I concluded the in-field section of my research today by attending an actual groupement meeting. This one took place at dusk, in a warehouse, at the ocean's edge. 112 local fishing women attended the meeting, sprawling across chairs, on the floor, on top of tables, standing, sitting, lying down.
One room. Much yelling. Several women turned to face Mecca at different points during the meeting and proceeded to engage in their entire evening prayer process. A woman next to me in green took to banging the table she sat on whenever a statement did not particularly please her. Yaram Fall - my connection to the organization, and the orchestrator of the evening's events - expertly navigated the room, weaving from group to group gathering comments from smaller voices. The majority of women was not listening a majority of the time. This did not seem to bother anyone. Suddenly, a chorus of "waaw!"s errupted ("yes!"s) and a new city-wide committee of transformatrices was ordained. Yaram looked releived and the rest of the women looked towards the door. (Dinner awaits back in each of their houses).
On the way home, Yaram and I stop to talk with a neighbor. We exchange salutations in Wolof: Peace be with you! (And also with you)
How are you? (Wonderful)
And your family? (At home.)
And your day? (Peace only.)
Thanks be to God! And your husband? (I don't have one.)
*GASP*
(not a surprising reaction...but it's funny in this case because: )
YESTERDAY YOU SAID YOU HAD ONE!
Oooh...caught in my own little game by Yaram! My rule recently, for safety's sake, has been to tell all questioning men that I have a husband. I let my guard down with women, however, and tend to vary in my response, depending on the situation. In this case, I had a witness to yesterday's lie (told to a too-friendly man) listening in on today's truth.
Thankfully, Yaram understood and actually thought my responses were both humorous and probably necessary. She explained everything to the Wolof-speaking neighbor and we three giggled. As we left the scene, Yaram leaned over and said
"My friend just said that you seem Senegalese."
I laughed and replied that it probably had to do with my bubu (I wore a bright turquoise bubu today in order to "blend in" at the meeting)
She replied: "Deedeet. Ce n'est pas les vêtements. Senegalaise nga."
(No. It's not your clothing...You're Senegalese.)
That might be the best compliment I've received, to date, in Senegal.
(and I tried to keep it fresh in my mind as I walked 15 blocks home showered by kissing noises and shouts of "Toubab!!!!" Toubab = white person. Usually mockingly screamed by children, at anyone lighter skinned than they.)
One room. Much yelling. Several women turned to face Mecca at different points during the meeting and proceeded to engage in their entire evening prayer process. A woman next to me in green took to banging the table she sat on whenever a statement did not particularly please her. Yaram Fall - my connection to the organization, and the orchestrator of the evening's events - expertly navigated the room, weaving from group to group gathering comments from smaller voices. The majority of women was not listening a majority of the time. This did not seem to bother anyone. Suddenly, a chorus of "waaw!"s errupted ("yes!"s) and a new city-wide committee of transformatrices was ordained. Yaram looked releived and the rest of the women looked towards the door. (Dinner awaits back in each of their houses).
On the way home, Yaram and I stop to talk with a neighbor. We exchange salutations in Wolof: Peace be with you! (And also with you)
How are you? (Wonderful)
And your family? (At home.)
And your day? (Peace only.)
Thanks be to God! And your husband? (I don't have one.)
*GASP*
(not a surprising reaction...but it's funny in this case because: )
YESTERDAY YOU SAID YOU HAD ONE!
Oooh...caught in my own little game by Yaram! My rule recently, for safety's sake, has been to tell all questioning men that I have a husband. I let my guard down with women, however, and tend to vary in my response, depending on the situation. In this case, I had a witness to yesterday's lie (told to a too-friendly man) listening in on today's truth.
Thankfully, Yaram understood and actually thought my responses were both humorous and probably necessary. She explained everything to the Wolof-speaking neighbor and we three giggled. As we left the scene, Yaram leaned over and said
"My friend just said that you seem Senegalese."
I laughed and replied that it probably had to do with my bubu (I wore a bright turquoise bubu today in order to "blend in" at the meeting)
She replied: "Deedeet. Ce n'est pas les vêtements. Senegalaise nga."
(No. It's not your clothing...You're Senegalese.)
That might be the best compliment I've received, to date, in Senegal.
(and I tried to keep it fresh in my mind as I walked 15 blocks home showered by kissing noises and shouts of "Toubab!!!!" Toubab = white person. Usually mockingly screamed by children, at anyone lighter skinned than they.)
posted by Meg at 2:08 PM
10 Comments:
Ahhhh, to my Senegalese daughter! And Coloradan. And Vermonter. And citizen of the world! Just got a call from your Grandmother--having driven 1000 miles home to MN. Found...4 inches of snow...a black and white cat at her door...who ran inside and hid when she walked through the door! Maybe Winston's cosmic cousin!! And...hot off the press: the new Pope's wearing red shoes and causing a stir!
Sun, Moon, Stars...and 17 days,
xoxoxoxMumsy
Well, sounds like you're doing okay there....cosmopolitan indeed. I am holding down the fort here at Midd. Went to Boston for Thanksgiving had the usual fun/grating/humorous/depressing rounds with the relatives then came back here to "work." Sure I wrote today, but I also watched So I Married and Axe Murderer and listened to two episodes of This American Life. Almost have 25 pages written, though. Booya. Now I must begin my assault of Luke, Hebrews, John (home of "Badass Jesus," as I call him) and maybe a little Revelation if I feel like it.
It is winter here at the moment. Snow is on the ground. It is cold. Sidewalks are dangerous. However, it is supposed to be SIXTY FREAKING DEGREES on Tuesday. I mean, my thermostat is only set two degrees above that. Not that I'm complaining (heck it might kill the snow and clear the trails for a day), but, seriously, can we check out this global warming thing? I mean, I think I heard something about it the other day. Warmer temps...erratic weather...I dunno, maybe I'm making this up...somebody, perhaps in the government, might want to look into it.
Anyway, always good to read your page and hear your thoughts. Maybe when you come back you could join Cole and I in singing our favorite song: "Take me back...to the motherland...."
-James
ps- Kate, Caitlin and co. threw me a little surprise birthday for me. It was good times. Copper Ale and cake for all!
pps-Kate and Caitiln- drop by or give me a call or some such nonsense tommorrow. I'll be around...
Meg,
Holy crap, you're almost home! I'm writing this post e-mail, and still bobbing in my chair. Bobbing to Greenday. Bobbing for excitement. I miss you and am SO excited to see you in Colorado in a few weeks!
Love,
Jenny
To my favorite Toubab...
Thank you for your surprise...I need to sit down and acquire all of those songs and play it over and over to get me through the next two weeks before finals week aka the fires of hell. I sit in Bihall reading about your adventures as I see snow avalanching off the building out of the corner of my eye...all this snow reminds me of Festus...
Thanksgiving was wonderful and cozy and a little loud for Caitlin's poor ears, and I really wish I was still there gobbling up leftovers and cooking potato leek and spinach soup with Caitlin. It was so goooood and warm and soupy. My little sister did not approve, as she says she "hates when I come home" because I try to be "fancy." She also accuses me of being a hippie, heh heh. Poor Em has simple tastebuds. "I like hamburgers! And french fries!" she exploded as Caitlin and I were planning our scrumptious menu which included the soup, salad, and grilled chicken. MMMMMM.
Next up: planning the holidy party we hope to have in conjunction with the holiday ball for Winks/Caitlin's birthdays. Am trying to get Rogers to dress up as Santa. I'll let you know.
So that's about it here, it's going to be a long cozy bihall night. And gjarf. That's the secret code today. Just gjarf. I think that's self-explanatory.
Missin you like a stalactite misses a stalagmite (I dont' know, it just popped into my head so I went with it)
love and smooches,
Kate "I'll Smoke Matthews in Ligretto Any Day" Leyland
mua ha ha.
Dearest Meg,
That is quite a compliment, and I'm sure it is most deserved. Your adventures in Senegal have me entranced, and I hope someday I may have the pleasure and honor of travelling with you. You seem to adopt the ways of your hosts with grace and humor, and I love reading your thoughts on the new customs and ideas you encounter.
I'm glad to hear that Thanksgiving-turned-Senegalese was successful. I had no such adventures with the bird, but I did whip up several delicious pies. The extended family was a bit trying, but I enjoyed the MoMA and the blue sky and sun.
I just got my plane tickets in the mail for next semester, and I'm getting a little too excited and distracted from my work here. I can't wait to see you in January!
Much love and nVZayeKp,
Sara
Mumsy - Glad to hear Grandma made it safely, and with a cat now! And what's this about the pope? That news hasn't hit my end of Senegal just yet.
James - Fun, grating, humorous and depressing? What more could one want? A perfectly festive mix. Congrats on the work! I too know what it is like to be elbow-deep in my own text (see email for my coping strategies) Give the Bible hell. Or...rather...
Jenny - Cup a joe?
Hay - Ahh to be in Colorado! You lucky girl. I envy you your time. Can't wait to hear the story...
Leyland - Don't go getting all fancy hipster on me. It'll be burgers and dogs just like Curds likes it when I get back. None o them fancy veggie tables you kids fix these days (and by that, I mean I am drooling at your descriptions) FESTUS! Senior year. Just wait.
Sara Love - Oh my, when CAN we travel together? Email me with ideas, as I'm quite delighted and serious about the prospect. And what kind of pie was it? (surely nothing tops our oatmeal...something something cookies of this summer...what in the world did we put in them? figs? mangoes? small animals?)
love you dearly, you old goat. (and january is so very soon!)
xoxo
Meg
Ahh Meggers. You, me, Mischords rehearsal? I always found you...mesmerizing. Hee. Anyway, hope everything is well. Everything is going fine here, work, work work, and I did get assaulted by a pack of pre-pubescent boys in a mall yesterday, one of whom proceeded to pinch my butt and call George Bush a rather rude name. And then I was walking down the street and something fell out of my purse and the guy behind me tapped me on the shoulder to hand it to me, and I turned around and there was the most BEAUTIFUL, blond, blue-eyed, strapping young man (honestly, he could have been a lumberjack) I have ever seen...dressed in Lederhosen. Turns out he was a theme worker for one of the Christmas markets. So you know, nothing but the usual going on with me.
Miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiss you,
Alex
Meg,
My friend, I hope this missive finds you well. I returned from the woods last week, but it was rough and I wasn't in the best of states, mentally emotionally or physically. So allow me to apologise now for the delay in my contacting you. While out in the woods my command party had made some poor decisions that sucked me up into them. So I ended up in between a rock and a hard place, but in spite of any of my efforts they ended up pulling my entire team from training. Until yesterday my fate hadn't been decided but now they have decided to recycle me through the last phase of training, which means that I will go back out sometime in January or February. When it will be even colder! That's allright though because it's just a gut check and I should do just fine.
Right now I am focusing on putting weight back on and getting into some semblance of shape (I lost between 20-30 lbs). So all things considered life right now is good, relaxed and nearly stress free.
I filled out my leave paperwork yesterday and plan on going home for Christmas, hope to see you there. I look forward to speaking with you, one of the first things I did when I got back was to check your site.
Dnow you are missed, In the comming days may you have joy and may your hopes be fullfilled,
Nick Hinds
Your blog gets me all teary eyed because I didn't write nearly as much as I should have while in Senegal...and now I regret it. You should print it out when you get home and keep it in your memoires. I'm sure you'll appreciated having it to look back at when you get back home...and believe me you'll miss it all!!!
Fanaan ak jamm
Tifi
P.S. Nit nga...you're human...Toubab or not...lol
Alexandra, please include leiderhosen in all of your entries from now on. ;)
Liso - What what? Marry a who? And how in the world does one access your blog?
Nick - Seeing you at Christmas may be one of the better presents I receive this year. (My eyes are getting a little teary at the thought of it). Be well, as always. Thank you for the update - I'm sorry to hear about the setback, but it sounds like you, as always, take it in stride with that great cosmic sense of irony and love that you have effortlessly acquired through the years...
until december.
*Meg
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