Like it is evident in her books e.g. When Rain Clouds Gather, Bessie was a simple or plain and ordinary woman. This was despite the fact that she travelled to various developed countries where she could have adopted more extraordinary or sophisticated looks. One time though, she appeared in a plain, cheap tie-n-dye. It caused an uproar in the village because people were used to her rather too simple looks. One of her reactions to the people's surprise was to say that all her "decorations" were inside her.
Bessie also made time to be with friends or other people. She didn't choose her friends based on their color. That is why we see her in the picture below socialising with black women.
A large degree of Bessie's love and devotion to man in all circumstances can also be seen in her love of dogs, "A man's best friend."
In spite of all that Bessie Head went through and her work as a teacher she still had time to be a mother. Like most ordinary mothers, she was loving, caring and full of fun. She once said that she always had to read to children before they went to bed, but she had to find a book that was interesting to her, too!
Lastly Bessie's grave among other things is evidence of her simplicity or ordinariness. Firstly it is among graves of ordinary people in the Botalaote cemetery. This is despite the fact that there is a cemetery for special people, whites, in another part of Serowe. Also, the tombstone on her grave is simple. A dull-looking piece pavement and an upright simple rock with her name is engraved on it mark her grave.
(See also the page on Bessie Head's funeral.)
Photographs by kind permission of the Khama III Memorial Museum, Serowe.
Text copyright © 2004 the authors.
Last updated 15 January 2004