The One Where We Set Things On Fire
*****
So, you guys like it (I think, at least you say you do...do you really?) when I post pictures and right now I have access to high-speed internet....
We just celebrated Fire Festival about three weeks ago and two of my friends, Stephanie and Casimir came up from the Western Region to visit. It's...pretty much everything you would expect out of a West African festival.
It's in commemoration of a chief who, long ago, lost his son. He was either kidnapped or wandered off, and the entire village went out looking for him. The moon wasn't out, so they lit the brush on fire so that they could see him. They found him, after hours of searching and shouting for him, sleeping beneath the sacred tree. So, every year around this time, we commemorate that event by marching from one end of the village to the other, setting everything on fire, singing, dancing, and firing shotguns. For the young guys, it's a time to show off by having the strongest medicine (a talisman tied around their arm that makes them impervious to harm) and chopping one another with machetes. The medicine isn't always strong enough. Last year, a guy got his arm chopped and eventually amputated and this year, two people were killed in Tamale. Most of the time, they just hit each other with the flat side of the machete and run about acting like a banshee - you know, normal stuff young guys do. *G*
Well, these are some pictures of that night. Enjoy.
Casimir is fascinated by this foreign object. It seems so familiar...yet, from such a far off place...
Alhassan and Fusina eatin' some groundnut soup and rice (their favorite of my cuisines) before the Big Dance.
Fusina - "Why, yes. Yes, I am adorable."
Love this kid.
A few more hours - sunset on the big day.
Laciba & a Fulani guy - he thought Stephanie was a "Fotog" (someone who goes around taking pictures who will then print them out and sell them to you for a small fee - it's really very convenient)
Hard at work on our torches.
Love these two boys - Adam (standing) & Mohammed. They're going to be something great, I just know it.
It paid off - they're pretty sweet, right?
Egret - ended up in the stew that the rice lady sold the next morning. Side story: we were sitting at the pavillion/bus station and it's pretty dark without the flash of the camera, and all of a sudden this kid comes out of nowhere with a gunny sack, pulls out this...thing and we see that it's a huge bird. He wanted to give it to us, but we had to thankfully refuse. No idea how to cook egret, nor do I have a pot big enough.
Before the ash!
Stephanie & Casimir.
Love this kid.
Rubbing ash on our faces.
Fierce? Nah. This, however, is fierce. Umm...we were pretending like we were in Braveheart, Scottish accents, cries for freedom and all the trimmings.
Can you find Stephanie, cuz I sure can't.
Pretty B-A, right?
Havin' a good time, trying not to catch on fire this year.
We felt like conquerors afterwards.
My favorite ladies (Abibata didn't want to get in the picture because she was pregnant, but we persuaded her - I think she enjoyed herself).
Post Game Party - smores at Hut 153!
Here's a video if you wanna watch (turn down the volume!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4iM_Fx2N7Q
So, you guys like it (I think, at least you say you do...do you really?) when I post pictures and right now I have access to high-speed internet....
We just celebrated Fire Festival about three weeks ago and two of my friends, Stephanie and Casimir came up from the Western Region to visit. It's...pretty much everything you would expect out of a West African festival.
It's in commemoration of a chief who, long ago, lost his son. He was either kidnapped or wandered off, and the entire village went out looking for him. The moon wasn't out, so they lit the brush on fire so that they could see him. They found him, after hours of searching and shouting for him, sleeping beneath the sacred tree. So, every year around this time, we commemorate that event by marching from one end of the village to the other, setting everything on fire, singing, dancing, and firing shotguns. For the young guys, it's a time to show off by having the strongest medicine (a talisman tied around their arm that makes them impervious to harm) and chopping one another with machetes. The medicine isn't always strong enough. Last year, a guy got his arm chopped and eventually amputated and this year, two people were killed in Tamale. Most of the time, they just hit each other with the flat side of the machete and run about acting like a banshee - you know, normal stuff young guys do. *G*
Well, these are some pictures of that night. Enjoy.
Casimir is fascinated by this foreign object. It seems so familiar...yet, from such a far off place...
Alhassan and Fusina eatin' some groundnut soup and rice (their favorite of my cuisines) before the Big Dance.
Fusina - "Why, yes. Yes, I am adorable."
Love this kid.
A few more hours - sunset on the big day.
Laciba & a Fulani guy - he thought Stephanie was a "Fotog" (someone who goes around taking pictures who will then print them out and sell them to you for a small fee - it's really very convenient)
Hard at work on our torches.
Love these two boys - Adam (standing) & Mohammed. They're going to be something great, I just know it.
It paid off - they're pretty sweet, right?
Egret - ended up in the stew that the rice lady sold the next morning. Side story: we were sitting at the pavillion/bus station and it's pretty dark without the flash of the camera, and all of a sudden this kid comes out of nowhere with a gunny sack, pulls out this...thing and we see that it's a huge bird. He wanted to give it to us, but we had to thankfully refuse. No idea how to cook egret, nor do I have a pot big enough.
Before the ash!
Stephanie & Casimir.
Love this kid.
Rubbing ash on our faces.
Fierce? Nah. This, however, is fierce. Umm...we were pretending like we were in Braveheart, Scottish accents, cries for freedom and all the trimmings.
Can you find Stephanie, cuz I sure can't.
Pretty B-A, right?
Havin' a good time, trying not to catch on fire this year.
We felt like conquerors afterwards.
My favorite ladies (Abibata didn't want to get in the picture because she was pregnant, but we persuaded her - I think she enjoyed herself).
Post Game Party - smores at Hut 153!
Here's a video if you wanna watch (turn down the volume!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4iM_Fx2N7Q