One of the blessings of my post is that it is only about 30 minutes from Nassarao. And Jessie and Emily and I decided to go back to Nassarao to celebrate Fete de Mouton with our host families. This was made especially easy by the fact that my village is Christian and not many people celebrate it, and also the fact that my house was not finished and I had nowhere to sleep. So after arriving at post on the 5th, and bringing luggage and so on, checking in on the work being done, I was able to go, while they kept working. Oh what a joy. Emily and I, and Jessie as well to an extent, did not want to leave Nassarao. I would have given anything for that to be my post! It was really really hard for me, and the only reason I could keep it together saying good bye to my family, to the community was knowing I would be back four days later to stay with them and celebrate. So I was so excited to come back.
I had a new outfit for FdM, still had my hair braided and henna from swearing in, and the day consisted of getting to Nas early in the morning, after staying with Stephanie in Garoua the night before (queen of hospitality). We arrived and spent the next 6-7 hours walking around, visiting house to house, taking pictures, and eating, eating, eating. Mom, you would be so ecstatic, so ecstatic, that I ate more meat on those two days than, I think the whole past year or two. Seriously. I walked from my house, to a friends house, who said, come back at such and such time to eat, to Adam’s families house, who said come back at such and such time to eat, and then to another house, where the eating commenced. So it was seven houses in a row of sitting down, being served sheep and rice and other wonderful things and being told Nyamu, Nyamu Nyamu (eat eat eat). And I was so happy. However, by house 6, when I was told Djodu et Nyamu, and the plate brought out to me was the innards of a sheep, I couldn’t take it. I had one bite and then, luckily was saved by having another rendez-vous. (the same thing happened the next day, where by the last house in Garoua, Emily and I were presented with another plate of innards, and she said under her breath to me, “Oh my God I’m seriously going to throw up if I eat one more bite. I can’t do this,” in all seriousness. It was actually very humorous, except for the fact the quantity actually was making us sick.) Wow. So much lamb. And rice. But so much happiness, sitting with families, talking, eating together, taking photos. Such a celebration.
The following evening (after more visiting and eating) Emily, her host brothers and Rebecca’s host brother, Hamadou and I went into Garoua to watch the Fantasia at the lamido’s palace. (The lamido is the traditional regional Muslim leader.)
How I wish I had photos to post, or even better a video, or even better, how I wish you all were there to see. I just sat there and the whole time thought, I wish my family was here to see this, I wish my friends could see this, Here I am in North Cameroon, this is my life, and how I love life here. The fantasia is a traditional ceremony held at the lamido’s house, and consists of men dressed in traditional soldiers clothing, mounted on beautiful horses who race so fast from one end behind the mosque straight up to the lamido seated outside, where they rein up their houses, swearing their allegiance to the lamido, as they did in years past. Then the top 5 most beautiful horses in the town were presented. There was traditional music, and everyone dressed in their finest (have I mentioned how much I adore bu-bus?)
The one thing I didn’t get to do was play soccer with the guys at the field, which I had hoped to do, because my last two weeks I had started playing every soir with the guys, and it was such fun. But the next time I go to Nassarao…
As it is, now FdM is over, and I don’t know when I will be back, but I think both Em and I are hoping to go back maybe once a month or so, to visit. And I feel so blessed, sooo blessed, that I am so close.
I had a new outfit for FdM, still had my hair braided and henna from swearing in, and the day consisted of getting to Nas early in the morning, after staying with Stephanie in Garoua the night before (queen of hospitality). We arrived and spent the next 6-7 hours walking around, visiting house to house, taking pictures, and eating, eating, eating. Mom, you would be so ecstatic, so ecstatic, that I ate more meat on those two days than, I think the whole past year or two. Seriously. I walked from my house, to a friends house, who said, come back at such and such time to eat, to Adam’s families house, who said come back at such and such time to eat, and then to another house, where the eating commenced. So it was seven houses in a row of sitting down, being served sheep and rice and other wonderful things and being told Nyamu, Nyamu Nyamu (eat eat eat). And I was so happy. However, by house 6, when I was told Djodu et Nyamu, and the plate brought out to me was the innards of a sheep, I couldn’t take it. I had one bite and then, luckily was saved by having another rendez-vous. (the same thing happened the next day, where by the last house in Garoua, Emily and I were presented with another plate of innards, and she said under her breath to me, “Oh my God I’m seriously going to throw up if I eat one more bite. I can’t do this,” in all seriousness. It was actually very humorous, except for the fact the quantity actually was making us sick.) Wow. So much lamb. And rice. But so much happiness, sitting with families, talking, eating together, taking photos. Such a celebration.
The following evening (after more visiting and eating) Emily, her host brothers and Rebecca’s host brother, Hamadou and I went into Garoua to watch the Fantasia at the lamido’s palace. (The lamido is the traditional regional Muslim leader.)
How I wish I had photos to post, or even better a video, or even better, how I wish you all were there to see. I just sat there and the whole time thought, I wish my family was here to see this, I wish my friends could see this, Here I am in North Cameroon, this is my life, and how I love life here. The fantasia is a traditional ceremony held at the lamido’s house, and consists of men dressed in traditional soldiers clothing, mounted on beautiful horses who race so fast from one end behind the mosque straight up to the lamido seated outside, where they rein up their houses, swearing their allegiance to the lamido, as they did in years past. Then the top 5 most beautiful horses in the town were presented. There was traditional music, and everyone dressed in their finest (have I mentioned how much I adore bu-bus?)
The one thing I didn’t get to do was play soccer with the guys at the field, which I had hoped to do, because my last two weeks I had started playing every soir with the guys, and it was such fun. But the next time I go to Nassarao…
As it is, now FdM is over, and I don’t know when I will be back, but I think both Em and I are hoping to go back maybe once a month or so, to visit. And I feel so blessed, sooo blessed, that I am so close.
1 comment:
Wish I could be with you too!
Love you, miss you!
Claire
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