Yesterday I sat with Mme Sanokho for hours under a Neem tree in the sandy street in in front of her home. We sat on green plastic chairs that we brought out, a large worn tire in lay on the ground before us. It made for the third chair as as passersby came and greeted us and stayed for awhile to chat in Wolof mostly. I listened for words I recognized, responded to greetings in French and in Wolof and observed. The generous branches and leaves of the Neem tree shaded us from the afternoon sun.
Beside me to my right sat 2 young men making green 'gunpowder tea' (you can purchase this tea in Chinese shops in Canada), flavored with fresh mint leaves. They boiled their tea in a 2 cup metal tea pot over a small kerosene burner. I saw them add 2 very generous one-shot glasses of sugar... More later. off to the bank.
A little further under another Neem tree a group of 7 to 10 young men and boys who had been playing ? on a fussball machine framed in wood now sat on the sand or on stools or chairs primed to watch the final for the World Cup.
En face, in front, Mme S and I faced the metal door set in the cement wall that bordered the courtyard in front of 'our' home. The walls are a fading brown-yellow color of whitewash.
To the right lie tethered three belliers/ male sheep which families who have the means are keeping for the Fete de Tabaski which will come up in I think September or October. During this celebration each family if they can will butcher a sheep and there will be feasting. The prices go up so buying the sheep in advance is a way to reduce costs.
Wonderful specimens. Healthy. One reminds me of Olaf (my sister's goat in Rimbey, Alberta). I will try to take a photo soon.
Women and young women and young men walk by. The girls dressed in form fitting jeans and cute t-shirts or in endlessly varied custom made traditional clothing. Chic. Colorful. Lovely. I have 2 outfits in mind- the material already purchased by Ndeye, the eldest daughter of Mme S. Ndeye has given me her name as a nickname. Ndeye. :-)
All this under the Neem tree- every compound has one in the villages, and now in the city they operate as oasises from the sun's heat. Here much is discussed, decided --I imagine-- and observed.
Chère Jeanna,
ReplyDeleteJ'aime beaucoup te lire. Toi qui observe, observe et observe sans aucun jugement, je peux tellement t'imaginer dans tes récits qu'il me semble partager tes moments présents.
Les enfants sur la photo sont adorables, tellement joyeux! Puissions-nous retrouver aussi en occident la complicité sans attente que semble vivre ces femmes qui t'accueillent et partage avec toi leur vie de tous les jours.
passe une bonne journée, à bientôt,
Jocelyne
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYou paint beautiful images with words! Love the communal tree where people meet to tell stories and rest from the heat of the day. :) Making tea is also a beautiful image.
ReplyDeleteThe pictures are great as well. You could replace the definition of Joy in the dictionary with the picture of your young friends! :)
Love you Jeanna! Looking forward to your updates very much.