It's a Man's World

The baby naming ceremony is an all day affair. I've only gone to one in the evening after the big lunch is cleaned up. So we've always been ushered straight into the house to hold the baby and visit with the mother who is "holding court" and accepting gifts. The ladies are dressed up in their finest and carrying their clutch purses. It is considered an honor to sit inside with them--in the hot & stuffy house! Neighbors give few dimes or maybe a dollar. Close relatives bring some of the food for the party or soap or cloth to make diapers and baby clothes.

This morning i got to see how the other half celebrates!! We were on our way to see a great-grandma who listens to Bible tapes when we came across the men's section of a baby boy's naming ceremony. They pile bundled gifts in front of the father and grandfather and then influential elders wax eloquent on the responsibilities of manhood. There are also prayers and congratulatory speeches. [The missionaries have noticed these aren't quite so ebullient--or even made--when it is a newborn girl.]

In the side wings the "caterers" are preparing the goat for the lunch feast. Relatives are still scurrying back and forth from the market with ice and watermelon for the guests. In the kitchen there is still haggling and sending for last minute ingredients for the lunch feast which will be served in huge communal basins. And around the corner out of view of the men, the elders' wives and lady visitors are sitting under a tarp, chatting as they wait for lunch.