Shopping Sunday May 29

Went for a bit of shopping today with Ablei and a few members of our group. Ablei(sp?) is an independent linguist consultant who is doing some work with the WARC(West African Research Center). He speaks 5 languages---among others, French, English, Wolof, Portuguese. He works very hard for several different organizations, translating etc. Several people wanted to visit a fabric and clothing market near our hotel in Plateau. This is all housed in a large labyrinth of little cells in a huge warehouse like building. One is incessantly badgered by individual craft and trinket sellers and must get used to the "non merci". I had many little conversations with people that were relatively friendly but one quickly gets a hardened attitude. Most of the group expanded through the building negotiating with Ablei's assistance. Whether or not I agree, we are very much encouraged to travel in small groups with someone from BU or WARC. My roommate, an anthropologist from Kennesaw State University, and I pretty much hung around outside the building, relaxing and chatting until I realized we couldn't see our group anymore. One young fellow recognized my minor concern and in English calmly told me they'd gone upstairs. I tell him he's a good man and he smiles broadly telling me I am an even better man. Very kind. We then entered the labyrinth and sorted out the location of the stairs. There are sewing machines and stacks of colorful fabric everywhere. Lots of people are popping out of little warrens in all directions. Bits of fabric litter the floor and people are engaging you on many levels...touting, smiling, conversing, questioning. As we wait, a young man walks up with a tattered folder and proceeds to open it and establish a conversation. He is a student from the somewhat independence minded Casamance region that is isolated a bit geographically from the North of Senegal by the country of The Gambia. He makes wonderful collages made of butterfly wings(I know it sounds horrible but wait for it....) glued with Baobab tree sap. We believe him when he says this is collected from dead butterflies/moths that mate and only live for a few days. I buy 2 of them----birds...a crane and some kind of bowerbird representation and my friend gets one of his own. Our group also descends upon us as he is leaving and he does very well suddenly---selling many collages. There is a slightly heartbreaking look of envy on the face of one of the young women hawking bead necklaces/bracelets. She's been tracking us for a while and I've been saying no. I quietly beckon her over and by an inexpensive little necklace of seemingly plastic beads. She smiles at me and says "Thank you father..."Another one of those moments when   I realize how old I really am. A half our later we are back on the street, returning to the hotel for something to eat. My roomie stops to buy a couple of Kola nuts on the street---we try them and are not impressed with the taste. Apparently they are some sort of digestif----something I seem to be in need of quite often most everywhere so we'll see.....