L'appelle and the Islam of Yoff - Katie

9/06
Yesterday was the “L’appelle”, a day in the Layenne sect of Islam (based here in Yoff) when the 2nd profit and reincarnation of Muhammad gave his first speech, 150 years ago yesterday. There are different sects of Islam all over the world, with the most traditional based out of the Middle East for the most part, and others that divide and create a more personal religion. That is was happened here, when Seydina Limamou, a black fisherman, was born in the late 1800’s and became known as the reincarnation of the profit (the Mahdi), and a man that the people could worship and believe in here on their own land rather than a years walk away. The Mahdi told the villagers to end the social stratification that was plaguing Yoff at the time, preached for equality and care for the poor, and basically behaved like a modern day Jesus… minus the walking on water stuff. However, because the profit has now been reincarnated, the Layenne sect believes that the end of days is coming soon, basically judgment day will arrive shortly. Although I am not too fond of this particular view of the religion, the social services and aide it offers to its members are amazing, along with the fact that it is one of the only branches of Islam that allow women inside the Mosque to pray and also preaches the benefits of education and literacy for all.

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So, yesterday was the second day of this huge celebration and thousands of people from around the world came to participate, since this is where the Mahdi was born and preached and all. Thus, the tiny area of Yoff resembled a city much like Bangkok for the past two days, with music constantly blaring from the Mosque, hundreds of people camped out on the streets, and endless visits of relatives and friends. Although my family is not Layenne, my mother took me to her sister’s house where much of her family (which is about 30 or 40 people) had gathered for the day, eating and drinking cup after cup of syrupy tea. I think it’s a day where, although it officially a Layenne holiday, it is a day for celebration by all.
The festival days started with music blaring from the Mosque, and ended with the ceasing of it, the thousands and thousands of people picked up their blankets and left the small community, and now, comparitively, Yoff actually seems quiet.