Two consequent Fridays Boniface and Edoh have been showing Nikita series to the satisfied Popolese spectators in the momentously bit chilly nights of Grand-Popo. We hope this series to have continuance in the Friday Cinema in future, to know what will eventually happen to the multitalented lady agent!
As the sun got down on Saturday evening the first of September, Georgette and Sylvie opened the monthly concert at Villa Karo’s stage.
The audience was entertained first by a small theatrical company from Cotonou, with actors from as far as Congo D.R. and Côte DIvoire. Their play dealt with multicultural encounter in a small African village and it was starred by the Santa Claus himself, who was saved by a local sorcerer from the overwhelming heat of Africa. The audience was clearly enjoying the spectacle and especially sorcerer’s original voodoo dance made the public laugh.
After the play a talented multi-member orchestra from nearby town, Les Pigeons Verts de Comé, got up to the stage. The rhythms of the band and the beautiful voice of an originally Grand-Popolese singer Toujov filled the air. The children in the audience were asked to participate in a dancing competition on stage.
In the midst of all the music and dancing, a quiz was organized by a local NGO on environmental issues, which put the Popolese audience reflect among others, the importance of the shadows that trees offer, and to recall the name of the species of mosquito which carries the malaria parasite.
Full moon guarded the homeward-bound concert guests.
I got an opportunity, with Marjo Räsänen and Rea-Liina Brunou, to get acquainted with the Fulani culture as Villa Karo’s night watchman Boubè Amadou – originally coming from the Northern Benin – invited us for dinner at his home.
Fulani’s, Fula’s or Fula people are the largest of the West African pastoralist peoples. They are spread over many countries, predominantly in Western Africa, but also in Central Africa and even Sudan. Only in Guinea-Bissau they form majority of the national population. Fula’s commonly herd cattle, but also sheep, as the family of Boubè does.
Earlier in this same blog Wiktoriina has written about her experiences of milking the Fulani cows.
The first scholarship holders of the autumn are already in Grand-Popo, and it’s time to continue our course in Beninese French. So here are some phrases you hear really often after arriving to Villa Karo.
”Tu es en train?” (”You are [do]-ing?”) is a commonly asked question and related to the expression ”Tu as fait un peu?” (”Have you done a little?”). Both refer to working, and can also be seen as compliments of just ”doing something” in general. Georgette Singbe notes often that it’s common in Benin to try to avoid silences, and so the silence is broken for example by asking somebody if ”they’re [do]-ing” – the same way a silence is broken in a dinner table by wishing others ”bonne digestion”, because of course there is no point in wishing ”bon appetit” if the meal is already finished. ”Tu es en train?” is also interesting because it is weirdly missing its end, the part about the verb ”faire” (”to do”): ”the normal” way to ask would be ”Tu es en train de faire…” plus something. But, the end is missing and because of this, the phrase is actually, literally saying something close to: ”Are you in a train?”
”Pas de quoi!” (”It’s nothing”) is an everyday equivalent of ”je vous en prie” (”You’re welcome”) which can be heard in Benin almost only in restaurants. We Finns find this phrase very cozy, since we also like to say, in a ”negative” manner ”Ei mitään” or ”Eipä kestä” instead of ”You’re welcome” or ”Ole hyvä”. For some reason ”De rien” (also ”It’s nothing”) is not so often used in Benin, ”Pas de quoi” is much more common.
And then there is ”C’est gratuit!”, which means essentially the same thing as ”Pas de quoi” and which can be funnily used also in situations which, in fact, are not free of charge (gratuit) at all, like in restaurants. ”C’est gratuit” expresses the doers willingness to help: ”it’s on the house” (even when it isn’t).
The previous crash courses can be found here: number I, number II and number III. Next one: number V.
So here you go, pas de quoi, c’est gratuit! More is in a train, mera är på väg!