Some pictures from Kissa

So I'm in Sikasso now.  The internet is decent here and there is a public computer, so I got to upload some pictures!

Recently in village was the month of Ramadan, when Muslim adults don't eat food or drink water from dawn till dusk, and then have a big feast every night.  I joined them in fasting for a few days, but there's no way I could make it a whole month.  Plus, they work long days in the fields, doing hard labor while they are fasting.  At the end of Ramadan is Seli (or Aid El-Fitr in Arabic), it is kind of like the Malian Christmas.  Malian put on their nice clothes, eat nice food and dance, and they all want me to take their picture.

Also, my village has been visited by elephants!  Which is exciting and unexpected since theyre extremely rare in Mali.  Nevertheless, its a huge problem for my village's farmers, as elephants can destroy tons of crops.  Just another threat to Kissa's already precarious food security.

 

This is Adama and Usthman, striking Karate poses.  Theyre both really helpful, they water my garden for me when I'm out of town.  Theyre kind of my best friends.

 

This is Musa, my host-fathers son.

 

This is a group of women, they were all dressed up for Seli, the holiday at the end of Ramadan, and wanted me to take their picture.  They're my neighbors.

 

Some men, sitting around and playing checkers.  Again, they are dressed up for Seli.  Those one in green on the right is my homologue, who is assigned to work with me in the village.

  

So elephants (or maybe actually just one) came up from the south.  Apparently they come up during the rainy season.  They are a bit of a nuisance, breaking into gardens (above) and trampling and eating crops (below).  As far as I know, I am the only volunteer in Mali to have elephants at their site, which I guess is fair compensation for having a site way out in the bush.  I haven't seen the elephants yet, just their damage.  It is illegal to kill are harass the elephants, since they are endangered.  The government is supposed to re-compensate farmers for damaged crops, although this does not always happen

Teaching Fadjine to Read

 

This is my neighbor, Fadjine.  He's 26 years old, and he works hard everyday in the fields.  The last time my village had a festival, at the start of the rainy season, he put on his nicest clothes and asked to take his photograph next to his proudest possession, his motorcycle.

 Like more than half of Malians, Fadjine is illiterate, and lately he's been asking me to teach him to read.  In Mali, learning to read is made difficult by the fact that most of the population speaks Bambara, but there are almost no written materials in Bambara.  Books, legal documents, and newspapers are all in French.  In schools, Malians learn reading and French - at the same time.  Malians speak French to varying degrees: in Bamako it is almost as common as Bambara, but in a small village like Kissa, someone who never went to school wouldn't know more than a handful of phrases. 

Fadjine doesn't speak French, but he was very persistent in asking me to teach him to read.  So one day I grabbed a paper and pencil, wrote down the letter A, and said "this is 'A,' it goes 'Aaaaa.'"  He doesn't even know the full alphabet yet, but he learns a few more letters every night. 

It's surprising how complicated reading and writing really is.  Fadjine will stare at four letters for a painfully long time, slowly repeating the letters under his breath "Behh - Aaaa - Seh - Iiii, Behh - Aaaa - Seh - Iiii."  Sometimes it will take a minute before it finally crystallizes and he says triumphantly "BASI!."  Then he attempts to write the word under where I have written it, carefully reproducing those tiny weird squiggles. 

 I write down Bambara words for him to read, reasoning that, maybe, once he knows all the sounds, he can start learning a little French.  But he has a long way to go.

More Q & A

 I am currently doing a correspondence program with a friend from home who is also a teacher, Greg Shurman.  I'll be working with the school in my village and with his civics class in Florida, to help them get to know each other!  Anyway, Greg sent me a letter introducing his students and in it he asked some interesting questions.  I figured I'd put them up here for everyone to see.







Does your host family know much about the United States?  No, but I'm always teaching them and telling them stuff.  All they really know is that "there's a lot of money there!"

Do you have time to teach them about our culture? Yeah, thats actually a big part of my job.

Will you be in Kissa the entire two years or will you travel to other parts of Mali? I get to leave Kissa occasionally (for example, to go to a bigger city and get internet).  But, my work will be in Kissa and I will be spending most of my time there for the next two years.

What is the Peace Corps goal in Mali? The peace corps has three goals. First and foremost, to provide assistance and technical expertise to peoples who are lacking it, to help them escape poverty.  However, the Peace Corps also serves to educate Malians about America, and to educate Americans about Mali (hence the exchange we're doing)

Where do you see places like Kissa in the next 10 years?  Thats really hard to say!  Change happens slowly here.  I would like to see Kissa's children healthier, better fed and with more access to medicines. I think thats the biggest thing.  Another thing would be to have more kids going to school and learning to read (most of the town is illiterate).

Does it cool down at night?  Yes, but during the hot season (which is over now, whew) you pretty much still sweat at night.

What are the main problems facing west Africa and Mali?  Where to begin?  Corruption, poor infrastructure, lack of education... I'd say those are the biggest things hindering development.

What are some solutions to these problems?  I think the most comprehensive and long-term solution is better education.  Everything else is just a band-aid solution.

What nations are involved in the region that you are working?  The big ones are America, France (who colonized Mali), China and Libya.  Americans do a lot of development work but the military has a presence here as al-qaida is in northern Mali.  The Chinese do a lot of work building infrastructure to help Chinese business interests (which still ends up helping Mali, but more inadvertently). Libya (ie Qaddafi) wants Mali as an ally, and spends a lot of money trying to look like Mali's helpful big brother. They have paid for big, showy buildings in Bamako and give Malians cheap oil. Many Malians support Qaddafi and are upset about what Americans are doing over there now.

Is your host family curious about the United States? Yes, very much so. They don't know much about it, and many things about America and Mali are so different.  It can be hard for them to understand, or for me to explain things like, say, why anyone would have a job other then as a farmer, consumerism, religious pluralism, a free press and un-corrupt government, homosexuality and transsexualism, environmental issues, American relationships...

Tulonke

Malians love to laugh with each other.  However, the way that they joke and tease each other is very different from how we do in America.  They have a much more structured and formulaic way of teasing, and it is called “Tulonke.”  When Malians are “Tulonke-ing” (which can mean playing, joking, or teasing), they rely on a very specific system for who they joke with and what they joke about.  Although some of their jokes seem simple and predictable to Americans, Malians find them absolutely hilarious, every time.  I often find myself laughing like crazy along with them, catching it contagiously!

Joking Cousins - Sinunkun

            The most prominent form of Tulonke in Mali is called joking cousins.  This system relies on all of the many diverse ethnic groups and family names here in Mali.  In this system, people of a certain last name are “joking cousins” with people of other specific last names.  For example, cowherders tease blacksmiths, the fishermen tease people of the Dogon ethnicity.  In my case, my last name is Kone, and the joking cousins of the Kones are Dembeles and Traores.  So, whenever I meet people whose last name is Traore, I immediately tell them that their last name is bad and we will begin insulting each other.  I’ll tell them they eat beans (an insult here), and then they’ll tell me I’m lazy because I’m a Kone.  Then everyone will laugh and shake hands.  Other common insults are to tell someone they sleep in the latrine, and that eat donkeys or dogs.

Family Relationships

            There are also family relationships that have a joking relationship.  Grandparents and grandchildren joke with each other, as well as your older brother’s wife, or, conversely, your husband’s younger brothers.  The grandparent-grandchild relationship is surprising: grandparents with say that they are afraid of their grandchildren, and that the grandchild is trying to kill them.  The grandchild, on the other hand, will say that their grandparents are too old and need to hurry up and die and stop taking all the food!  This is something I would never, ever say to one of my grandparents, but Malians love it, and find it hilarious.  Nevertheless, grandchildren still respect their grandparents very much, and would only say something seemingly disrespectful or rude if it is within the formula of “Tulonke.”

Ugly Name – Togo Jugu

            This is not found all over Mali, but in my village people especially love the form of Tulonke called togo jugu or ugly name.  In this system, everyone has an ugly name, for example, mine is monkey-nose.  Some ugly names include rat-testicle, old woman’s mouth, red cucumber mouth, dog-thigh, demon-butt, or pig-stomach.  When you call people their ugly name, or make insinuations about it, everyone laughs.  But, if someone calls you by your ugly name, you must act indignant, and say “don’t ever call me that” and threaten to make them buy you tea or kola nuts.  And its always hilarious.

Letter from Elemantary school kids!

A friend of my Mom's, Cathy McCormick, teaches elementary school kids.  She showed them my blog, and they all wrote me some fantastic letters!  Reading all those letters really made me smile, and reminded me a bit of when I was a kid, wondering what a place like Africa could be like.  They asked some good questions, some of which I'm sure you adults would like to know about, so I'll answer them here

What kind of animals are there?
      Mali used to have all of the classic African animals: lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras.  But, today many of them are gone because now there are too many people.  Some of them, like elephants, ostriches, chimpanzees and hippos are in small protected National Parks in Mali, but not where I am.  In my part of Mali, in the forest you can find lots of birds like parrots and hornbills, you find snakes, even cobras and mambas.  There are also monkeys, warthogs, mongooses, and a big rat called an agouti.  My village also has a rare dwarf crocodile in a small pond.  It is a little bit smaller than the alligators we have in Florida.  This crocodile is sacred for them, and the village works hard to protect it.
      Mali also has lots of farm animals: Cows, Donkeys, Sheep, Goats, and Chickens wander all over my village.  There is also a funny looking chicken called a Guineafowl.

Is it scary at night?
    Because there are no lions or cheetahs anymore, luckily I don't have to worry about them at night.  There are a lot of bugs that come out at night, and some of them sting you.  There are scorpions, spiders, camel-spiders, blister beetles and mosquitoes.  That is the scariest thing about nights.

What is the food like? (Whats your favorite?)
    The most common food is called Toh, it is sort of like bread dough.  It is made out of millet and corn.  You take a handful of toh and dip it in sauce, and eat it.  The sauces are mostly made out of okra, peanuts or spicy peppers.  Malians eat everything with their hands, they don't use forks, knives or spoons.  In addition to toh, they also eat rice, couscous, and rice and corn porridge.
    Things like meat, eggs beans, salad, and plantains are rare treats for Malians.  Usually they just eat one thing for a meal.  For example, a family will share a big bowl of rice with sauce and that is their dinner.
    My favorite food is plantains!

What fruits are there? (Whats your favorite?)
      There are lots of fruits!  Many fruits that you have in Florida they have here: Mangoes, Coconuts, Pineapples, Guavas, Watermelons, Bananas, Avocadoes, Tamarind, Dates.  They have oranges and lemons but they are very different from the citrus that we have in Florida.  Many fruits found here are not found in Florida: Sebe, Zaba, Ntaba, Shea, Nta'an...
      All the fruits here only grow a certain time of year.  For example, Mangoes grow from April to August, and Watermelons grow in October.  If its not October, you can't eat watermelons!
     My favorite fruit is definitely Mangoes!  They are so delicious and there are so many different kinds...

What kind of languages do they speak?
     They speak lots of languages in Mali.  The most common is Bambara, but there are many other: Fula, Dioula, Minianka, Senufo.  It would be like if there was a different language in every part of Florida.  So, if you left Orlando to go to Jacksonville, you would have to learn a different language, and if you went from Jacksonville to Tampa, you would have to learn a third language!  Thats why many Malians can speak lots of languages, some people know even four or five languages.
      In school they learn in French, so Malians that go to school know French.  However, many Malians don't go to school.  In fact, more than half of Malians can't read, even adults!


What are the houses like?  What are they made of?
    Most of the houses are made out of mud bricks, and the roofs are made out of dried grass.  The roof frame is made out of sticks, died together with bark.  When its time to build a house, you make it yourself, and all of your neighbors help you!


What games and sports do you play there?
    Malians love soccer!  They play a little bit of basketball in the cities, but they have never heard of American football.  They also play checkers, but it is a little different.  They play cards, but they only play one game.  They don't know that you can play other games with a deck of cards! 
 

What do you guys celebrate?
     90% of Malians are Muslims.  So they celebrate all of the muslim holidays like Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.  They also celebrate weddings and when a baby is born.  In my village, they had a big festival for the start of the rainy season.
     Holidays here are a lot like holidays in America: people hang out with family and friends, dress up, and eat a lot.  Malians also dance a lot and sing a lot.  They don't drink any alcohol at all because they are Muslims.  Holidays are when they usually get to eat fancy things like meat.

How do you get computer service/internet? How far is it to the city?
     My village doesn't have internet.  It doesn't even have electricity!  It does have cell phone service, though, and people charge their cell phones with solar panels.
     I have to go to the city of Bougouni to get internet.  It is about 90km (56 miles) on a dirt road and then 60km (37 miles) on a paved road.  It takes me about five hours to 93 miles, so only go every few weeks.

Do you have a lot of friends?
   There are other Peace Corps volunteer are all great people and I am good friends with a lot of them.  Malians are also very, very friendly, so I have many friends in my village.  Sometimes I feel like all 1,000 people in my village are my friend!



What is the climate like?
    Good question!  In Mali, there are three seasons.  From March to June, it is the hot season.  It is sunny all day and the temperatures get sometimes to over 110 degrees!  Then from the end of June until October, it is the rainy season.  It rains a lot, and is always cloudy.  This makes it very cool, usually in the 80s.  This is also when farmers can grow their crops, and they work in the fields all day long during the rainy season.  Finally, from November to February, it is the cold season.  During the cold season, it will be in the 70s during the day and the 50s at night.  It never freezes, though.  I can't wait for the cold season!

What do you miss the most?
    I miss my family and friends the most.  I can't wait to see them when I get back.  I also really miss rock climbing and hiking in America.  Finally, I miss American food like pizza, tacos and cheesecake!

Have you ever been to Universal Studios?
     Of course, I used to go there all the time!

Don't you just love world peace?!
     It's my favorite!

Thanks again to Ms McCormick's 5th grade class!  Your letters were fantastic, and I hope now you all have a better idea of what Mali is like.

Goin fishin!

Fish provide an important source of food for my villagers right at the end of the dry season.  This time is also called the "hungry time" because grain supplies are running low, no fruit is growing, and gardening is difficult.  Luckily, this is the perfect time to go fishing.

Fishing in Mali is pretty different from in America.  The river about 10km from my village is very low, because there has been no rain for almost 8 months.  Every hundred meters or so, it is dammed, turning the river into many small sections.  One day every week around the month of May, the whole village goes to the river and fishes in one of the sections.

They take the seed pods from the Nere tree, tie them into bundles, and beat them with sticks.  This turns the bundles into pulpy, juicy balls.

 

Then, they drag the bundles up and down the river.  The Nere juices are released into the river, sort of like a tea bag in a cup of tea.

 

You can see here, at one of the dams, just how different the water colors are from the Nere juice.

Something about the juice from the Nere tree really messes with the fish.  They get all stupid, and swim slowly at the surface.  These makes they easy pray for men to hack at with machetes, and for women and children to scoop up with nets.

Unfortunately all of media I have from the rest of the day is in videos, too large to upload.

Back in Bamako after Two months in village

Hello all!

I just finished up the first two months in my village!  I've been learning a lot about the local plants and improving my language skills, as well as meeting all of the people of Kissa.  Now I'm back in training for a few weeks, learning about fun stuff like composting, organic fertilizers, tree nurseries and grafting.  It's wonderful to have access to western food, americans and the english language.

Kissa is a village of about 1,000 people.  All the houses are made of mud, some with tin roofs, most with grass roofs.  It is surrounded by forest, and patches of cleared forest where farmers grow peanuts, corn, millet, cotton, some beans and some root crops.  Cows, goats, sheep, chickens and guineafowl wander freely throughout the entire village, gobbling up weeds, mango peels, and kitchen scraps.  Now the rainy season is here and all of the reddish soil has been covered by a vibrant carpet of grasses and herbs. Kissa is beautiful, quaint, and very poor.

On a typical day in the village, I'll wake up around six, shortly after sunset but much later than most villagers.  Before dawn the loud, rhythmic thudding sound of women pounding millet and other grains fills the air.  The thudding sounds so much like a T-rex that I often wake up to them in my dreams.  I'll make breakfast, maybe guineafowl eggs, or oatmeal (if I have any) mixed with powdered milk, and then set out to the town center to find someone to work in the fields with.  I try to find farmers I havent met before, as well as to do different farming tasks I havent done before.  So I'll do some sort of farmwork: milking cows, vaccinating cows, planting millet or peanuts or corn, scraping weeds, plowing (which is surprisingly similar to water-skiing), spreadig manure.  That lasts until around 10 or 11, when the sun is brutal and I am exhausted and blistered.  I'll go back to my hut then, but most villagers will work until noon, and again from the early afternoon until the evening.  There is a lot of work to do now that the rains have come and it is the planting season.  I spend midday reading or maybe chatting with Malians, but many of them go to sleep at this time.  In the afternoons, I'll spend a lot of time chatting with people, working on my Bambara and seeing what their lives are like.  People are very curious about america.  Sometimes in the late afternoons, I'll go on walks through the forest and fields, bringing plant and bird ID books to learn the local wildlife.  Everyday at least once I'll check on my Moringa seedlings (a nutritious tree that I am encouraging), as wells as ride my bike to the water pump to fill a big jug of water for bathing, drinking and washing dishes.

Thats a typical day, but what I do varies a lot.  On Mondays, I go 23kms to the town of Kolondeiba, sometimes by bus and sometimes by bike.  There, I meet up with Regis and Thera, two volunteers posted nearest to me.  Unfortunately, there is no internet in Kolondeiba.  For weddings, funerals and births there are big festivals, where nobody works and people dance literally all day.  Literally.  There was a particularly big and colorful festival to start of the rainy season.  Before the rains came, villagers would go fishing periodically at the river, 9km away.  One day I went on a bike tour through the smaller villages and campments around Kissa with two men from my village to vaccinate kids against polio.

Im starting to get an idea of what the next two years will look like, and I'm excited... Mali is getting better every day!