Nov 12, 2011

Whose moon?

Girl 1, pointing: The moon!
Girl 2: It is the toubab moon.
Girl 1: You are lying! It is not the toubab moon!
Girl 2: No, it is the toubab moon.
Girls 1 and 2: Binta, is it the toubab moon?
Me: I think it is all people’s moon.
Girls: What?
Me: It is all people’s moon. Not just the toubab’s moon.

The girls must have overheard adults talking about the toubab month, but since the words for month and moon are the same in Pulaar, and since the girls were too young to understand the concept of "month" anyway, their mistake is understandable. But no less hilarious. 

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