xaalis bu bare

In Senegal if you do something nice for someone or give him or her a gift they usually bless you in Wolof. It always baffles me when such poor people like my maid Khady, bless me and wish me “xaalis bu bare,” or “lots of money”. She shold be blessing herself and let me fend for myself. Anyway, in addition to money most often “xale bu bare” or “many children” are also part of the blessing. It’s at that point almost every time I say my dutiful “amen” and run away hoping I will not be like Senegalese women with five or more children.

On a completely unrelated note if you tell someone you like what they are wearing they will either offer to give it to you or they will offer to name it after you. I have been offered many items from a necklace to a skirt but have always declined. I have several items named after me, a tee shirt, Khady’s pagne, a blanket on the extra bed, and most recently my host dad’s grand boubou.