Saturday 1 February 2014

26.1.14 Sunday. Wrestling and Culture



Linda, Steve and I went to see Christine at her accommodation this morning to sort out what the visitors want to do this week, which schools to visit and other events.  We decided to travel on Wednesday and arranged transport for the week with Omar and his minibus.   Kebba had told us of an afternoon of culture today, and so after our brief meeting we returned home to meet up with Mell and James and get ready for the afternoon, transport was arranged for Christine and the others to join us for the cultural entertainment.  We all met up at the venue at Sanyang and spent a very interesting afternoon watching various tribes entertaining the tourists in many different ways, dancing, drumming, displays of knife cutting, fabrics, costumes, kancorans and many other events. A great celebration, colourful costumes, many different instruments all playing at the same time and lots of happy people. Then the big event of the day, wrestling in the nearby ring, several very strong Gambian men parading around in loin cloths, wearing jujus (protective magic charms) round and round the ring to the sound of drumming, being challenged to a wrestling bout, which would end with one of them being thrown to the sandy floor.   Dinner on the beach and then home for the rest of the evening..

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