Written on February 14th, 2010
Lately here I've been going to a lot of naming ceremonies (ngente). A week after a baby is born here the family has a huge celebration--inviting the entire village and extended family--to eat a lot of food and celebrate the babies birth. The baby goes through a ceremony where the head is shaved, prayers are said and the babies name is announce. Ngente can be a fun experience but it can also be exhausting. There's a lot of waiting around for things to happen, being force fed and more waiting around as people chatter at me in Wolof, half of which I understand and half of which goes right over my head. Ngente is really interesting however for what it reveals about Gambian "host" culture. From what I've observed in my short time here it is in many ways considered the ultimate in politeness to give your honored guests extreme privacy. For example yesterday my Peace Corps Wolof teacher Gibril had an ngente, he invited all of his students to come. His village is only about 15 kilometers from mine so it was really easy for me to get there but some of the other people in my group came from 2 or 3 hours away. In America if I had a guest come from that far away I would be eager to have them involved and in the middle of the party. Gibril however brought us to the ceremony, quickly showed us the baby and then whisked us away to a compound half way across the vilage where we drank attaya, had lunch and "relaxed" for five hours. By six we were sick of sitting around so we took it upon ourselves to head back to the ngente much to the dismay of the creepy guy "minding" us wo wanted us to wait, wait, wait for Gibril to come for us and while were at it drink more attaya. This isn't the only time that I've been "segregated" as a way to show me respect and sensitivity. Recently I went to my toma (a fellow Ramatoulie's) house to help her cook lunch and when it was time to eat she made me take my personal food bowl inside to her rooom to eat while everyone else sat outside--needless to say it is definitly a cultural element I am getting used to. These situations more than anything also make me wonder if Gambians wouldn't see Americans as bad hosts?
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Ramatoulie-
ReplyDeleteI have been reading through ur blog and loving every bit of it! My boyfriend (of 5 years) is gambian and I went once last year for only a month (we plan to go again this year too). I am relating a lot to most all of your stories! This one in particular!! I felt so alone eating by myself at times although my bf said it was a respect thing and to understand they think it is being very kind.... I understand it but it makes you think, how funny is it that when you are eating it is important for them to let you eat alone yet when we are "sick" (our stomach's running) they must be by your side at every min, my bf's mom slept in bed with me when I was sick. The differences are funny when you look back at it later! Well I cant wait to continue reading!
Ashley (gundu jabbi)