Fragment memories...:

A three-week stay in Gambia

by Rupa Wijesinghe

Of all my trips abroad, the most memorable and unforgettable one is my three week stay in The Gambia, a small West African country, its dominant feature being the River Gambia, which winds gently across the entire length of the country, and from which it derives its name. It is bounded to the West by the Atlantic Ocean, and on all other sides by Senegal. A sub-tropical climate, fascinating culture, magnificent beaches and some of the friendliest people, added to make my holiday a great one.

In under six hours from London, I was at the Banjul International Airport. Banjul is the Capital. My son was at the Airport to receive me. We drove to Fajara where he was staying.

Fajara is home to affluent expatriates, a highly residential district, with broad roads and elegant houses, partially hidden by high walls. The gardens well laid out, have fruit trees laden with out-sized avocados, mangos, oranges, papaw and lime.

My first outing was to the famous "Wood Carvers Market" in Brikama, the Gambia's third largest town. Jobathey the gardener, who knows much about the area, and Samba the driver, accompanied us. We saw how the craftsmen cut up the timber, seated on low benches, chiselling deftly, turning out carvings of abstract forms, masks and statues made to traditional ritual designs. At the Serrekunda craft shop which I went to later, there were antique carvings.

Variety of items

The shopping centres, including tourist shops have a variety of items for sale, unique and elegant. Souvenirs, Gambian jewellery made of beads and cowrie shells, baskets, trunks, lamp-shades, fruit bowls made of reeds, are really eye-catching. Cottons printed with brightly coloured African designs known as 'wax', fabulous creations of Batiks, imported laces, are so well displayed, that you cannot leave the place, without buying some Gambian tailors sit at their foot machines, pedalling swiftly, turning out fashionable clothes to any pattern, with material bought from the shops nearby. The tailors are mostly males.

My son wanted to make the best of my short holiday, and I was taken to so many places of interest. My husband who had been here earlier, spoke much about the beaches and luxury hotels. In fact, the beaches are superb. The Sanyang beach is so beautiful that it is called the "Paradise Beach." At the Brufut beach we saw fisherman mending their nets.

The Gunjur, Kartong, Tujering beaches are as lovely. The Tanji Beach is an active sea front. We were there one evening. The boats brightly painted in traditional designs, strung with flags, sail out with the tide and come back with the tide, hauled in and out of the water on logs. It was such a colourful sight, with the sun setting, to see white birds flying overhead, as the boats come in, and the women dressed in bright colours, sorting out the previous catch, into baskets.

The frequent catch in the evenings is a span length fish, yellowish white, called Bonga. It is preserved by smoking over smouldering wood, neatly laid out in rows, in smoke-houses.

We visited the sacred Crocodile pools at Katchi Kali, Berendig and Follonko, places for pilgrimage to Gambians. We saw Charlie the Crocodile, the most approachable reptile in The Gambia, who seems unperturbed by visitors. We even patted him. The trip to James Island which had once been a trading station for slaves, was exciting. We crossed the River Gambia by ferry from Banjul to Barra, and from Barva to Albreda, and took a boat to James Island. Out from the boat, we had to cross a wooden bridge open on both sides.

It was a thrilling experience. A guide showed us the various chambers where slaves were bartered, kept, tortured and the place where they were shipped to other countries. It is one of the Gambia's cherished cultural heritage sites.

At the National Museum in Juffurch which has a permanent "Exhibition of the Slave Trade, we saw an iron neck brace with a big lock and heavy chain displayed on a life size cut-out of an African slave, to show how painfully it must have dug into the wearer's neck.

The Gambians speak English as well as other West-African languages. Greetings play a crucial part in everyday social interaction and no conversation starts without at least, a basic one. So I learnt a few that made my encounters with the locals rewarding. I was sad to leave. I could not have hoped for a more relaxing, yet rewarding experience.

The workers in my son's bungalow were good and humble. The cook took a delight in making tasty Gambian dishes for me.

They are comparatively poor, but believe in sharing and caring. I had a sympathetic attachment towards them. With a heavy heart, I bade farewell - Fo Waati Koteng, meaning Goodbye, taught to me by Mariam, the girl next door, who learnt a few English phrases from me.

They smiled, their white teeth conspicuous against their dark skin.

As the car turned out of the gate, I looked back and waved. I heard them say aloud - Fo Niyaato , which means, "See you soon."