first, sorry but things i got to know about voudun are just too many to explain it properly. and i don't want to confuse anyone... let me just say, that on thursday bartek bumped into another ceremony - and of another voudun and on friday, at a marketplace in godomey i saw zongbetos again. this time they were three: one regular, one made of banan leaves (it's a cheap and fast version - to be made in an hour or two; when needed) and one huge, with three statuettes (usually there is one).
if you're crossed with somebody, he may complain to the chief of voudun who will come to your home or stand at a marketplace and block it with sticks. if you try to pass under them, bad things will happen. the chief will remove them when you reconcile with the person and give some money for the cult.
damien organized a soiree of geopolitics - discussion, or rather lecture of one of his friends, ahmed. extremely interesting!!! and one thing for which we owe a lot of respect to benin:
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS 2006:
it's a long and complicated story, but in brief: kerekou, the former president (ruling much much longer than he should) was rather reluctant to organize elections which should take place in spring 2006. he didn't refuse directly but he refused to give money for the organization. but the young people were so motivated that at the day of the first round they brought they own tables, chairs, blackboards to count the votes etc. and it worked! then, when the second round was supposed to be organized, kerekou announced it ONE day in advance. but the people didn't give up. they decided to do their best and they succeded in organizing elections in one day (transporting voting sheets and all documents needed from the capital to all of the regions, even far north). and kerekou lost. now it's yai boni and "the change". people are hopefull. viva la democratie!!!
oooh... that's my birthday... a nice evening with beer and fruits at home friday night, sunny, beautiful saturday with patrick's fantastic omlette in the morning and a little party at the farm in the evening. party was celebrated with a super-salade, supervised by damien. hmmm. as always in benin, we added piment (spicy spicy spicy thing). if you cut it and then touch your eyes, you're lost. for me it was enough to cut it and i spend the rest of the evening with my hands burning like hell, with my only hope - the bucket of water... but still, it was nice:) playing cards and taking a little walk in te moonlight around the farm...
sunday-third day of celebrations:) early in the morning motorbike driving lesson, fishing, sleeping and having fun during the long rainy afternoon, way home in the rain with nothing to wipe the windscreen and a fete in the evening prepared by patrick, thierry and idris. world champions in cooking!!!
and yesus - the acrobat!
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