Return to Ameriki

The finished well by my house.
Two of my host family's granddaughters, carrying the twin grandsons (born in November 2008). They take care of the twins while the mother works.
Feeding porridge to one of the twins.
My host father's daughter, Fatoumata, and her son Arouna and baby daughter.
I did "jabi" for the occasion of leaving village.
On the day of my going-away party, we took this picture at the CSCOM. Assanatou (my homologue) and Seydou (a health worker from another CSCOM) are squatting. Soumaila, his brother-in-law Abou, and I are standing.
Standing are Assan (Soumaila's first wife), Assanatou, and Salimata (my original homologue). Squatting is Assetou (Soumaila's second wife) and her son, Bafin.
The crowd at my party.
This old woman was always really annoying and asked me for stuff, but she was fun at the party.
In the flowery outfit is Aguibou, the president of the ASACO (organization that manages the CSCOM). Soumaila's on the right.
This is the school director from my village.

Balaphones at the party.
Soumaila's son, Moussa, and Salimata's son, Farsi (right).

Bafin refused to have a decent picture taken unless he was being held by Tayirou.
Piglets nursing! This was in Sevare in July.
Tayirou makes tea.
Head and feet of the goat we slaughtered for my party.
Close-up of a balophone.
Djembe (drums).
Last picture of Toro before his disappearance.
My friend Pula.
Pula's youngest kids, Aly and Khadijah.
If you look really closely, you can see an elephant!
Elephant poop, with Ben's shoe for scale.
The Fula camp where we slept before going looking for elephants.
On the Rose Dune in Gao.
Foreground, Niger River in Gao, background, Rose Dune.
The Niger.
The edge of Gao's market -- when the river is full, it comes all the way to that cement wall!
Hand of Fatima, a famous rock formation near Hombouri.
The pigs in Sevare.
The world map I did in a nearby village, Laminibougou.
World map in progress, with kids.
This pose was all their idea, and it's awesome.
Beautiful day in rainy season. This is near my house.
Biba sells fried dough in my village market. She's a big comedian.
Women gathering to dance for a wedding in June.

a whirlwind tour of the last two months

Brides waiting their turn to get married at the mayor's office. There were more than 15 weddings this day.

Karim Diarra, in charge of the work for the well repair project, next to the newly repaired well near my house.

Sending someone down the well to fish out the debris that fell down during the repair process. I was really freaked out, but it turned out that the water was shallow enough that he could stand in it.

The hunters' association at the inauguration of the new mayor.

Me with my host father (left) and the chief of the village the the mayoral inauguration.

Daouda, one of the masons (sitting in front), getting ready to repair wells

Breaking off the old top of the well.

The well next to my house, almost completed.

Materials for the well project.

I got my hair braided!

My friend Salimata, grilling peanuts to make peanut butter, and her daughter Naminata.

Making tea outside of the school (polling place) on election day (April 26).

Checking voters' names against the register. The ink pad there is how they vote since most people are illiterate. The person puts their fingerprint next to the logo for the party they want to vote for (they go behind a curtain first).

My braided hair from the front. Yes I'm sweaty, it was hot season!

And unfortunately the pictures are all out of order because that's how blogger does it. Grr.