Taboo

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Hello friends!

Can you imagine living in a world where there are rules for literally in EVERY area of life? And if you break one of the thousands of taboos, you live in guilt, may be ostracized, or you may even live cursed just because you were born on the wrong day.

I’m reading a book about some Malagasy taboos (“fady”) and it’s just overwhelming:

1. To begin with, you can’t just ask, “What are your taboos?” You must say something like, “What customs and traditions, including taboos, did your ancestors observe in this place?”

2. One rule I LIKE is that you must not show a stranger the wrong road. lol.

3. It is forbidden for a son to shave his beard if his father is still alive.

4. Children born on Alohotsy Friday w ill not be allowed to grow up. They must be placed out in the fields

to die (unless destiny can be changed – a very expensive process).

4. If a child is born on the birthday of someone else in the family (like Caleb and I were both born on December 21st), they must separate the two kids by giving the newest child to away to be brought up in another family lest the two destinies collide and put the family in danger.

6. Sundays are powerful days, Monday days of weeping and sorrow, Tuesday light and playful (nothing important can be done on this day), Wednesday is evil and you should not travel, Thursday is a good way for weddings, Friday for burials or bloodshed, and Saturday an excellent time to wear the color blue (for freedom).

Highlights of this week included learning about mosquito bourne illnesses (MALARIA!) and a trip to VA Beach on Saturday! It was raining when we left, but as soon as we got outside of Richmond it was sunny and BEAUTIFUL! So warm, in fact, that we ended up swimming in the ocean. :D Heather and I looked really far across the ocean and Africa and SAW Madagascar…or maybe that was just our excited imaginations.

I love you all,

Cara :)