Party!

Yesterday was “la fete de la jeunesse” or the festival for the youth, here in Meskine. One of the year's most celebrated holidays, the streets were lined with people. Tabea, her daughter Naomi, and I did not arrive in time to get seats, but when the chief's brother saw us, he escorted us to the front row! He works with Tabea's husband Martin at the hospital.

We no sooner sat down than the parade began! Each school in the area, dressed in their uniforms, marched in formation. After this initial presentation, each group came out individually to perform dances and singing. They were totally animated and the crowd roared and clapped their approval.

Next came the games. Clay pots were tied up like pinatas and the children were blindfolded and given sticks. Upon breaking the pots, gifts like shoes or material fell out. A few pots even contained chickens! That was a prize that had to be caught before it could be claimed!

Another popular game required kids to climb up a pole to reach prizes that were attached at the top. Most all of them made it, one little guy buzzed up the pole, then sat there for a while, trying to decide which gift he wanted to choose:-)

The kids of the village were out in full force, and to keep them from running all over the parade/game grounds, men used long sticks to strike the ground just in front of them, forcing them to back up, this was a form of “crowd control”.

After a couple of hours had passed, we decided to leave before the donkey races. People were everywhere! Perched on walls, spilling in to the streets. It was a special day for them, a day set aside for celebration.