| Sandra's guide pages |
| The Gambia |
| Crafts: batik and tie-dye are the most popular ones I can think of. Instructions for these can be found in various places on the web, including my craft pages right here for batik! Wood carving and embroidery are also common. Language: the official language is English and most people, particularly the young, speak it since it is used in schools as well as law courts and the Administration. However, tribal languages are spoken at home. The most common are Wolof and Mandinka. Most Gambians speak at least 2 of the tribal languages. Food: common vegetables are cassava and okra. Fruit available locally includes mango, banana, grapefruit and oranges (which are green!). The fishing industry is very active, so a lot of fish is eaten. Groundnuts (peanuts) are the biggest export - everything is cooked in groundnut oil. Some of the common dishes are benachin or Jollof rice (spicy meat and rice cooked with tomato puree and vegetables), chere (steamed millet flour balls), domodah (any type of meat or chicken in a groundnut sauce) and plasas (meat and smoked fish in palm oil with green vegetables). Pork is rare as most of the population is muslim. Eating: Food is eaten by families all sat round a large bowl. The bowl is generally about 12 inches (30cm) across, and everyone helps themself from it. The sauce will hold the meat and rice together. You use your right hand to squeeze a lump together, and eat it straight from the bowl! Drinks: The Gambia has its own brewery which makes beer and soft drinks. The most common "fruit juice" is actually made from Hibiscus flowers. The Gambians also drink green tea (African tea) - made using leaves and lots of sugar, served in small glasses. It is a traditional drink & visitors are often offered tea as a gesture of welcome. Music and dance: traditional instruments include the kora (made from a hollowed-out gourd and wood, with up to 40 strings), the balafon (a wooden xylophone), several types of flute and of course African drums which can be heard on all sorts of occasions. Dancing is also popular, and takes place at any celebration. The whole village stands round stamping their feet to the drum beat and people will take turns to step forward and show off what they can do. The women do a dance where their head and upper body is leant forward and almost static while their legs and arms move amazingly fast. Many men, especially of the Foula tribe, show off their incredible acrobatics – somersaults, and moves similar to break-dancing. Stilt walking is also popular but reserved for bigger festivals. Games & sports: football (soccer) is very popular. The national sport is African wrestling. The winner is the first man to topple his opponent to the floor. There are very strict rules on body contact. |