interviews

This past week several important « events » have occurred. First, I had an interview zith the son of the past Chef de Village of Koukoudé. He had cultivated for 4 years in Nigeria before returning to Kuwdé two months ago with a moto. The interview was incredibly informative, but seemed rehearsed. His uncle, André, was there to translate, but as the aspiring Chef de Village he seemed to also be playing politics. The boy (24 years old) would simply parrot what André would say. For example, Me: For how many hours would you work each day – when to when? André: ooooohhh work hard ALL day! Boy: Work all day!. Once I broke down the answers into details (eg: 6H-12H, 13H-18H) did they become really helpful in understanding the basic mechanics of the work abroad.

Towards the end when I began asking questions about motivations for youth to leave and solutions, the answers seemed more about getting me to get money and aid – I began to feel like the interview was an act to push forth an agenda, to get something tangibly beneficial from my time here. Although I am sure the answers were honest, it did not seem like I was getting the full truth. The duo repeatedly remarked “We are so poor – that is why I left to get a motorcycle” then “when you leave you need to get people and NGOs to help us.” The first statement interested me – this kid might come from a poor family relative to the world, but not for this community. He had food to eat, shelter, his education paid for, and his father was the chief of the village. He did not leave because of abuse, neglect, starvation, orphan-status, or for school fees – he left (and he said it) because he saw some guy with a moto, wanted one, and knew that his parents would not buy one for him and his amusement.

This raises some questions I have been struggling with – What is poverty? And how has globalization impacted people’s perceptions of their own circumstances and of those around them? Kids might still leave during school vacations to make money in the South, but if transportation and exposure to the consumer-base mania of the US and Europe were not as present (with me there too?) or coveted, would youth leave to work in other countries for the momentary satisfaction of motorcycles and videotapes? Isolation is not the answer, so what, increased globalization and access to tastes of things that make the US idolized? At this pace, these objects might never make it into the hands of these people and youth.