Talibe Day, a time to celebrate, even in sadness

World Talibe Day is celebrated all over Senegal, and it was certainly well celebrated by the talibes of Maison de la Gare. 

Talibe Day is a holiday for the forced begging street kids of Senegal. Not for profit organizations, including Maison de la Gare, put on special programs for the kids to enjoy, including games to play and food to eat, maybe even new clothes.  A few demonstrations were organized by some associations to raise awareness about the plight of the talibes. But, for the hundreds of talibes at the Centre on this day, it was a chance to relax and enjoy a party.

The day began as most other days. Not long after the doors of Maison de la Gare opened kids started to trickle in. The trickle soon increased to a regular stream. At about ten o'clock karate kids started to arrive and put on their gi's in preparation for the Friday morning class. As the kids and I gathered on the sand with Sensei, board games were beginning under the grape vine arbour in the garden, while other boys climbed the vines as a jungle gym. Some kids made their way over to the infirmary for treatment of their ailments and some TLC from nurses Abibou and Awa.

I had not realized it until this day, but terribly, the little malnourished talibe living in the shelter, Seydou, had disappeared the night before while I was out at the dojo. A frantic search of  several hours around the neighbourhood revealed nothing. A report was made to the police, but there is not much hope of finding him that way. Why would he have run? Seydou was developing a close trust relationship with an international volunteer and seemed happy to be at Maison de la Gare. Could he have been taken? Did something spook him? How can we know, and how can we find him? He could not possibly survive for long on his own given the weakened state he was in. Such a disaster at home would be all consuming, bringing life to a stop. Here, it seems to be another sad but not uncommon African tragedy. Hopefully Seydou will be found and return to this safe place.

Meanwhile, children continued to arrive. Many watched the karate training in action. One adorable little boy on the sidelines practiced his own version of oisuki, a future karateka perhaps. Other talibes began an enthusiastic 

game of soccer. As the soccer ball disappeared over an eight foot wall, soon, too did a tiny little talibe boy hoping to retrieve it, which he did. 

In the afternoon even greater numbers of kids arrived at the centre. Both classrooms were full of students concentrating on their studies while outside the party was ramping up. Maison de la Gare educator, Abdou Soumare  organized music broadcast through loudspeakers while he and older talibe-in-transition leaders took turns with the microphone acting as Em Cee to the joyful crowd. Amazingly, the students in the classrooms continued to devote themselves to their studies throughout the commotion and excitement happening just outside the window. 

Lala Sene, a regular volunteer at the centre, and a member of the National womens soccer team led a soccer tournament while a dance party started up in the sand nearby. Whenever a team scored, everyone erupted into wild cheers and applause. Then the game and the dancing would resume. As the classes and games progressed, Oumou the Maison de la Gare cook prepared the sandwich filling/  to feed the crowd. Older talibes assisted in chopping peppers and other ingredients to add to her pot.

Abdou took over the microphone, leading the kids like the pied piper around the Maison de la Gare compound while the Maison de la Gare staff and older talibes helped out frantically preparing sandwiches for hundreds of hungry celebrants.

Eventually the soccer winners were declared, the grand trophy was awarded and circulated around the centre in a victory lap, the winners were properly adored and celebrated by the crowd, then the dinner line formed. It seemed impossible that there could be room for everyone, or that the meal could be handed out in any kind of calm or order. But, the seasoned Maison de la Gare staff had done this before, and all were fed. As the last sandwiches were served, Abdou ramped up the music once more and dancing resumed despite the late hour and the dark. Even my Dad went a little crazy, dancing like a teenager. This was a time to let some of that pent up emotion out. Understandably, no one wanted this magical party to end and volunteers, staff, and talibes alike set aside their worries for a momment and joined together to just celebrate life for a little longer.