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.However, Bamba s mother,Mame Diarra Bousso (1833 1866), is the most important saintly figure for Murid36women.A dahira has been formed for her in New York.Mame Diarra is a sourceof hope and inspiration for Murid women, and her hagiographical narratives serveto guide them in all aspects of life, including business.37The images of Mame Diarra parading up Seventh Avenue demonstrate visualpiety, and Murid women are transformed by them with a single gaze.There is a mysticalencounter, a transmission of divine energy that moves from icon to observer.Theywalk, chant, wave signs, and embody the stories of the saints in a reenactment thatreleases a religious aura, a process collapsing time and space into a hagiographicalpresent.During the march, Murid women also reenact the caring spirit of MameDiarra directed toward her son, Amadou Bamba, as he walked to propagate the faith. The parade is very special, Khady recounts. I heard Cheikh AmadouBamba used to go all over the world searching, trying to find someone who wantedIslam, someone who would read one of his books, and so we march.It is a blessing[baraka] because, in those days, Cheikh Amadou Bamba didn t have cars, nobuses or nothing.He was walking.So he walked to teach people to do the rightthing, to teach them what the Lord wants us to do.We get a blessing [baraka]from walking to help people.So we walk to represent him on his day. As they carry Bamba s portrait, they are walking with him, caring for himduring his struggles.In fact, they are supporting him, as Mame Diarra Bousso did 120 black meccawhen, according to legend, she would miraculously appear after her death toconsole and encourage him in times of great need.38 More important, the ritualdisplacement of these images enhances their divine power.By moving saintlyportraits from the privacy of the masjid, house, or sacred space to the street, Murids39create what Edward C.Zaragoza calls a symbolic dislocation. Removing a sacredimage from its house of worship (or places designated for sanctification) magnifiesthe saint and forces participants and spectators to renew their relationship to it.Because the religious symbol enters a domain outside its normal location, theirassociation with the image is exaggerated, and the new encounter renews for themthe sacredness of the object.For Murid women in the procession, the acquisition of baraka is paramount.The parade is special, Khady announces, because we get a blessing [baraka]from walking. Despite their position at the back of the parade, women s highvisibility has transformed the nature of Muridiyya itself.The Islam of the brother-hoods and marabouts, Coulon Christian asserts, has become primarily the reli-gion of women. 40 Some argue that the religious dynamism of Senegalese womenin particular constitutes an Islam au féminin, or a woman s Islam.41 Although theSenegalese journalist Codou Bop argues that the distribution of baraka and religiousauthority might be disproportionate between Murid men and women, we cannotdisregard their successful efforts to offset this imbalance.42 For example, while thepossession of baraka has traditionally been male-dominated, Murid women inNew York have much more earning potential and can challenge the constraints ofconventional gender roles.They have used their economic position and religiousnetworks to support marabouts, both male and female, who uphold them andaddress their concerns.This increased capital empowers their chosen saints andstrengthens the religious and social status of these women.But what makes the lifeof Bamba, his mother, and early Murid figures so exemplary is their effort to bereligious in a mundane world.IIAfter the paraders reach the Harlem State Office building, a rally begins.The headof the Murids holds court under the canopy outside the front entrance.He is joinedby a delegation of more than thirty, mostly Senegalese, including an honored chairfor Balozi, with Charles occasionally making introductions, and a few local politi-cians.Speeches are made about the virtues of collaboration between Harlem andWest Africa, and awards are presented.Others find areas on the concrete for achanting circle and recite Bamba s khassaïd before a standing audience.Hundredsmore withstand the blistering July heat on the plaza, socializing with family and Women march carrying posters of (from left) Mame Diarra Bousso, Bamba in 1913, and Serigne Saliou Mbacke.(Photo KhadyGueye Djily) 122 black meccafriends, and applaud on cue at the ends of talks.As the rally ends, the crowd petersout.Some must return to work, but many others continue with the rest of theschedule.As African marchers make their way back down Seventh Avenue toward 116th,they gradually reenter a realm more commonly known for its roving display ofAfrican fashions
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