Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Meet the Family

My host mother Mariama, my neighbor and tokora (person with a same name) Adama, my host mother Saliou Njai, and baby Diabou shelling karite (shea) nuts to be punded and boiled into oil and shea butter.



Sajou Ba and Makaba, two of my many host brothers. They like me a lot.

Especially Sajou. He like to follow me around singing "Adama... Adama... Adama..." (That is my name.)

Mankaba and Diabou, my youngest host sibling. Over the last few weeks she's gone from being totally terrified of me to just sort of not liking it very much when I'm near her.

My host sister Mariama Gaulo. She's really smart, very responsible, and remarkably patient with me.

My host brother Mamadou. He's Mankaba's older brother, and a very good kid. 

My host sister Fatimatou.

Alaji, one of my host cousins. I'm pretty sure. He has a fancy moto and often comes over and eats at the bowl I share with my two oldest host sisters at dinnertime.

My host mother Saliou Njai, all dressed up in a complet for going out into the village.

Samba Diallo, a really nice neighbor. He, like many older people in village, is pretty much blind.

My host father and traditional chief, Sadat Souare. He teaches Koranic classes (kids come to learn about Islam and memorize verses from the Koran) most mornings, has a good sense of humor, and is just generally pleasant to hang out with.

This is my host grandmother. I think she's nice; I don't really understand about 90% of the things she tells me.

This is Diame, my youngest host mom's daughter from a previous relationship. She came back from a trip to another village with those nasty sores, and they've been steadily getting better over the last few days.

This is Sarif, my host dad's older brother, who is sweet but difficult to understand, both in French and Pulaar, and is also blind. He lives one hut over from me on the family compound, and we chat most evenings before dinner.

For anyone who didn't go to Camp Unalayee, this is what I look like when it's hot hot hot out, I'm wearing two layers of sunblock, and I haven't washed my hair in 12 days.

This is Bineta. I like her (and her 5-year-old daughter Diouma) a lot. I think she is my host cousin.

 Mankaba, Sajou, Diame, and a neighbor kid hanging around before dinnertime.

One of my host brothers playing in front of the satellite dish. We watch TV a few nights a week, usually when there's power and also a soccer game, traditional wrestling match, and/or an Indian soap opera on.

Diouma and her mom (my host mom) Kadje.

The view from the side of my hut at sunset.

Grinding up peanuts in the afternoon. (It is very fancy that my family has a grinder.) I'm lucky that all three of my host moms, my host sisters, and my host sister-in-law who also makes dinner, are all good cooks. I' also lucky that the family has enough money to buy onions, spices, and occasionally fish for the sauces that go over the rice at lunch and the couscous at dinner.

Ablaye is a cousin, I think, from the city of Tamba. I'm not sue why he lives with us right now.

This is my shadow on the karite/shea nuts drying in the sun.


One of the many chickens and a few of the adorrrable new chicks running around...


One of the goats and adorrrrable little kids...


Next up: How (and why) to make lotion out of Neem leaves!

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