Comments

Hi Cheikh, I came across many new words while going through your last blog. I think at present world, no tribe can be recognized as noble tribe. Every tribe, every nation, contains mixture of both good and bad persons. So giving respect on ground of noble ancestors is absolutely wrong custom in many parts of world. Only Noble man ( irrespect of his ancestors whether they were good or bad, noble or unnoble, poor or rich) having good values, pure soul, kind heart, kind to animals, etc deserves respect. All so called religious leaders found in every part of the world ( or say cleaver people) are befooling the illiterate as well as educated people for their own gain and interest and creating lot of wealth without doing any work. Kindly define the meaning of slavery in your context and the human rights they are enjoying and not enjoying. You are writing good, keep it continue. Having a good day. Thanks.

Hi Cheikh! I am strugling too with the lesson of learning many new words in all your post. Boobo looks ok, just as from the 17 century. Have a nice weekend!

Your post make me remember of "Who on earth are we", that is in "Talk about English series" in BBC learning English web site. We begin to think about our culture when we live in another culture. I am married with a argentinian man, and I lived ten years in Argentina, I am from south Brasil (Porto Alegre), that is quite diferent from Rio de Janeiro, so I am learning to respect the differences.

Thanks, Cheikh Vall for the excellent blog about usage of the english language in your daily life..

i was shocked when i read what you've said about slavery in morritania ,in morocco we don't talk anymore about slavery it was over a long long time ago but for some habits you mention in your previous posts i think we are almost the same and i guess we're facing the same issues even if i've never been in sahara .the fact that men like overweighted women is very common in moroccan sahara too.

It’s wonderful to learn your country and read your fantastic customs! Many things running through my mind as reading your words, you know what, we have lots of common and similar customs. In ancient China, people believe “circle of life” what we consider it as feudal superstition nowadays, which means reincarnation that the soul has passed the fixed-period of soul society will eventually reincarnate back to the living world. And people was convinced that the deceased ancestors were able to protect them from the evil like your mentioned. People now still keep the tradition of worshiping the deceased ancestors in the beginning of the lunar new year of China for the happiness and health of the whole families. Speaking of Halloween, just as the Halloween in the western world, the ‘Ghost festival’ is for the Chinese. Here are some stories for those who have never heard of this festival. Ghost Festival is a traditional Chinese celebration, which falls on the fifteenth day of the seven lunar month and is also called ‘Hungry Ghost Festival’. It represents the connections between the living and the dead, earth and heaven, body and soul. It is a popular occasion throughout our history and is taken seriously by our people as well as those in other countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. The entire seventh month in Chinese calendar is called Ghost Month. It is believed by Chinese that the gates of hell are open to free hungry ghosts who then wander to seek food on earth. Some even think the ghost would seek revenge on those who had wronged them in their lives. The reason why Chinese people celebrate the Ghost Festival is to remember the dead family members and pay tribute to them. They feel offering food to the deceased appeases them and wards off bad luck.. Another belief among Chinese is that the dead return to visit their relatives and thus they prepare the sumptuous meal to the hungry ghosts. The Chinese feel that they have to satisfy the ghost in order to get the good fortune and luck in their lives. An interesting superstition about the Ghost Festival is that it is dreadful to swim in the river or even in the swimming pool. We think the evil ghosts might make the people drown in the water, some says like “grasp your legs under the water”. Children are not allowed to wander alone outside in the street at night for fear that the wandering ghost would possess them. Activities in the Ghost Festival include burning joss sticks, offering sacrifices to the ghosts such as the food like steamed chicken and roasted pork, burning modern comforts such as the ghost money (fake paper money or so-called hell money), paper houses, paper cars, etc. hoping their deceased family members or friends live in abundance in the netherworld. In the end of this month, all the wandering ghosts would return back to the underground. This festival has no more religious meaning now and just for people to ancestors and relatives passed away. This is something about Chinese Halloween. Hope more interesitng story from you.

I would like than to Mr Cheick Vall. Cheikh Vall I read your beautiful article,with fabulous rich English vocabularies which I thought it is written by native Britih or Amarican person, and I would like to thank you onemore time again.The article was bearing manay informaion, let me say about your personal backgrounad and your occupation as well,Your country geografical location with its tradtional.You have mentioned that you did not write any long letter before this but believe me it was very usefull post as porvissional one and encouraging you to keep doing it as you can. By Ainab from Finland