Monday, October 24, 2005

Back from the Bush

We started last Saturday by renting a truck in Dakar and then slowly winding our way north through now non-existent kingdoms except in name, up to the north central part, up to the river, being able to see Maurtania, see the pirogue that could take us there, but staying contentedly on the Senegal side. It was a journey full of ups and downs with five (was that the last count?) flat tires, many battles with the prickly cocklburred vegetation including pinned trees and grass species of "cram cram" as little burs are called in French, and the heat... heat that plagues you and no way for a reprieve with only hot winds and shade trees hard to come by. Heat that beats down absolutely and relentlessly, where your body even forgets to sweat at times and even the flies are slow, where even our water nears boiling temperature, but we have no choice but to dump it down our throats. But the heat would fastly turn into a beautiful serene cool evening where we'd just find a blank patch of sand in the sea of grasses, lay out our cots, and then I'd rest feeling the heat leaving my body, staring at the endless peaceful sky and just really, ever so acutely enjoying the temperature bracing myself for the next day's 9:30-morning sun when the heat begins its descent.

And it was a week of having english in one ear and french in another. Gray speaking up about the vegetation, the soils, the people, the farming, and anything else I asked. And because he's my special visitor from Brookings, we talked about this weekend's hobo days, the Lowe's store vote, the Brookings Register, and everything else that goes with being nostaligic for home. On the other half, I had Amadou. Amadou who's traveled with Gray out in the bush for 20 years, who is so versed on the history, culture, landscape, agriculture, people of Senegal that he's always pointing something out, always coming out with a tidbit about this and that, always finding a way to make the hottest and most difficult days relevent, insightful, and an intellectual quest.

And we saw village life, which for a city girl (not really, but with Dakar at that point my only only reference) was amazingly good and relieving and incredible, and especially good to realize how great people treat each other once you get out of the city. We were invited to share shade, went down the long line of greetings "how's your family? are you passing the day in peace? how's the heat? how's Dakar? how's America?" to which most everything you answer peacefully and by thanking god. And then Amadou would begin the explanation for why were there, why were visiting, why were sharing their land for this moment. Then leading to our questions on water, crops, trees, the herds. I just tried to take it all in.

I'm still reflecting, still settling in, still editing photos, but I'll post more as the week goes on.



Pulaar village in the north.

View near Thies.

1 Comments:

At 25/10/05 00:15, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I miss you so, even if you are intensely experiencing life on the other side of this sphere. I want you nearer so that we can share this life, ever so short and unrelenting as it marches on, without regard to its inhabitants. much love and treasure to you, mom

 

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