To see a marabout or not to see a marabout, that is the question.

I am not a spiritual person nor am I a religious person. I try to think logically by planning, making lists, and being organized. So far, my methodology hasn’t exactly worked. I have used by “plan B” or “back-up” plan much more often than my initial plan A.

I think I need to go see a marabout (religious leader). I am of the opinion that marabouts only work if you believe in them, which I don’t. But perhaps something amazing will happen and my wishes will come true.

When I was in Senegal as a student I visited a “seetkat” or seer, because someone stole a nice sum of money from me. My host brother (the likely culprit) pushed me to visit a seetkat, who he claimed would reveal the guilty party and help me seek justice. I was very skeptical and had no desire to go through with the meeting, but I was feeling vulnerable and robbed, so agreed to go.

The seetkat was Guinean and only spoke a little French. He sat on the ground with his eyes closed in front of a pile of sand and after hearing my story, wrote lines in the sand every which way. After opening his eyes, he proceeded to read the lines. He described the thief and then as an extra bonus, read my fortune. Not to reveal all of my secrets, I will glimpse over my fortune and mention that the person he described match perfectly with the housekeeper at my father’s house who had been robbing me blind in my absence. Unfortunately, I realized this long after the fact. Anyway, the seetkat also told me that someone who loved me would get in contact with me soon. Not five minutes after leaving the seetkat’s digs, my mom called me. This was unusual because she rarely called me at night and it was circa 9 pm.

Recently things in my life in Senegal have been going awry, mainly in the job department. I have considered going to a marabout, there are at least three in my neighborhood, and getting a gris-gris (amulet). The difference between a seetkat and a marabout is that a seetkat sees the past and future and a marabout can influence the future and offer protection (for a steep price and some livestock). Until this point, these proclamations about marabouts and lusting after a gris-gris have been in jest. However, things are starting to change and I am seriously considering finding a toubab friendly marabout. If it happens, I will detail my experience on this neglected blog.