to have arranged to hold a family church service. Seems like a random place to have church, but there was a very good reason: Oma had been released from ICU and was given permission to come downstairs and celebrate with us. It was so awesome to have church with her, and so goose-bumpy that we, our family, could run such a beautiful church service. We have no end of talented musicians in our family, so that was covered, and various other family members read from the Word and offered prayers – it was just lovely. It meant a lot to have Oma be a part of Camp Buma, even if it wasn’t as good as having her there the whole time.
Back at Camp Buma: more food, more fun times, some bomb-diving (and belly-flopping) in the pool.. oh and a bit more food.
It was such a relaxed time and so awesome to re-establish bonds with family members that we haven’t seen for so many years. My cousins are all so cool and funny and I absolutely LOVED hanging out with them. I was especially excited to meet the lovely Louise who is married to my cousin Jacob. We had met online and chatted a lot throughout 2008 and 2009, throughout our pregnancies and the first year of our daughter’s lives. Louise is mummy to the gorgeous Sunny, who was an awesome playmate to Mayana. Sunny is exactly 2 months younger than the Mayana-berry, and they are pretty much exactly the same size. I think Lou and I both appreciated seeing another small baby! And I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and hanging out with Louise. I look forward to more Facebook and Blog communications and am crossing my fingers for a Qld visit from them sometime in 2010!
Mayana, my Papa & Sunny
On our last night, we had a family concert (because it couldn’t possibly be a Buma family gathering without a concert!) where we enjoyed music, photography, a home-made ninja movie, a really lame ‘joke’ and other acts. This was followed by us all joining in to sing a worship song and a time of prayer, which was so beautiful.
One of the best parts of the night was an announcement that considering the success of Camp Buma 2009, it is looking like we will do something like it every two years… so bring on Camp Buma 2011!!!!!!!!!
It was hard to leave the next morning, we had all bonded so beautifully and had such a wonderful time together. I’m so proud to belong to the Buma family, and so grateful to all who were involved in organising Camp Buma. It truly was a major highlight of my holiday, and I will always have very special and fond memories of it.
Here are some more of my favourite snaps of Camp. Unfortunately I don’t have nearly as many as I would have liked – I was too busy being involved in the fun to take photos of it!
my beautiful cousin, Emily
This was the expression on Mayana’s face for most of the camp. She so enjoyed having an army of cousins doting on her and playing with her. They would follow her around as she learned to walk, and count her steps and run in to me and report: “new record!! 31!!”. You’ll be pleased to know dear cousins that Mayana is now walking full-time, and I’m pretty sure she’s forgotten how to crawl.
My new favourite photo of the Mayana-berry and I. Thanks Louise!!
The Buma siblings (3 missing). Oom Olaf, Papa, Oom Sace, Tan Tan & Tante Christina. Missing are three sisters, who are living or working overseas and interstate. This time around the table was a very memorable one for all of them, and the first time they’d all been able to have a conversation all together in many, many years.
My sister Alexie, cousin Emily and I… groping. Long story, and probably only funny if you were there, and even then maybe still not funny. But we are who we are.. hehe.
Bring on Camp Buma 2011!!!!!!
Just so you know.. you wrote 2998 and 2009 when talking about Louise.. X
ReplyDeleteCamp Buma 2009 was awesome!! It was so much fun!!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait until 2011!
Holly