Mothering Globally

I am the mother of three children: Fassely, Soriya, and Indima. Similarly to how my parents raised me, we have made the world their classroom, while we travel the globe as a family. Their most important lessons are learned, for instance, by carving soapstone with our Tuareg friends in Niger, while gathering paioux nut in the forests of the Central African Republic with the BaAka pygmies, or while riding through the streets of Niamey on our donkey, Zorro, and conversing with passers-by and neighborhood friends.

Travelin’ to the Dunes

Here we are traveling to the "The big dunes" outside of Niamey, accompanied by the majority of our clan. In ...

Hassana

This is beautiful Hassana, Arouna's little sister. She too has become a good friend of the family's. When Zorro was ...

Arouna Dancing

I love Arouna so much that I want to dedicate several posts to him. In this photo, we were all ...

Arouna

Arouna is both Fassely and Soriya’s best friend in Niger.  He is also beloved by Indima, who he carries around ...

Our Neighborhood Crocs

(story continued from previous post) “Come look!” Arouna ordered.  Peering through the thick fencing, and into a garbage heap, there ...

Fishing in a Garbage Dump Pond

(story continued from previous post) Near noontime we headed home. You were hungry and Zorro the donkey was stalling more ...

Of Donkeys and Thirst

It wasn’t even 10AM, yet temperatures were already close to 40°. At this point, we had been walking for over ...

Barking on Zorro

Indima was happily riding Zorro, when all of a sudden she heard a dog barking, and happily pretended to be ...

Introducing Zorro!!!

In this photo, my son Soriya is pulling our donkey, Zorro, around our neighborhood.  Arouna holds Indima on Zorro’s back, ...

First Kiss. First Love. (3/3)

In this photo, my son Soriya gently kisses Fatoum Zara. Soriya’s name comes from the word Soyeya in Hausa, which ...

First Kiss. First Love. (2/3)

My son, Fassely and Mariama in adoration, lounging on a pirogue drifting along the Niger River. Mariama and Fassely are ...

First Kiss, First Love

FIRST KISS. FIRST LOVE. (1/3) In this photo, my daughter, Indima is kissing our neighbor, Adam. While I sat outside ...

It Takes A Village To Raise A Child

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD: (seventh in the breastfeeding series) In these photos, Fati feeds her newborn, ...

Breastfeeding…Normal or Extraordinary?

BREASTFEEDING… NORMAL OR EXTRAORDINARY? In this photo, I am breastfeeding Indima at Fati’s house/tent, while Abdoukarim plays with a pestle ...

Mother’s Day Everyday

Sunday was mother’s day in the USA. While I actually believe that every day is mother’s day, I would like ...

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