Best Day yet!

So let me tell you about my best day in Niger thus far. First a small lesson in Islam. Tabaski (as its known in Niger) or Eid Al-Adha (for all my arabic readers) is a celebration that occurs 70 days after the end of Ramadan. This year that day also happened to be New Year's eve. They celebrate Abraham scarificing his only son Issac. This differs from the christian view (the one that I hold) that God in fact did not make Abraham sacrifice Issac. Anways...in that spirit Muslims (at least in Niger and most of West Africa) "sacrifice" (if you will) a sheep...lots and lots of sheep. It's a big day and I was pumped.
The day before I explained to my cheif and his family why I wouldn't be going to pray with them in the morning but he said I should come and take pictures and watch. So I took him up on the offer. Since most of my villagers know that I'm a Christian I felt pretty safe in going all out Africa-tastic for them. The day of I woke up pretty early to get ready. After putting on my complay (full outfit of all one really LOUD fabric) I headed over to my cheifs concession. I decided to cover my head and if my villagers didn't about burst from excitement...I seriously don't know what I can do to top this. So I covered my head with the same fabirc and then with a head scarf. Everyone loved it and in an instant I got more respect that I had in the past 5 months. Oh and my chief adopted me. All my villagers kept going around telling everyone I was a really zarma now and my chiefs family kept calling me their little sister.
The prayer was an absolutely beautiful scene, in some ways. Everyone goes to the furthest edge of the village and faces the NE of coarse, toward Mecca. I walked much further behindwith all the women. Each elder had one of their many grandchildren carrying their mat. Then everyone got into "formation. The shiek and the prayer caller (i'm sure he has an actual name) stand in front of 2 long rows of men, then behind them the younger boys, behind him the oldest women of the village (only a handful) and then mixed in little kids running EVERYWHERE. It's hard for me to see this and not think of my own faith. For me if I was only allowed to sit behind then men simply because of my gender I would be rather peeved. But then again that thought process is so influenced by what I know but there are in fact women who feel empowered by Islam...to each their own.
After the prayer the sheep killing begans... literally hundreds of sheep. Then I was sent back to my hut to rest. Really they just had to put me in a central location but then the food came. About 5 different families each brought me food or various varities...just think carbs and lots of them. After that was over I headed off to Birni to see Ginger's "boss" as he invited us all over where we ate even more. Then I returned back to Dounu-dibi to do what else but cook. I finally cooked over an open flame and my maijiri's family said it was rather tasty. At this point I was so full I could burst to reject food is pratically a sin in Niger and really anywhere in the developing world so I had been taking about 2 bites of every dish and explaining that American stomachs are small...my villagers told me that I was a zarma now and that I should eat. After we all determined that I was tuckered out from my day I waddled back to my hut with a full stomach, and grin knowing that my first Tabaski was a success.
My New Year's was rather uneventful I fell asleep around 10 here and then came the meat. After the sheep cooked all night each family, by tradition, gives to their community...yea more sheep meat than you know what to do with came my way. I had a lovely breakfast. And that's how I started off 2007. There was lots of talk about how next year my mom will be here for Tabaski as it's on Dec. 20.

Work in my garden is coming along nicely but I had to come into the capital to get some necessary tools and such so I don't have to keep bothering my villagers. My hands are pretty raw and so the trip to Niamey served several purposes: get supplies, employ a friend to water my garden and let my fingers rest a bit. All my villagers keep saying when I go home my mom is going to be so mad that I have suffered and that I worked too hard. Let's just say I'm pretty sure no guy will ever want to hold my hand again. but at the end of the day it's worth it because I made friend green tomatoes and I felt like I was back in the states not too mention the fact that I've gained a lot of respect for my effort. Which really was the intial reason for the gradne anyways. Plus my chief and friends loved them and want me to to them how to make them... yea I am the next Marth Stewart of Niger!

I hope this finds you all well and enjoying your 2007 thus far. I've heard its been pretty warm back in the states. Blasted global warming. Anways thanks for spending some time at my blog and check back in about a month.