Celebrations

The mothers gather together in the school grounds to celebrate our arrival.

Can you spot how the music is made?

This was called 'The Fools' Dance' and the women dressed up in very odd clothes.
Look closely at the shoes!

Everyone joined in with the clapping and singing.

Usually just one or two people come into the ring at a time and dance madly for a few seconds then return to the circle around the edge

Everyone leans forward and stick out their bottom as much a possible. Girls might even push a cushion up their skirt!

Boys love to dance just as much. Everyone is very energetic!
These are at the school in Janjanbureh.

This is the kankurang man. He can still be an important part of ceremonies for boys' initiation into manhood. Traditionally he is dressed in red leaves, the red bark of the camel-foot tree.

He would round up the boys and take them out into the bush for weeks and teach them how to act like men. Once they returned to their village they would take on the roles of adult men.

The young man is cutting himself with a sharp knife but because of the jujus (charms) he is wearing, it will not cut him. It is a traditional belief for the Jola tribe.

In 2006 the griot came to the school. He told the history of the village and its families through song. It was strange to hear the names of the British teachers in his songs!

The kora player accompanied his songs. The kora is made from a large dried calabash, hard wood and cow skin

One of the teachers tried to play the kora. She rested her thumbs on the wooded sticks by the strings and tried to play some of the 21 strings.

The griot wore wonderfully embroidered clothing.

Can you see how the skin is attached to the gourd?

The singer accompanied the griot and played a small metal bar instrument sounding like a triangle