The baby's head is shaved. She has been handed to the Imam. Everyone is ready to find out the name. Everyone but the chicken in the far background (the guy bending over is prepared to do the sacrifice at the utterance of the name). Prayers will be said first.
My driver Backary invited me to the Ngente for his niece. Here you see the preparation of the baby girl by shaving her head. An Aunt is holding her (I got to hold her before this). By custom, she was only 8 days old. Since Ramadan had just begun, however, the party after the ceremony [...]
I attended a three day Human Rights Conference last week. Speakers included The Gambia's leading members of the human rights network and legal community. The goal of the conference was to address past injustices so that the country can move forward. There is talk of setting up a truth and reconciliation commission to help [...]
On Wednesday, May 17 we took students to see the Supreme Court. Here we are just outside the Court Complex. Then just outside the Supreme Court's Hearing room. The Court convenes for the next two weeks, and has not done so in a couple of years. The Court has a new Chief Justice, Mr. Hassan Jallow, [...]
This is Backary's community garden. His family shares this space with several neighbors. I recognized the tomatoes. There were greens too. Herbs had been planted for use during Ramadan. They will use what they need and sell the rest to others who do not have a garden. They have to have a well. This is [...]
Backary's wife and her sister cooked a delicious dinner for us all. Fried rice, fish, shrimp and vegetables. Mangoes for dessert. It's the best meal I have had in The Gambia so far. And the most enjoyable. It felt good to spend time with a family, especially since it was Mother's Day back home.
Backary invited us into his home for Sunday dinner. It was a great opportunity to meet his family and see how they live. He is building the home as time and money permit. It is in a new housing tract near the airport. Here he is with two of his children, sister, wife and her sister. [...]
How cheerfully he seems to grin How neatly spreads his claws, And welcomes little fishes in, With gently smiling jaws! Lewis Carroll
I made sure I did not feed the crocodiles, but I did agree to pet a couple for a photo op. While the croc I am petting looks mean, he's just trying to stay cool. The other croc you see waddled by me to head for the pool to get cool. This Kachikally Crocodile Pool [...]
While the monkeys of this forest are not so shy (this woman had a hard time getting rid of this big guy), we were lucky to see the red guy in the photo on the right. It is the Western Red Colobus Monkey. It has been overhunted to the point of being endangered. I was told [...]
