Mecca!

Somebody, Abdulai I think, from Jallow-Kunda-with-the-T.V.-set, went to Mecca. I did not know this until he returned. 

The afternoon of his return, Neene and her friend Umu are chatting outside as they usually do. Then someone comes by and makes an announcement. Both of them jump up and run. This is not something elderly ladies usually do and would've thought someone’s house except they didn't appear panicked.

I have never seen old ladies move so quickly. Umu dashes out of our compound in the direction of her own and Neene speeds into her house. Now it is just me and some kids and Jainabou. I ask Jainabou, where have all the people gone? She tells me Abdoulie Somebody has returned. He went to Maaka. Abdoulie who? Mamadou tells me, Abdoulie from Jallow Kunda, the one with the T.V. set. It takes awhile to learn this information, though, so I decide instead of asking where Maaka is, I will simply bathe, change into a complet, and go over and see for myself.

I assume Maaka is someplace in Europe, but why I assume this I don’t especially know. I remember that Sanna once told me someone from around here plays football in Europe and given how excited the whole village seems to be for the arrival of this Abdoulie, I assume he is some footballer come home. I think it strange that he’d come home after Tobaski, instead of arriving in time to celebrate with his family, but I imagine a scenario in which his flight is delayed.

I walk over to Sinni’s with a deck of cards in my hand. My ultimate goal is to find out what is happening at Jallow-Kunda-with-the-T.V.-set, but I do not want to invite myself over there. Sinni’s compound is just next door, however, so I am hoping if I stay there long enough I’ll overhear something.

Fama and I play cards. After a couple of rounds, we notice a steady stream of people flowing into Jallow-Kunda-with-the-T.V.-set. Fama says she is going to wash and go. Sinni says the same thing, and when they’re both ready, we join the queue. We enter the gates (Jallow-Kunda-with-the-T.V.-set has a concrete wall around their compound and a bright blue gate for entering) and join the people inside, who have gathered in a circle. Inside the circle, from what I can see, is a large mat on which several old men are sitting. Also in the middle is a large bucket of water, from which cups are being dipped into and passed out to the attendees. Some people are being served hot pink juice, but I do not see the source—probably another large bucket. After enough people have been served, there are prayers. I assume they are the opening prayers for some sort of ceremony, but as soon as the prayers finish, most of us leave.

Once I’m back at Sinni’s compound, a girl comes over with a metal tumbler of the hot pink juice. She says Mariama, who lives at Jallow-Kunda-with-the-T.V.-set and who is also one of my students, said to give it to Miss Jallow. I love being a teacher!

At this point I have gathered that Abdoulie Somebody is not a famous footballer and I am suspecting that perhaps he is returning from Mecca. It certainly sounds a lot like Maaka, and it would also explain why he would spend Tobaski away from his family. Later I ask Amadou and he confirms my suspicion. I decide not to confess I thought the man returning from the hajj was a footballer.