OVERDUE ELECTION NEWS
The internet connections of Djenne have been on strike- I have wanted to give news of the American election night for days now, but even today I canot seem to post a picture.
Anyway, Hotel Djenne Djenno had three different television areas running- there was France 24 giving French coverage in the bar, there was BBC World in the Kasonge with four American Peace Corps girls and me, there was Spanish coverage in the Peulh suite. People wandered about, fell asleep a bit and woke up again. Huge cheers from the Kasonge when Pennsylvania and Ohio were taken by Obama. By the time Obama gave his acceptance speech I am afraid I had fallen asleep, and so had many others. But a lone Italian woman in the bar cried with joy and embraced Adama, the new night watchman, who cried a bit too apparently.
In the morning there was joy amongst all staff. My plumber was here from Mopti. He commented that he thought nooone could say any longer that black people were held down by whites in America- Obama had achieved the ultimate and was going to become the most powerful person on earth. There also seemed to be huge joy in the idea that there would be Farafin children running up and down the corridors of the White House with their new puppydog...
The internet connections of Djenne have been on strike- I have wanted to give news of the American election night for days now, but even today I canot seem to post a picture.
Anyway, Hotel Djenne Djenno had three different television areas running- there was France 24 giving French coverage in the bar, there was BBC World in the Kasonge with four American Peace Corps girls and me, there was Spanish coverage in the Peulh suite. People wandered about, fell asleep a bit and woke up again. Huge cheers from the Kasonge when Pennsylvania and Ohio were taken by Obama. By the time Obama gave his acceptance speech I am afraid I had fallen asleep, and so had many others. But a lone Italian woman in the bar cried with joy and embraced Adama, the new night watchman, who cried a bit too apparently.
In the morning there was joy amongst all staff. My plumber was here from Mopti. He commented that he thought nooone could say any longer that black people were held down by whites in America- Obama had achieved the ultimate and was going to become the most powerful person on earth. There also seemed to be huge joy in the idea that there would be Farafin children running up and down the corridors of the White House with their new puppydog...
posted by toubab at 11:27 AM
3 Comments:
Good news indeed. We cried a bit too. If you have any time and connection, do look across on t'other blog and follow the link to Avaaz, which I'm sure would love more Malian comments to add to its big wall in Washington (over 300, 000 messages to date) pleading with the President incumbent to honour his pledges. You could add a bit about anti-malarial funding and whatever else is pertinent.
Today while visiting the mother, I saw our Tombouctou postcard on her kitchen wall, and as I'd left La Maison to do the stamps, hadn't seen that there was a splendid picture of the Djenne mosque and market on the stamp.
Dxx
Frances here in Johannesburg - looking for the first time in ages at your blog and smiling. I was in Dakar as the news came through and can report that for a change the airport was a happy place. Wonderful to read that all going well in Djenne. Frances
nly I had the time and decent connection to do things like that! It is nearly impossible just to try and get the hotel reservations done- but will try tonight!
xxxSophie
And hello Frances! Nice to hear from you I remember a lovely evening at the hotel with you and a few other interesting people having dinner under the stars!
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