Wednesday, May 25, 2011

The life of Sakou Balde

My life here in the small village of Niandouba is easy. I eat a bunch of mangoes, and eat awesome peanut sauce or other awesome sauce. My host family is great, my host sister wants to marry me i think haha. She keeps sitting really close to me, and she cooks for just me and her. The second night in village I went to bed and she poked her head over my backyard fence and was like "Sakou.... Sakou... bring a spoon... come here and bring a spoon... put a shirt on and come eat dinner..." And since then instead of eating with my father or mothers (of which I have 4) I usually eat lunch with just her. Don't worry, she is attractive but I will not marry her.

Sakou, my name, literally means sack or bag. It's a very uncommon name, I know of only two Sakous, and that is myself and my host father. When I tell people my name, they question it or don't understand and then I tell them, Sakou Cent Kilo Balde, walla Sakou Sukar Balde walla Sakou Maaro. Sakou 100 Kilo Balde or Sakou Sugar Balde, or Sakou Rice. AKA 100 Kilo Sack, Sack of Sugar, or Sack of Rice Balde. They always genuinely laugh at this.

Pulaar is a fun language. It's interesting to think about why certain words were formed. In Pulaar, verbs can get very specific. There is a verb for going to work in the morning. There is one for flashing a flashlight in someone's eyes. There is one for not being blessed by an Imam. Fainting and having a panic attack are the same verb. Soon, I'm going to start inventing verbs; obviously I'm doing this to have fun but also to save time, because these actions happen often. To be bothered by flies while riding a bike, for instance. To greet someone briefly while passing them on a street because you don't have time to greet them fully.

Maybe you can think of some? En Yeso Seeda! In a little bit! Naalen Jam! Spend the day in peace!

1 comment:

  1. Sakou Cowa Shitta Costa,

    Here is some more advice from the Dali Gento re your village sister: If she ever gives you something to rub, please do not eat it under any circumstance. Else, you will be a gonner - hook, line and sinker.

    Your mother would be able to elaborate on this Trinidadian observation.


    Gento

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