Interview with a Former Talibe

The talibe are young boys in Senegal who are sent to study the Koran with a marabout. As a part of the process, they are sent out to the streets to beg for their daily sustenance. Many foreigners find themselves endlessly annoyed by these young boys asking for money or food. I sat down with a former talibe and current Peace Corps language teacher, Sahir, to learn about what his experience was like.

- How old were you when you became a talibe?
I was four years old when my parents decided to send me to study with a marabout. The marabout was my dad's cousin. When my dad presented me to him, he said to the marabout "I want his bones!" meaning that whatever happens, make sure I learn the Koran. I stayed with the marabout until I was 7, when my family decided to send me to French school. At the French school, I quickly became one of the best students because, as a talibe, we're taught to memorize the Koran. So later, in the French school, when the teacher would write the lesson on the blackboard, I would have it memorized as soon as he wrote it!

- What were some good and bad experiences you had as a talibe?
One of the best things about my experience is that I'm now able to adapt very easily to any situation. Also, I can speak to people very easily. The worst day I can remember is when the marabout beat my cousin for not memorizing his verses correctly. He beat him - right next to me - until he was bloody. I went home and told my dad about it, but my dad said it was just normal.

- What was a typical day like?
We would get up at 5 to pray. From 6-7:30 we would study the Koran by lamplight. Those marabouts that didn't have electricity would teach the Koran around a big fire in the forest. At 7:30 we would go out on the streets to beg for our breakfast. Sometimes people would give us sugar or uncooked rice and unfortunately the marabout didn't always pay attention to what we had eaten. Although I almost always was able to find food to eat. Some marabouts make their talibe bring them money. If the talibe were able to get extra money, they'd hide it maybe with a shopkeeper and get it later. But my marabout never asked for money. Anyway, we'd go back to my marabout's house to study the Koran some more until lunch around 3:30. The marabout's family would often cook for us, so we'd go out and find firewood for the cooking. There was a hierarchy among the talibe - the oldest boys would help us cross the road and make sure we divvied the food up evenly.

- What was your marabout like?
He was really nice, very open-minded because he was well-traveled. When he would travel, though, it was bad because then we were in the care of the older boys. But when the marabout went to Mecca (he went a few times), he would always come back with lots of gifts for us.

- What did you learn from your marabout?
There are different levels that talibe go through. First you become alphabetized (learn to read), then you read the Koran. After we read it, we memorize the Koran. I can still recite the whole Koran in Arabic. Well, sometimes I forget a line or two. The next level is to translate the Koran into your local language (in Sahir's case, Pulaar). I never got to this level, though, because that's when I started French school. Once you master the Koran, the next level is to study shariah (Islamic law), then finally you get to the level of making gris-gris (leather pouches that have a Koranic sura sewn inside and worn for protection).

- What advice do you have for foreigners who find the talibe to be a nuisance?
Be careful - saying the talibe are bad is like saying Islam is bad! People need to remember that if the situation is bad, kids are the victim. There are two solutions I know of for the "talibe issue." The first solution is to have private Islamic schools where the parents pay for the child's food and supplies. But this requires the parents to have money! The second solution is 1 family, 1 talibe where each family in the community assumes responsibility for one talibe. My children are not talibe, but there's a little boy that comes by my house everyday for meals that we support.

- What would you like for people to know about your experience as a talibe?
Everyday I say thanks to my parents for making me do it. Learning the Koran is not easy - being a talibe is hard! Begging for food is tough, but it taught me humility and I really appreciate that time in my life. Having been a talibe is a real source of pride for me!