Easter in Senegal

written Sunday, 8 April 2007 5:00 pm


I just got back from an Easter party at a Christian Serrer (Serrer is an ethnic group) family's house that I went to with my host mom. I didn't realize until we got there that we were going to be doing all the work, but I got to learn how to cook a little more, so it was fun. Except for touching the dead animal parts (okay, meat, but it still looked like goat pieces) which completely grossed me out. Also, cooking over a fire in 90 degree weather is not exactly refreshing. But the meal was a big plate of peas with meat and fried potatoes mixed in, which was way more vegetables than I've had at any other meal in Senegal, so I was happy. There wasn't much happening at the party besides people sitting around and eating, but my host mom told me it was because there had been a death in the family recently; normally they would have music and more of a party atmosphere.

Anyway, I think it's interesting and a great example to the rest of the world that each religious group in Senegal invites people from other religions to celebrate holidays with them, so Muslims can look forward to and enjoy Christian holidays, and vice versa.