The Biggest Smile - 13 October 2003

     Here in the village the young girls (even though
they don't have much) do what any other young girl
would do. You know ... primp their hair ... wash their
clothes ... ALWAYS dress up ... even if they are
only going to the village over. Also, they wash up
before and after they play soccer.

     If we are going to another village to play ... they dress
up with their best dresses (which are really pagnas
--- beautiful colored cloth) ... which they wear over
their sports wear. It is really something to see ...
all the colors.

    Of course they way they dress up to leave even to
the next village makes me embarrassed to think that
I used to go food shopping on a Saturday in my not
so best sweat suit. I don't think I am going to do that
again ... seeing as I can see what a difference dressing
neatly can do for a person.

    A huge (I mean huge) part of primping is the hair ...

and here all the girls have their hair braided. Especially

on the special occasions/holidays ... etc. They are creative

which results in some intricate braiding schemes. It really is
striking to see when they're done. Also it isn't just
braiding hair, it is a social event too. In the afternoons
after lunch you can see a bunch of girls get together
sitting and braiding and talking and just spending the time.
Well there is this one young girl of about 12 or 13 who
really doesn't have a cent. And for here to get anything
is a big thing. One of the techniques that the girls use
while braiding their hair is that of adding extensions. And
the way they incorporate it into the hair is really amazing.
But ... of course ... one has to buy the extensions ... and this
girl usually doesn't have a cent to do a thing. Somewhere
in all this she gets the money and buys the hair that suffices
for the extension work. (I think that the cost of the package
was 33 cents US).

     Well her and her friends are at it for about 6 hours and I
have to a admit that it came out stunning. So she goes
" Boubacar (that's my Senegalese name) what do you
think of my hair?". I looked at it and said what I really thought
"Umo (her name) di woni weydi" ... translates to - Umo it is
beautiful. I have never seen anything like this in my life.
She hugs herself and had the biggest smile I have ever seen
in my life. I have to admit that I was really affected by this
huge sincerely happy ( I am beautiful ) smile. Her smile
was so powerful it made me feel good. It is something
to get back to basics ... back to the simple pleasures one
of the sources of true happiness.