January 3, 2009; Philadelphia, PA
I am on my way back to Dakar after 2 wonderful weeks at home in the US. Being home was great, to spend time with everyone, to sit around the fire and tell stories to eat my mom’s meals, and to see some snow! Christmas time always makes me think of traditions and rituals, which I love.
I am on my way back to Dakar after 2 wonderful weeks at home in the US. Being home was great, to spend time with everyone, to sit around the fire and tell stories to eat my mom’s meals, and to see some snow! Christmas time always makes me think of traditions and rituals, which I love.
My brothers will tell you that if we do something one year that I then think we should do it the next year and that I think it should become a tradition. Living far away from home now makes me love all those traditions even more than before (if that was possible!) and to want to make lots more to have those memories to carry across the Atlantic with me. My happy memory and hug banks are full now, my bags have some new books, some maple syrup, and new snorkeling gear so I guess I am ready to go back to Africa for awhile and see a few more of their traditions.
January 10, 2009; Theis, Senegal
I spent the day today in Theis 3 hours east of Dakar at the baptism of a co-worker’s daughter. Baptism here is actually the naming ceremony for a child. This is a tradition in the Muslim faith to have a huge party on the 7th day after the birth of a child and to announce the name of the child at that time. There are traditional reasons to all this but there are medical ones too. In Bolivia they would often wait a month to name their baby. In both cases this rises from a time in which frequently babies didn’t make it to the 7th or 30th day of life and so by not naming them a good name was not wasted a child that had died. In Senegal, today the neonatal (first 30 days of life) death rate is 31 per 1,000 live births while in Bolivia it is 27 and in the US 5 per 1,000 live births.
January 17, 2009; Pikine, Senegal
January 10, 2009; Theis, Senegal
I spent the day today in Theis 3 hours east of Dakar at the baptism of a co-worker’s daughter. Baptism here is actually the naming ceremony for a child. This is a tradition in the Muslim faith to have a huge party on the 7th day after the birth of a child and to announce the name of the child at that time. There are traditional reasons to all this but there are medical ones too. In Bolivia they would often wait a month to name their baby. In both cases this rises from a time in which frequently babies didn’t make it to the 7th or 30th day of life and so by not naming them a good name was not wasted a child that had died. In Senegal, today the neonatal (first 30 days of life) death rate is 31 per 1,000 live births while in Bolivia it is 27 and in the US 5 per 1,000 live births.
January 17, 2009; Pikine, Senegal
The daughter of a co-worker got married today in a suburb of Dakar. I was invited to attend the event. The Senegalese have a sense of style that I would never try to match, they look amazing in these beautiful rich colored fabrics with fine embroidery.
these may look out of the place in the US but here if you wear anything else you look out of place. Since I don’t own a boubou, the name of the traditional Senegalese dress, I solicited the help of a Senegalese friend who lent me one and taught me how to tie the head piece. Well she tried to teach me but I could probably use a few more lessons. I ended up feeling fairly comfortable in my outfit and my co-workers were all impressed by my look. The wedding was nothing like the pomp and circumstance of Western weddings, though the bride did wear white. The wedding was much more about the joining of two families. It was an interesting experience to say the least.
January 29, Dakar, Senegal
I have been back in Dakar nearly a month now and have been trying to stay out of the wind and dust most of that time. The harmattan wind is a strong wind that blows across the Sahara carrying dust and sand with it. In Dakar the days are hazier and cooler then they have been in the past as many months. I have been wearing a sweater or scarf a lot and at night I sleep with a blanket. Three weeks ago I returned to Isle de le Madeleine to see some of the winter migratory birds. The island was much browner then my last visit with the on set of the dry season. The water was much colder too! I only lasted 10 minutes but it was fun to try out my new snorkeling gear. I pulled out my windbreaker recently for a long walk along the cornice road (the road along the ocean in Dakar). I finally went to visit the Lighthouse that overlooks all of Dakar and to take pictures up close to my favorite mosque in Dakar which faces the setting sun.
I have had many adventures during January, these are but a few. I have posted lots of pictures on my photo blog and I hope to catch up on a few stories soon.
http://picasaweb.google.com/clarafy.blog
January 29, Dakar, Senegal
I have been back in Dakar nearly a month now and have been trying to stay out of the wind and dust most of that time. The harmattan wind is a strong wind that blows across the Sahara carrying dust and sand with it. In Dakar the days are hazier and cooler then they have been in the past as many months. I have been wearing a sweater or scarf a lot and at night I sleep with a blanket. Three weeks ago I returned to Isle de le Madeleine to see some of the winter migratory birds. The island was much browner then my last visit with the on set of the dry season. The water was much colder too! I only lasted 10 minutes but it was fun to try out my new snorkeling gear. I pulled out my windbreaker recently for a long walk along the cornice road (the road along the ocean in Dakar). I finally went to visit the Lighthouse that overlooks all of Dakar and to take pictures up close to my favorite mosque in Dakar which faces the setting sun.
I have had many adventures during January, these are but a few. I have posted lots of pictures on my photo blog and I hope to catch up on a few stories soon.
http://picasaweb.google.com/clarafy.blog
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