Last night, at about 9.30pm, we heard what sounded like children chanting, clapping their hands and banging tins far off in the village. The sound continued for quite some time, and gradually moved towards us. It got quite loud as they reached our house, then went quiet before starting up again and moving back into the village. (I didn't see anything ominous in this – we are the last house on our end of the village, and people don't generally go wandering off into nowhere in the dark!)
This morning, when Hélène arrived for work, I described what we'd heard and asked what it was. At first she looked puzzled, then she laughed and said it was the “cho-lo-lo”. That didn't mean anything to me, so she explained that it is a kind of rain dance. When rain is sorely needed, as it is at the moment, people shout and sing and bang things, praying for rain to come. She said that they are chanting, “Come here, come here, rain fall, rain fall!”
I don't know to what extent it is taken seriously, and my Monkolé wasn't really up to asking. She, as a Christian, didn't seem to put much stock by it, and I should imagine that here as much as anywhere some people may just join in to be part of the crowd. Do we really think much about the Gunpowder Plot as we watch our fireworks in the UK on November 5th? And do all those celebrating St Patrick's (especially in France) care about Irish patriotism or the great man who evangelised Ireland?
Anyway, 24 hours later the rain dance doesn't seem to have worked … a shame really since the fields desperately need water.
This morning, when Hélène arrived for work, I described what we'd heard and asked what it was. At first she looked puzzled, then she laughed and said it was the “cho-lo-lo”. That didn't mean anything to me, so she explained that it is a kind of rain dance. When rain is sorely needed, as it is at the moment, people shout and sing and bang things, praying for rain to come. She said that they are chanting, “Come here, come here, rain fall, rain fall!”
I don't know to what extent it is taken seriously, and my Monkolé wasn't really up to asking. She, as a Christian, didn't seem to put much stock by it, and I should imagine that here as much as anywhere some people may just join in to be part of the crowd. Do we really think much about the Gunpowder Plot as we watch our fireworks in the UK on November 5th? And do all those celebrating St Patrick's (especially in France) care about Irish patriotism or the great man who evangelised Ireland?
Anyway, 24 hours later the rain dance doesn't seem to have worked … a shame really since the fields desperately need water.
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