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Why is it that in America, December is monopolized by Christmas when it is one of the most diverse months for celebrations? Really, there are Muslim, Jewish and Christian holidays; not to mention the universal celebration of New Year’s Eve, and multiple countries’ Independence Days. Burkina’s Independence Day was on December 10th and though it passed in Tangaye as just another day, there was a massive celebration in Fada (a city in the Eastern part of Burkina). Each year, a different city in the country hosts the celebration and next year the party will be in OHG. I have a feeling that it still will not really make much of a difference to most of my friends in Tangaye.

Anyway, back to the celebrations. Christmas is not Christmas when you are not around the hype, Christians, or your family. But food for thought- the price of my Christmas Eve meal will feed a whole quartier (like a whole extended, extended family) the next day. hmm… And now that I think about it; a larger, more well-balanced meal.

ANOTHER fête this month took place in the grand quartier, when the grandfather returned from Mecca.  This is huge. Check the prices of plane tickets to Mecca and then check the average income for a Burkinabé.  So, there were meetings, matching pagnes, new houses built, cows bought to slaughter…. the works. And this was no one day affair; after staying up all night, the dancing resumed the next afternoon. And it was beautiful.

I do have to say that it has been a very exciting, interesting and educational month for me. You know you are integrated (whatever that means) when you start to have family drama as well as family obligations you wish you could get out of, like greeting the grand family EVERY morning. However, for the children…. not so much learning. Amidst the parties, I believe there was a week and a half of school for at least some kids. Fêtes are good but education is better…

Side note: I also learned this month that nobody owns land in Tangaye.  There is a ‘chief de terre’ (Chief of the land) and when someone wants to build or cultivate on a piece of land, they must get permission from the Chief. AND there are no taxes in Tangaye. This may sound wonderful to all of you who vote for lower taxes but really to me it demonstrated how deep the level of poverty exists here. There is no local economy. How can anyone do anything without any economy? There is such little money to be circulated and yet the people of Tangaye are expected to work as volunteers to develop their village?  I do not get it???  Doesn’t paid labor create economy????

I WILL BE RETURNING TO THE EAST COAST FROM JAN. 15TH-FEB. 11TH.  IF YOU KNOW ANY GROUP OR ORGANIZATION THAT IS INTERESTED IN HEARING ME SPEAK ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE IN BURKINA FASO, PLEASE CONTACT ME!  THANK YOU AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.