Here are some pictures of Fulani I took with my Dad near the lake/dam in Notse.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
IRIN Africa | GHANA: Police crackdown on migrant Fulani herdsmen | West Africa | Burkina Faso Ghana Mali Togo | Environment Food Security Governance Human Rights Migration | News Item
IRIN Africa GHANA: Police crackdown on migrant Fulani herdsmen West Africa Burkina Faso Ghana Mali Togo Environment Food Security Governance Human Rights Migration News Item
I find the conflict between nomadic and settled people fascinating and not discussed often enough. Nomads, often seen as outsiders by settled communities, are often blamed for various crimes, usually robbery, rape, and killing/sacrificing and/or abducting children. It is easier to blame someone outside of one's settled community than it is to look inside the community for the perpetrators. The result is two-fold, one the outsiders are consistently vilified and two, the persons truly responsible for committing the crimes are never held accountable.
This phenomenon happens around the world, think of the Roma in Europe and also resettled communities around the United States.
I remember being in Florida staying with parents of a friend when a number of robberies occurred in a small town where everyone knew everyone else. Roma in the United States often spend winters in Florida during the circus off-season. Before even looking at the facts everyone immediately blamed the "Gypsies" and pretty much drove them out of town.
Of course, either the Fulani did it or a bunch of Losso in a spirit plane. Sheesh. No need to look any further.
I'm not saying these groups are completely innocent either, but sometimes these accusations become self-fulfilling prophecies, "well if I keep getting blamed for it, I might as well do it."
The orphaned children in Johannesburg are the same way. No one helps them because they are believed to be "tsotsis" so they start robbing because there's no other way to get food and people already think they're tsotsis.
Human nature will never cease to fascinate me. . .
I find the conflict between nomadic and settled people fascinating and not discussed often enough. Nomads, often seen as outsiders by settled communities, are often blamed for various crimes, usually robbery, rape, and killing/sacrificing and/or abducting children. It is easier to blame someone outside of one's settled community than it is to look inside the community for the perpetrators. The result is two-fold, one the outsiders are consistently vilified and two, the persons truly responsible for committing the crimes are never held accountable.
This phenomenon happens around the world, think of the Roma in Europe and also resettled communities around the United States.
I remember being in Florida staying with parents of a friend when a number of robberies occurred in a small town where everyone knew everyone else. Roma in the United States often spend winters in Florida during the circus off-season. Before even looking at the facts everyone immediately blamed the "Gypsies" and pretty much drove them out of town.
Of course, either the Fulani did it or a bunch of Losso in a spirit plane. Sheesh. No need to look any further.
I'm not saying these groups are completely innocent either, but sometimes these accusations become self-fulfilling prophecies, "well if I keep getting blamed for it, I might as well do it."
The orphaned children in Johannesburg are the same way. No one helps them because they are believed to be "tsotsis" so they start robbing because there's no other way to get food and people already think they're tsotsis.
Human nature will never cease to fascinate me. . .
Monday, April 19, 2010
Doves
The haunting song of the mourning dove (zenaida macroura) has been my favorite birdsong my whole life and a constant companion. They live in my courtyard here in downtown DC; they've always been up on the Bush River -- they're everywhere.
I like to think, despite the harshness of life there, people did laugh more and it is only natural that the doves did too.
They're lovely and their song is sad and meloncholy -- hence the name.
When I moved to Togo the West Africa bird guide was my constant companion. Imagine my surprise when I heard a song one day that was almost my mourning dove song - minus the meloncholy. I look it up -- the African Laughing Dove (streptopelia senegalensis).
I like to think, despite the harshness of life there, people did laugh more and it is only natural that the doves did too.
What sound will the doves make in Morocco? A national dish is pigeon pie, so perhaps none at all:) Are they bi-polar?
I need to get a North Africa bird book, stat!
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