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November 10, 2007

Fulani wedding

As the motorbikes came within earshot, the excitement in our yard mounted. Children ran to the gate and started jumping up and down. Women ululated and prepared their water-drums. Most of the men remained seated on the ground, gnawing goat bones with feigned indifference. The bride was on her way.

A song rose on the night air, swelling to a crescendo as the motorbikes roared in through the gate: Jam naati, jeyoowo wari, jam naati, Sambo bangi. (Peace is entering, the bride has come, peace is entering, Sambo has got married). The bride came in last, swaddled and veiled, a crowd of Fulani women escorting her to the door of the house.

Nyibira suudu (Build the house
Loosi e cekke With sticks and mats
Jam yowee dow. Put peace on top)

Even after Charlie had disappeared into the house, the women outside continued to dance for a long time. Old Al Hajji Amadou fired his rifle in celebration. A hundred people cried 'Alla moyyin' (May God make [the marriage] good!). Another hundred cried 'Alla hokku bikkoy e jawdi' (May God give children and wealth!). Cola nuts exchanged hands. In the corner of the yard, Gaultier the Goat ruminated quietly, more interested in watermelon than weddings.

Gaultier was a gift to Charlie from our neighbour Dikoore. He is white
with black spectacles and he wakes us up with a loud bleat at precisely 5.55 every morning. Dikoore cackled when we told her we had given the goat a name. It's not really the done thing.

Charlie has mastered several phrases in Fulfulde, including 'Jam tan'
(Peace only), 'Mido ekkitoo Fulfulde' (I am learning Fulfulde) and 'Sambo walaa gaa' (Sambo is not here). Her first official Fulfulde lesson takes place on Monday. Please pray that she will enjoy learning the language and that she will get good at it.

It's good to be back. The last few days have been a carousel of visiting and greeting but it is beginning to calm down now. Now that our Fulani wedding is out of the way, what are we going to do here?

Once Charlie has made some headway in Fulfulde, she is hoping to start up some kind of small business to employ and empower local women. Not a magazine this time. Probably something craft-y. Please pray for God's guidance in this.

The Djibo FM broadcasting license is still proving elusive. Our hopes were high after receiving a message that our latest application had been successful, but on our return we learned that a last-minute intervention by a government minister had scuppered us once again. It is disappointing to say the least. Pending the arrival of a Djibo station, I am going to concentrate on three things:

- Producing Christian audio materials

These can be distributed on cassette in the Djibo area and via existing stations elsewhere in the Sahel. The work will involve setting up a recording studio and working with Fulani people to produce inspiring, Christ-centric programmes.

- Writing for Children

'The Yellowcake Conspiracy' came out in September and is already in its second edition. It is aimed at 12-16 year-old boys, but a lot of adults seem to be enjoying it as well. Next one due out is 'Sophie and the Crooked General'.

- Market outreach

Our book/cassette shop completely collapsed this year during a
particularly heavy rain, but I intend to get it built again. Many rural Fulani only visit Djibo on market day and our open-sided shop enables them to hear about the love of Christ in their own language.

Our warmest greetings to you and your families. Alla beydu jam.

Posted by sahelsteve at November 10, 2007 10:09 PM