More Maouloud

Maoloud continues here. To my delight I was invited to another event: most probably since I am involved with the Djenné Manuscript Library, and I have therefore tapped in to the very core of ancient Djenné.   I have just returned from another session of Fatia: readings of large sections of the Koran, presumably referring to the birth of the Prophet, but I am not certain...and I suspect the majority of the audience/participants  are not that clear about it either, since the communal reading/chanting is in Arabic and only understood by a handful of aficionados- the Grands Marabouts de Djenné; the Masters of the Koran Schools etc.

But really, I don’t mind not understanding. In fact I prefer it.

And I don’t mind the nearly two hours of monotonous albeit melodious chanting.  I can hardly think of anything I like better- the Maoloud chanting reminds me of my two months spent here in the searing heat of April and May 2006, when I was lulled to sleep under my  mosquito net by the Fatia at Maoloud from a neighbouring Koran School, trying to decide whether to begin a new life in Djenné... The Islamic Year is shorter than the Gregorian Calender and Maoloud has now shifted from April to January in the 8 intervening years.