Life in the Gambia: Naming Ceremony in Marakissa

Yesterday the whole family went to Marakissa, the village where Lamin's mother lives, to go to naming ceremony. I've written about the naming ceremony before (see earlier post), but each one is bit different. A naming ceremony can be a small family celebration, but usually they are much larger, and the extended family is invited – there is no need to invite the neighbours as they will come anyway! Everyone helps by making a contribution of food, and by helping with the cooking etc.

Our contribution yesterday was fish, so we asked Lamin's uncle Antoine to catch some for us ready to take to Marakissa for lunch. We arrived at his 'base' in the forest, where he taps for palm wine and catches fish, about 10:00 am, and he had already caught us a huge bucket of fish. These tilapia are small river fish, and are generally eaten by holding it in one hand whilst picking bits off with the other (together with eating the accompanying rice). They are quite bony – the Gambians just put everything in their mouth and then spit the bones out, but as a cowardly Brit I tend to pick out as many bones as possible before eating. However, the fish is delicious, and worth the trouble!

Antoine and his friend were working on crafting an oar for the boat, using a tool which looked suspiciously like a garden hoe (to my untrained eye), and I was amazed at how carefully they could shave the wood to get just the right shape.

Finally, after the obligatory sharing of palm wine, we set off for Marakissa, arriving at around 11.30. Lots of the family were at Lamin's mother's house, plus all the neighbouring children (about 20 or so!), which is quite normal – because Gambians live mainly outdoors, the children all play together. We went over to the compound where the naming ceremony preparations were in full swing, just to 'greet' the hosts, and were treated firstly to a bowl of rice pudding topped with yogurt, and then grilled pork. Friends and family were cooking vast amounts of rice, chicken, fish and vegetables in enormous pots, and everyone sat around chatting. I can manage a short conversation in both Mandinka and Karoninka now, and if I'm lucky I can sometimes get an idea of the theme of a conversation, but I've still got a lot to learn!

After lunch at Lamin's mother's compound, we then went back to the naming ceremony for the dancing. It's mainly the women who dance, although the men can dance very well, and everyone stands in a circle either clapping or playing sticks, and individuals take in in turns to do a 'solo' dance. I'm not very good at the dancing, but I like to have a go, and it always cause a great deal of laughter when I try.