EID AL ADHA OR TOBASKI 2013 PART FIVE: A DAY OF BLAGGING AND SINGING...

It’s day two and Baddou and Yama and the family are coming back for another go.

Not that it matters because we still have more than enough lamb for all of us.

Mind you, the way people eat out here there won’t be any left at the end of the day and that’s for sure…

As it’s the second day we are expecting all the locals to turn up dressed ‘European’ so this could be fun.

Not the adults, just the children and younger teenagers, and they will still be asking for money…

Oh well, tradition is tradition but if they did that in the U.K. then their parents would all be arrested for sending their children out to beg and Social Services would be doing their level best to take all the children into care…

You ever thought why Social Services are called that ?

I’ve always felt that those letters SS suit them to perfection…

They certainly seem to act like the Gestapo in a lot of the cases highlighted by the newspapers and probably a lot more we are never likely to hear about ?

But this is different.
This is 'Sallybo'.

This is more like it should be.

Well, that’s what I think, anyway.

To be fair they do tend to pick on family, friends and relatives as opposed to the general population but it’s not always the case.

I still remember getting totally ‘mugged’ by the lads who staked out the entrance to the African Village Hotel and clobbered every tourist either going in or coming out.

Ok, fair enough you don’t have to give them anything, but they had made a serious effort and I still think that their cheek added to a little bit of tenacity should have been rewarded.

So… Wash, get dressed, eat breakfast, clean house and compound, do chores (like last night’s washing up…) wash again, get dressed up…

And beg !

I know Mariama and Jalika have plans but I have no idea what as yet ?

The day is just flashing by.

Baddou and Yama will be here in the early afternoon after their family have done the same.

Apparently I am to go over to the local shop and buy a whole bottle of lollipops and a couple of packets of chewy sweets as most of our money has run out ?

Ok, sweets it is.

That’s going to disappoint the local kids, I know that.

Still, they hit us big time yesterday so they’ll just have to lump it.

I did actually film our pair getting ready so if you want to watch it you can click on this link…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHZ-NA5EdlM

Thankfully, Haddy switched to English while I was filming it and so you’ll get the idea a little easier than if she’d stuck to Wolof ?

Then of course Ida turned up, and the triumvirate was complete…

Giggles, Sibo & Little Miss Ali: Blood Sisters

They were out for about three hours and when they came back they shot inside to their bedroom with Ida and fifteen minutes later came out after dividing their ill-gotten gains…

Three hundred and sixty four dalasi each.

EACH ?

That’s over one thousand dalasi which for an afternoon of blagging money from everybody they knew isn’t a bad haul, is it ?

They’d clobbered ‘Tapha Kebbeh and their elder brother Amadou, and then Ida had taken them off to one of her relatives and they had done him over as well.

Everybody they knew had been targeted.

At one point they even got a taxi into Westfield to fleece somebody else.

Christ !!!

You’ve got to hand it to them.

It still makes me laugh just thinking about it.

And Mariama is so plausible…

‘Ten dalasi ? For Sallybo ?  What can we buy with ten dalasi ?   You are rich and we are just children needing pencils for school.  If that is all you have, then please keep it as you obviously need it more than we do...'

And another one hundred and fifty dalasi is handed over…

It seemed to work like a dream.

The kids are happy with it anyway.

Three hundred will get them enough cloth for a new dress, and if they’re not too extravagant will get them a pair of shoes as well.

So that’s alright then.

Baddou and Yama and the kids turn up late afternoon.

They stayed for dinner and then begged-off.

I thought they’d be here for a bit longer but apparently they have things to do ?

Ok, that just leaves us, and thankfully no visitors unless you count Ida and to be honest she might as well be family anyway.

So Mariama and Ida started messing about as they always do, and then this occurred…

I did tell you earlier that they had decided to form a group and sing together, well this is the first time I’d actually heard them do it properly.

Ably assisted by big sisters Awa and Housai’, and my darling wife coming in to do the male part…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFwws-m6uhc
The song is a Gambian folk song and is entitled 'Kai Len Nyu Roti Ten Jor' which roughly translated means 'Let's Go and Fetch Water From the Well'.
If you watch it, then Ida is acting the female part carrying the water and Mariama is acting the male part hoeing the crops in the field.

Well that answers one question…

Yes… They can actually sing together.

EID AL ADHA OR TOBASKI 2013 PART FOUR: A CLASSIC WIND-UP AND A KID'S PUNCH-UP...

It’s Tobaski…

Crunch time !

Do I or don’t I ?

First things first, cold shower because the kids have nicked all the hot water, get dressed and think about breakfast…

Sardines in baguette thingie (the bigger one than a tapa-lapa) which I’m always forgetting the name of, followed by a large cup of tea and wander outside into direct sunlight.

I think it’s going to be a hot one because it’s not so muggy as yesterday, besides we are still in the rainy season so when it builds up it really does build up.

Banging on the gates !!!

It’s Fansu from over the road, and he’s brought a friend with him…

Fansu delivering dinner...

Four legs, ugly, and bleating away like a good’un.

Which brings all the kids out and Fansu’s mate is immediately christened…

I knew this was going to happen.

Now it’s got a name I might not want to kill it, but on the other hand we called it ‘Gaddafi’ so I still might ?
I've paid out about a hundred quid for this ?

Anyway, Fansu says it needs a wash, and so the scrubbing brush comes out while ‘Gaddafi’ starts eating every bit of leaf it can reach on Haddy’s shrubs.

Finally the job is done and Fansu says he’ll be back in about an hour, while ‘Gaddafi’ is tethered to where he can do the least harm.

Gaddafi

More banging on the gates and Baddou and his family have arrived. 

N'Dey, looking a bit sad...

Yama

His sister has recently died and so he has taken over the looking after of her two children also, so we’ve got N’Dey and his sister’s two, plus baby Awa and wife Yama.

Baby Awa

Baddou's late sister's pair (sorry kids, but I don't have your names)

Eldest daughter Haddy has gone to one of her friends where she has an invite so she’ll be the missing one today.

It’s a shame but Baddou’s sister’s little girl is definitely not well.

I think it’s probably just a cold, but we’ll keep an eye out to make sure she’s alright.

The lad is fine though, doesn’t seem as if anything is wrong with him ?

He looks about eight to ten years, but is quite striking in his outfit, and he does look out for his little sister.

Kawsu’s arrived…

Something is going on.

And it’s not just Gaddafi, I can smell it ?

And finally…

No.

I will not be killing Gaddafi because I am not a Muslim and to be done properly he needs the prayer before they do it !!!

YOU RATBAGS !!!

Cue laughter track... (from EVERYBODY ELSE in the compound)

You’ve all kept me wound up for the last how many months telling me that because I’m head of the household I have to do it, and now I don’t ?

And what’s more even Sibo and Jalika were in on it ?

Ha bloody ha !

Good joke.

Just don’t ask me for any pocket money because I’ve seriously been having kittens over having to do it, now I’m going to get my own back…

Ok, the butt of the joke is me, but how they all managed to keep straight faces through God knows how many skype calls over the last few months is beyond me ?

That has to be one of the best wind-up’s ever.

But I will have my revenge…

I think it’s Awa and the twins who perpetrated it with Haddy’s collusion ?

Damn !!!

I need a beer…

So… Everybody has been offered a drink and everybody is here except Fansu, therefore I’m going to sort out today’s 'sounds' which are a judicious mixture of Gambian stuff that they know, Youssou N’Dour which they also know, a few of the kid’s favourites and a few of Haddy’s and mine.

Want to know what the playlist included ?

Youssou N’Dour, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Mickey Hart Band, Grateful Dead, Los Lobos, Dr John, Levon Helm, Fairport Convention, Sona Jobarteh, Afro Manding of The Gambia, Fatoumata Diawara, Rokia Traore, Tinariwen, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Jackson Browne and CSNY off the top of my head…

It was quite varied to say the least.

And now Fansu’s back…

A quick conversation with Kawsu, and the pair of them take Gaddafi around the back of the house along with Baddou and a very sharp knife.

Fansu says he’ll be back for the knife later…

All the rest of the food has been prepared by Awa, Yama and Hassanatou.
If it hadn't been censored to nonsensical ends by Youtube, you could have watched a video of the occasion, but unfortunately it fell foul of the 'copyright' laws, having a musical soundtrack as it did.
Bummer ! 

Haddy has taken charge of the meat.
Anyone for a lamb chop ?

Most of it has vanished over the road to the compounds opposite via the Sibo delivery service.

I have however requested a leg to be placed in the freezer for later…

A LOT later.

That comes out when Tobaski has been and gone, and THEN I’ll cook it.

The problem is that people walk by and smell it cooking and then invite themselves…

I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that ?

Visitors come and go...

Pa Musa

 Pa Musa...

Buba' Sainey

Buba'  Sainey

But I have to confess I am totally stuffed when we finish eating…

BURP !!!

And I don’t think I’m the only one ?

Of course all the local children make a bee-line for our compound when they realise we’re actually there.

All of them are dressed to the nines.

Smart new outfits, wraps and dresses. 

Fatou Bintou and the girls

It’s all there.

Baby Sarjo, and the lads

Here’s a few shots of some that we know. 

A very shy group led by Binta on the left who seems to have turned into a young lady from her 'Dennis the Menace' persona eighteen months ago...

And they all go off happily after Haddy has paid them…

Trouble is, they then tell all their friends and so it’s never ending…

It’s going to happen again tomorrow but with ‘Western’ or ‘European’ dress.

I think the money will run out first.

Ok, it’s middle to late afternoon and most of the local children we know have been in and admired and paid for their efforts.

Our lot and Baddou’s bunch are quite happily playing and messing about as kids do, but there’s a bunch outside, all boys, who despite being asked constantly not to, keep opening our compound gate and shouting that they want meat, and to be honest they are getting on my tits somewhat.

Not just mine, but they are disturbing our nice mellow atmosphere we’ve got going.

Haddy has already told them to get lost and they still haven’t, so when they swing the gate open again, I’m behind it…

‘Oi, come on you lot, scram… You’re beginning to annoy people…’

‘Give us meat, toubab…’

‘Toubab, you have meat and we don’t… Give us meat…’

‘Wanna ask politely, or is that beyond you… I don’t mind, but I will smack you in the gob if you speak to me rudely again… Now piss off before my wife sees you off, and if that happens you’ll definitely regret it…’

And I went and sat down again…

Haddy looks up and says ‘They didn’t listen, did they ?’

‘Nope’.

‘I’ll sort it out…’

‘Ok…’

And out of the compound she walked…

But the little buggers wouldn’t cease and the gate swung open again.

I got up to do something but Baddou’s late sister’s little lad got up first and started walking toward the gate, Jalika falling in behind him and Little ‘Tapha bringing up the rear.

Little 'Tapha

The gate swings open again and the kids walk outside.

There is an almighty thudding sound followed by a scream, another thudding noise followed by more yells and then the scream of brakes followed by a loud torrent of abuse and the three kids come walking back into the compound, closing the gate behind them.

It turns out that Baddou’s sister’s lad had grabbed the nearest one and ‘nutted’ him full on.

One of his friends has raised his fist toward him and so Jalika had swung one punch and the second one has flown backwards into the road and into the path of a passing taxi…

Whoops !!!

At that point all hell broke loose and the rest ran away.

Little ‘Tapha just watched it happen.

Talk about a mutual admiration society…

I think Jalika has just made a friend for life.

High five’s and big grins between the pair of them.

Baddou’s sister’s lad cannot get over the fact that a girl, and a small one at that, can actually fight…

Well, it’s not the usual hair-tugging is it ?

Jalika, off to prayers...

But then we don’t call her ‘Little Miss Ali’ for nothing.

And then Haddy comes back.

‘It's sorted dear, the kids sorted it…’

‘I’ve spoken to their parents, they won’t be rude again’

‘You’re probably right, but there’s a couple nursing bruises right now…’

‘Why, what happened  ?’

And it all went round again with actions this time.

Sibo, Awa and the twins are in absolute hysterics, Yama is shaking her head and Baddou is looking on proudly.

Poor N’Dey doesn’t quite know what to make of it all.

Haddy just shakes her head…

‘Eeee that child… Jalika must stop hitting people’

‘I think you ought to give her a hug and say thank you for sticking up for the family, though… And to be honest she was just protecting the lad from getting thumped, there were five of them…’

‘It’s not ladylike…’

‘No, it’s not… But it got the required result…’

‘Hmmmm…’

And so we settled down again until the evening.

When it was time to leave and pick up their Haddy, Baddou and Yama were loaded, but they’ll all be back tomorrow for Tobaski’s second day.

The one thing you can say in all honesty is that it’s never dull around here…

EID AL ADHA OR TOBASKI 2013 PART THREE: A BURGLARY AND THE FIRST TRIP TO KILLY

Apparently we will not be seeing Ida, Omar and baby Haddy over Tobaski as they will be going to stay with Amadou’s parents in their village.

Sibo with Ida Lee's baby Haddy

Ida has been showing us the dress that Amadou made for her, and I have to admit it is a beautiful garment and she looks stunning in it, but Amadou hasn’t had much luck recently.

His workshop had recently been burgled and many of his clients clothes had been taken, including the one he’d made for Ida, and so he’d had to start all over again, not just on hers but everybody else’s also.

The fact that a couple of his sowing machines went along with them is causing him some serious concern.

When he lays out the facts then you immediately realise that whoever did it knows his movements and so it is more likely to be somebody he knows.

It’s a sad reflection on a society that so far, hasn’t gone down the Western road.

It’s rife in the UK.

The local newspapers are all full of stories about people stealing from people they know, and now it seems to have started here ?

How sad is that ?

I’ll tell you what…

The bankers that caused the monetary collapse back in 2008 have one hell of a lot to answer for.

Once the problem filters down into countries like The Gambia, that’s when you realise the enormity of their crime.

People here had a struggling economy to start with, and being petrol based when the price of fuel goes up then the price of everything else goes up with it.

And when people without a safety net cannot afford basic food-stuffs to live on, then some will  resort to theft.

It’s happening all over the world but still nobody wants to prosecute those who caused it.

The thieves get prosecuted when caught but those who put them in the situation where theft is their only option will always walk away scot-free.

It’s not right and it never will be.

But these are the times we live in…

Corruption and graft permeate governments throughout the world.

It’s the day before Tobaski and we’re off to Killy. (Pronounced ‘Keely’)

I’ve done the journey before, but it’s quite a long drive and this time we’ve got a small truck and Kawsu, Hassanatou, Haddy and me are squeezed into the driver’s cab along with the driver.

In the back we’ve got five boxes of clothes that Haddy has managed to blag from people over here.

Basically, if they’ve got kids and even if they haven’t, we’re on the scrounge for all their outgrown clothes.

Adults stuff too, all is welcome although it has to be said, female clothing is preferred.

All they have to do is donate it and Haddy will pay to ship them to The Gambia.

So far there are eight boxes and a bag sitting in her unoccupied shop waiting for us to get there and donate to those who actually need something.

Now it’s time to get five boxes of assorted clothing out to Killy, where Osman, the head man of the village will get it out to all the villagers in the Killy locality.

Describing Killy ?

It’s quite a poor farming village is probably the easiest way of describing it ?

I have heard that they have recently got running water instead of having to draw it all from a well, but I don’t know if it’s true ? 

Anyway, it could also be described as in the interior of the country, just a short ride from The President’s village at Kanilai, and my wife owns some land there which she lets out to Ousman to grow things on.

Which, if he’s successful, Ousman will deliver a sackload of, to the kids, who will then barter whatever it is, locally, until they have a fair old swap session going on.

Let’s put it this way, it all helps.

So now the people of Killy are getting something back for helping out our family.

So what do you call it ?

Charity, as we know it, does not apply because a charity we definitely are not.

It all started when one of Haddy’s work colleagues said that her daughter was getting rid of a load of clothes that would fit the twins.

Then another one chipped in with some more for any babies she knew of, since her Granddaughter had grown out of them.

And so it had escalated…

Pretty soon we had a complete bedroom full of boxed and bagged clothing.

But look at it this way…

To a bunch of people that have very little in the first place if you think along the lines of a Western thought process, it’s all going to a good cause, so why not ?

So that’s where we were going.

Charities from the UK in The Gambia were small fry compared to Scandinavia who seem to donate a whole load more than anybody else.

Norway is probably the largest supporter in general charitable terms.

They run Rex Nursery School which is virtually next door to our compound, and where Haddy was once headmistress.

Bakau’s fire and rescue service has had a few older fire appliances donated from the UK and my friend Mark runs the charity who keep the school at Albreda/Juffereh going.

It’s called ‘Roots Nursery School’ and you can find him here…
mark@rootsnurseryschool.org 

and all donations will be gratefully accepted.

Roots Nursery being situated in the village that produced Kunte Kinte, the hero of Alex Haley’s book about his ancestral line, ‘Roots’.

There are probably more, but those are the ones that I definitely know of ?

As for us, we’re targeting specifics.

Killy gets five boxes assorted and the village gets the other three, but Haddy decides where they are going and who gets what.

It’s only fair because she pays the shipping charges to get them out here.

The Gambia being like any other society…

If there is something going free then everybody wants something for nothing.

At least this way she gets to decide where it goes.

And any ‘chancers’ will get short thrift from her, I can tell you that.

She KNOWS where it’s most needed, because this is HER village and that is where it’ll be going.

Do you want to know what the most sought after items are ?

Larger sized brassierrres.

There seems to be no measuring process in The Gambia for breast size, and many of the women are larger and heavier  breasted than in the UK so larger sizes are prized for their comfort in fitting properly.

I mean we can talk about 32C or 38D (that’s large-ish by the way) but over in The Gambia it seems to be small, medium and large, so getting one that fits comfortably is an absolute Godsend to the womenfolk.

As a family, daughter Sainabou being a larger sized girl in the bust department, used to have serious problems getting one to fit her, so it’s a problem we are quite familiar with.

It’s a strange world when you think about it in those terms, isn’t it ?

Something all the women over here take for granted.

But over there it’s totally different.

A pretty, or striking motif on a t-shirt for teenagers.

Something the shops here and probably most of the places where you’re reading this are full of.

They’re not here.

Yes, you can buy t-shirts, but it’s that bit of difference that makes it ‘cool’, and a talking point, usually of envy, between the youth.

Haddy herself has been told that the t-shirts that she wears are not suitable for her, and that’s by the kids in her village.

Apparently she is too old to wear them ?

That attitude is swiftly curtailed by a clout around the side of a head if she can get them…

The fact that she’s probably been given it by one of the band members of whatever shirt she’s wearing doesn’t seem to cross their minds ?

My wife likes her music, so going to the local club and watching three or four bands is quite normal for her, but it doesn’t occur in The Gambia, even for the youth, so when you wear something quite striking it becomes a serious topic of conversation.

So far, nobody has hit on me for a Grateful Dead t-shirt, probably because most of the local kids can’t get their heads around the usual skull and roses motif’s, but Haddy’s been hit on quite a lot for her ‘Music Is My Weapon’ series, and also her Cropredy Festival t-shirts, so it’s definitely the sort of thing that goes down well with teenagers.

The thing is, it all helps.

When we finally reach Killy, there is nobody there.

Not literally, the old men and women and the youngsters are there but all the able-bodied are all working on The President’s farm at Kanilai.

So it’s the old women who greet us when we arrive.

Hassanatou and Haddy with Killy local

 Ousman isn’t there, and so we store all the boxes at his place before the drive back…

Part of Ousman's family

Haddy asks one of his wives to ask him to ring her when he becomes available again and that’s basically it.

Hassanatou and Kawsu

We will have spent about four hours in sweltering heat , all crammed into a truck cab.

We are however, given a chicken by Ousman's family for our efforts

Time to leave, this time with passengers... Note the chicken...

It’s a different world out there, and most people have no idea…

And that is a fact.

When we finally return, most of the day has gone.

I know one thing for certainty.

The first thing I’m going to do when we get in is to shower and have a beer unless somebody beats me to the shower…

It might end up being the other way around.

Haddy Sonko is at the compound when we return.

She is still totally committed to her artistic endeavours.

Haddy Sonko between twins

She has also grown from that young awkward teenage look into a pretty young lady.

This year I’d managed to get her some artists ‘oils’ either to paint or silk-screen with, and she seems very pleased to get them.

It’s not the sort of thing that you see much of in The Gambia, but what the hell, she’s a talented girl and there’s no reason to thwart her ambitions if you can nurture them, so any and all ‘art’ oriented supplies that we can get hold of are being sent her way

We have always said to her that we’ll help when we can, and if she can’t use the bits we send out then to please swap them with any of her artistic colleagues who might be able to use them, and this she has been doing.

She seems very pleased with the paints however, and that is enough for me.

The twins are pretty pissed off though.

Apparently their outfits are not going to be ready for tomorrow.

The local tailors who are doing them are way behind on the completion dates, despite having had them for the last three weeks.

And it’s not just the twins.

They are just two of many…

It would seem somebody has bitten off more than they can chew in the work department ?

Oh well, Tobaski tomorrow…
And it’s crunch time for me !!!