The one where I have a baby

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Perhaps one of the primary reasons I am not interested in having children is because I know I’m going to have “embarrassing parent syndrome”…all the time. I got a kitty yesterday, his name is 3pac. Like 2pac the martyr rapper (who is still alive, like Elvis) only with a 3. He is gorgeous, white with grey splotches and big Yoda ears. Anyway, I was chasing him all over the house yesterday to try and get him to take a picture. I took about 20 pictures of the friggin cat. A symptom of embarrassing parent syndrome for sure.

My compound friend, Fatou, had a son on Thursday. He came home from the clinic today, and what do I do? I march myself into their bedroom and take photos of the child, like it’s my kid. Perhaps these qualities are groovy in a wacky aunt, but overbearing for a parent. These actions have further cemented in my head that I would rather be the cool aunt, or family friend. That way I can embarrass the kid all I want, and have no fault in it, because if the kid sees me just on occasion, these embarrassments will become fun. If it’s a parent, these actions become mundane and able to provoke wicked kinds of anger from the kid.

I went to the village of Gunjur this weekend for a naming ceremony. The place is so quiet and still, the kids are nice and just want to hold your hand, not take your cash, and the atmosphere is much more calm than where I live since there is virtually no cars or tourists. I would like to retreat there for a month or so. I think I might, and I can, because now those people are my buddies. Naming ceremonies are tremendous. You sit around all day with a bunch of people, sometimes talk, dance to the drums, and eat lots of food the ladies cook in huge caldrons. Everyone pretends they are there for the kid, but a good portion of the people there probably doesn’t even know him, or even the family. Anyone comes, and let’s face it, they’re just in it for the canned drinks and free food.

I was invited to a wedding tonight. The brother of the bride owns the Podium Pub, where I get my dollar beer. I talked to the guy once, and he invites me to his sister’s wedding. This is so different from western weddings. And I love that about this culture, anyone is welcome, anytime. I think I’d like for my wedding to be that way. Everyone sitting around in a field, with canned drinks, some fruit, and lots of drums and singing. Anyone can come, and can bring a friend. I think hat’s the way it should be, what’s the point of getting married, or having a child out of love, if you can’t share your love with everyone around you?

I’m going to have a naming ceremony for 3pac at my home. Traditionally, in the Muslim Gambian world, once the child is born it isn’t given a name for seven days. On the seventh day of life a naming ceremony takes place, and the kid gets a name. I’m not very traditional, and its just a cat, so I’m going to have a ceremony just for the hell of it. Gambians will take any excuse for a mass gathering and some benechin.

Quote of the post: Ndanka, ndanka moi jappa golo sinyadi. (If you go slowly, slowly, you will catch the monkey.)

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Comments

[Ramatoulie]

AH!
yo bizz it's Renee. You're talking about MY PLACE Podium Pub!! Were you talking about Paul?? Paul Gomez that is. If it is Paul, please tell him that Ramatoulie is coming back to the Gambia in the fall and I am looking forward to seeing him. Much appreciated love!!