Africa 2006

In addition to the school visit, I was fortunate to attend another event in Ouaga: the SIAO festival is held over a 10-day period every two years and is the largest handicrafts festival in Africa. Room after room is filled with handicrafts of all varieties – I could visit the continent under one roof. I enjoyed the bargaining process very much here – and at one point agreed to up my offer for some Tuareg spoons if they could name the capital of Iceland (a cunning bargaining tool I will have to keep up my sleeve for the future, since no one ever knows the answer to this).
Patrick bought me a beautiful cotton Burkinabe coat of arms here as a gift (of course I am the one who should be giving gifts because he was so hospitable – but that’s how generous everyone in Africa seems to be). He also took me to visit his home and his family in a neighbourhood across town – he spends one hour each day commuting on his motorcycle.
Thanks to a contact of Patrick’s, I was also invited to an afternoon meal at the house of M. Kabore, the Number Two to the Mayor of the district in which the school is located. (The district has about 400,000 people, and he really liked it when I told him that was bigger than all of Iceland and therefore it was a similar rank to Vice-President of Iceland – if that position existed).
Monsieur Kabore has been helpful regarding dealings with the school. Patrick and I visited his home in Ouaga where his delightful wife prepared traditional to (like a white starchy polenta) with beef sauce, and roasted chicken pieces. At the beginning of it all, my host even came out with a bottle of very sweet sparkling wine! Such a treat!
We were also privileged to be in the company of the chief of this quarter of town, a man given the authority to mediate disputes and to be a sort of moral leader in the community. He has three wives (but is Catholic) and ten children.
In the 10 square metre room (I’m guessing, but it wasn’t big) we dined on this fantastic food, chatting about our different countries and drinking tea cups of the champagne.
In the end my host made an eloquent speech to me, saying that he hoped we could stay in touch and that people who helped the school like me (although I don’t feel I’ve done much yet!) did so not because we have the means, but because we think people should share in life. I was touched.
Then he presented me with a beautifully wrapped gift of some Burkinabe cloth.
Yet another unforgettable evening.