Saving a life

I was taking a Sunday afternoon stroll with some Senegalese friends after a big, heavy, traditional lunch. On our way back I heard the most heart-breaking cry from a big pile of trash. It was the most fragile kitten, no more than two weeks old. It could hardly walk and tumbled around, while calling its mother. I have little by little become 'used' to seeing these poor, helpless animals in the streets. There are so many! Especially, in the beginning you feel a constant nausea passing by this sad reality, and I guess it never leaves a true animal lover. For some reason, in this case it was impossible for me to just move on. I searched everywhere to find the mom or at least other siblings, to be reassured that someone would come to take care of the kitten at some point. Nothing was to be found. Usually if it is an area close to my place I would come back later to check up, but this was fare away from where I live, so I decided to take la petite with me right away. Senegalese purely connect cats and dogs with dirty, street animals, and would NEVER in any way touch them or even look at them. They do not understand the concept of pets. Why spend time and money on taking care of a dirty animal when you hardly have enough to take care of your family. So you can only imagine the looks coming my way as I was talking through the streets in the neighbourhood carrying a loudly crying, very dirty kitten. Not only is it a Toubab wondering around, but she is for some reason carrying a CAT!!?

I brought it back to my Senegalese family who lives close by. I was worried about their reaction. I knew I would not be able to do much for the kitten in the long-run, since I am leaving in a week, so what I was about to do, was actually forcing family to take care of the cat.... They must be so tired of all my crazy Toubab ideas. But they weren't even surprised when I introduced them to their new friend. They were just shaking their heads saying "Diouma, Diouma, Diouma - la protectrice". The youngest daughter was, surprisingly enough, overly excited and was completely understood with being its new mom. Never had I seen that coming. We gave it a wash to get rid of the worst flees and parasites and furnished a little basket with cloths and towels for it to live in for the first days. I bought milk and a small bottle, and showed the kids how to hold it and feed it. Now she is fast asleep in her new home. They have decided to call her Diouma...

The land of the Boababs

Senegal is one of the few countries in the World that has the gigantic, strange-looking tree growing in abundance. There is something about this tree that increasingly has fascinated me during my stay down here. Well, first of all, it is obviously a tree that by mistake has been planted into Mother Earth upside down! In general, Baobabs are associated with so many crazy facts and mystical stories. Here in Senegal, they are perceived as sacred, and one should never take their branches or fruits before the tree lets go on its own. From the (fallen?) Baobab fruits they make a thick, yellow juice called bouille, which is quite effective of you have a funny stomach. The white and black Baobab stones that are hidden inside the fruit are used for decorations and jewellery. When a Baobab reaches its 200th birthday the inside of the tree starts to disappear and within a short amount of time the tree is completely hollow. As time passes small holes develop in the empty 'shell', so one day you can naturally enter into the heart of the Baobab!

When I have been out doing field work during my stay in Senegal, we have always passed by the most incredible Baobab landscapes. Last time I even had the chance to see the oldest Baobab in Senegal. It is around 500 years old. Since it is more than 200 it was possible to get into the actual tree. That was such a.... special experience. It was pitch dark, but the small holes in the tree let in tiny rays of light allowing the eye to see the inside after having adjusted. It felt strangely safe and protected as we were standing there in the dark. Well, at first, at least. In the crown of the tree a big colony of bats lived. They were quietly munching around it seemed, making small squeaky noises. Of course, one of them felt like properly welcoming us by sending down a small 'gift' into my hair. Very entertaining for my colleagues. However, it is a highly sacred tree with many myths and extraordinary tales associated with it. We were even told that the tree grants wishes. You have to rest your palms against the side of the tree and give it a little push, while thinking of your wish.

Getting in and out of the tree was quite a challenge. Since the tree does not grow holes in order to have people running in and out, the exit was not too comfortable. It felt a bit like being born out of the Baobab. Seeing the pictures afterwards, it also looked like it I realised. I was the smallest of us, so judging from how awkward I look, you can only imagine how funny my colleagues looked.

Me making a wish

The Baobab from the outside

The bats

Getting out

House-sitting

This week, one of my friends went for a conference in Côte d'Ivoire, so he asked me to look after his place while he was gone. It is situated in the more exclusive part of Dakar close to beautiful beaches and delicious restaurants, and no shouting mosques. Not only that, the place is also equipped with a garden with a pool, a generator meaning no power cuts and WARM water!! Who can say no to a week in that kind of luxury?! Little did I know that the apartment is part of the coolest art house! The artist collects metal, bottle caps, broken glass or mirrors or whatever she can find in the streets. She then use these materials to make all sorts of incredible art pieces:

The garden with art work hanging from the house

The workshop where the guard is having his breakfast and one of the artist's employees is stamping out bottle caps

The famous Senegalese musician Youssou Ndour perpetuated in bottle caps