The Man's Sperm Enters Here

August 30, 1994 Essaouira training

I’m doing my first health education on the IUD tomorrow to a group of local women at the health center. In Tashlheit, mind you. My teacher Aicha told me four times in class that she was very impressed with my pronunciation. I can’t believe I’m actually making these sounds. There’s a “gh” sound much like the guttural sound of Hebrew. There’s also a “d” and “t” sound, only they’re nasal and the back of your tongue hits the roof of your mouth when you say them. There’s a “kh” sound and a sharp “k”, made from deep in the throat, not in the mouth at all. Oh, yes, and most of the r’s roll. 

Khtaad tegga l’welda

This is a uterus.

Gheed arreeteemghor bnedem.

The baby grows here.

Lan snet tiglayt.

There are two tubes.

Gh kool yan geesen tellah yat tiglayt.

In each of them is one ovary.

Kooloo teemghahreen daireesen l’groon d snat tiglay.

Every woman has a uterus and two ovaries.

Ghwed eega eemee n’l’welda.

This is the entrance to the uterus.

Aman n’oorgaz, arsers k’shem’n.

The man’s sperm enters here.

Ees eela eemee yadnee ee l’welda?

Is there any other entrance to the uterus?

Oho.

No.

ghleegh atmakkarren, tiglayt n’tahmghart d wahman n’oorgaz,

When they meet, the sperm and the egg,

arskerren bnedem gh l’welda.

They will make a baby in the uterus.

There is a common belief among rural women that the IUD goes up into their stomach, lungs, and heart. They don’t know how their reproductive system works.