Happy New Years!

Friday, October 23

They didn't tell me there'd be a holiday every month but here we are on the eve of another feast day in this nation's calendar.

There is a whole lot more to learn on Wikipedia but let me give you a brief synopsis of my research. The Muslim calendar is a lunar one that started ticking in 622AD as Mohammed left Mecca on his way to Medina. On the tenth day of the first month of Muharram he passed by some Jews who were mourning and fasting in remembrance of Moses obtaining the Israelites' freedom from Pharoah. He decided that his people knew more about Moses than these Jews ever could, so he began the tradition of fasting and prayer vigils on this day.

The West African version does not include the self-flagellation and penance rituals of other Muslim areas. Here it is almost like Halloween. The children and young guys dress up as the opposite sex, wear ash or powder and makeup on their faces. Then they make drums and carry big pans or buckets to go from house to house in the village. They sing a song about the holiday and do some dancing. It is traditional to give them a handful of rice, sugar, millet, or a few coins. At the end of the night the kids exchange their loot for the correct ingredients of millet cake or rice pudding and prepare themselves a tasty treat.

It is considered lucky to get up early the next day and gather the "new" water before anyone else can. These industrious women are supposed to look in the sky for soapsuds from Mohammed's daughter's laundry. My friend lamented that she had never been able to get up early enough to see this... She also told me no one should go out into the bush or else they may meet an evil spirit there. She said it was traditional to wear charcoal eye makeup and cut your nails on this day.

Before it gets too hot, the whole household -even extended family from nearby- will gather for prayers in the compound courtyard. The eldest male who knows how to read the Koran (or a hired scholar) will lead the group in reciting verses and prayers that the New Year will be better than the last. The pious will fast again on this day and finish up the night's expected 1100+ prayers.

Welcome to 1437 AH.