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Saturday 19 November 2011

Men and their machines

Recently I went to one of the villages where Nfamara has been working. The village is called Kerr Kartim and is very close to the Senegalese border. SWAMI (the company which Nfamara works for) have been contracted to do the digging in preparation for a water pipe. Currently the villagers have to get all their water from wells but in the next few days they should have a water supply and some taps ('pumpo' in Mandinka).

The village is inhabited by a Wolof community and is very traditional and picturesque (that's if you look past the industrial machinery currently working there!) The people in Kerr Kartim seem really nice and friendly and lots of children came out to look at me! One of the villagers made me a cup of tea!

I took a few pictures of Nfamara at work and even had a little go myself! I think I filled more of the hole in than digging it out though!

That's Nfamara sat in the machine to the front of the picture


The pipe going into the hole

A nice straight line

Nfamara in action

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Monday 14 November 2011

A wonderful Tobaski

This year I spent Tobaski (Eid al-Adha) with the Sonko family. Nfamara came home for a few days and also my friend Lucy (VSO from Soma) came to stay. So Lucy, Suky (the new VSO in Kerewan) and I all celebrated this special feast at Sonko Kunda.

Though this was my second Tobaski in The Gambia it was the first time in my life that I’ve actually purchased live-stock!! As a gift to the Sonko family I brought them a ram. I tried not to get too attached in the hour or so the ram and I spent together but Lucy and I secretly named him!!

We all had a wonderful day and to make it extra special Nfamara and I wore 'ashobi' (which means we had matching material for our clothes).

If you want to know more about Tobaski in The Gambia check out the link below:

http://www.accessgambia.com/information/tobaski-feast-festival.html

My (our) ram. Purchased at a 'lumo' (big weekly market) and being transported to the 'garage' ready for the trip back to Kerewan

My (our) ram

The slaughter of a Sonko ram (not mine!!)

Dead Sonko ram

My (our) ram about to be slaughtered

Good-bye!

The slaughtered rams.

Lamin (Nfamara's eldest brother) and Sulyman Sonko (Nfamara's dad)

Alhagie (another of Nfamara's brothers) preparing meat

Nfamara cutting the meat (Sulyman, Nfamra's cousin helping)

Sulyman Sonko and Lamin

Nfamara's 'sparton' pose!

Nfamara being silly with the ram skin!

Meat for pre-luch munching

Me and some of the women at Sonko Kunda

Eee-be, Fatoumata, Aimee, Fatoumata and Surdase

Lucy with Fatoumta and Aimee

Nfamara and I in our 'ashobi'

Me and baby Asmao

Nfamara making 'lait'

Lucy and Suky in Nfamara's house at Sonko Kunda
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