Now, as a reward, here are some superstitions that are not ALWAYS followed in modern Senegal but are fun none the less. The first list are the ones I've noticed/heard and the second is what our program gave us before coming:
-Before leaving the house you pour water outside the door and, if you're driving a car, you always baptize the car before leaving.
-Don't talk about numbers: no exact ages, years spent living places, family members, etc.
-Don't eat with your left hand unless you're an evil spirit
-Don't walk at night, not because of muggers but because of evil spirits that like to come out at night
-Don't complement babies or beauty or anything that could go wrong later and thus be blamed on your complement
-A lot of people wear gris-gris which are essentially good luck amulets for very specific desires. They're usually pieces of paper with Koranic writing somehow enclosed in leather that you wear on your body. You've got to take them off during dirty activities such as sex and toilet business.
-Don't eat with your hand on the ground because you would be pushing on the ancestors
- By pouring hot water on the ground it is believed that the hot water burns our ancestors who are under the ground.
- Pouring cold water at the door of your house first thing in the morning before talking to anyonein anticipation of a good day.
- Dream seeing raw fish or snake is a child or sign of pregnancy.
- Dream seeing a gun or a bullet not used means betrayal or disappointment.
- Dream by a man of seeing a horse or car means a new wife.
- Dream seeing white cloth means you will see a dead person.
- Dream seeing a monkey means downfall to you.
- Dream laughing means you will experience trouble.
- If you put on your shirt inside out, and you discover it yourself you will have good luck.
- If a monkey or pig crosses your way and you don't mention it, you will have good luck.
- If a black cat crosses your way you will have bad luck.
- If a praying mantis creeps over you and you don't chase it until it goes away, you will have good luck.
- If you sweep at night and throw the trash out it is bad luck.
- If you buy perfume for a girlfriend the relationship will not last long. Money is given instead.
- When cutting someone's hair you should not throw the hair away because if a bird finds it and makes a nest with it, the person will have constant headache.
- If a pregnant woman looks at a baboon, her child would resemble it.
- A shooting star represents the death of a prominent person.
- If your left eye itches you will see someone you missed.
- If your right eye itches you will cry.
- Expectant women should not eat eggs, otherwise the baby will be deaf and dumb.
- People avoid doing things (for instance, laundry) on Wednesday because it is a day of bad luck.
- Children should not eat fish because it hampers their mental growth / makes them stupid.
- You don't cut finger nails of babies and young children because it is believed that they will become thieves.
- Never sit at the doorway because evil sprits might hit you and you will die.
- Don't answer a call at night because you might be answering a devil.
- Do not bathe with much water, if your quota of water finishes you will die.
- Do not buy or sell soap, needles, or charcoal, etc. at night.
- A widow should not go out of her home during her mourning period.
- Houses should not be swept at night.
- People should not put their heads in their hands.
- Whistling is forbidden at night.
- Some family names are related to animals. Therefore, people named Sarr for example should not hurt camels or eat their meat.
- If a very beaufiful woman finds it hard to find a husband, or when the men who date her die a short time after the wedding, she is said to have a spirit lover.
Love love. Sorry about the uninvolved post, I've got final papers and tests and 30 more days to take advantage of this experience!
