Koriteh

“Bakary,” the muted, unassuming tones of Mulai echo through the evening gloom as his tall willowy silhouette appears at the mosquito netted door. Hands reticently behinds his back his smile lights the room. “This is for you.” A deep maroon outfit, delicate golden embroidery adorning the openings and fastenings. “This is for tomorrow.” Koriteh, the end of Ramadan and fasting – celebrations.


We awake this morning, expectation in the air, children shrieking, sounds from the mosque reverberating and thunder rolling, suggesting an imminent shower of heavy proportions. Hot and sticky, the temperature will soon fall as the rain drops splatter and splosh onto the already soaked land. Nothing diminishes the excitement as the inevitable sweeping and cleaning takes place with calls from compound to compound planning outings and new arrangements for prayer with the incoming storm.


We wait, a regular Gambian pastime, dressed in our finery until called for. We wait some more and some more. Eventually a call from a golden outfitted Mulai and we are off to mooch through muddy puddles along the streets of Janjanbureh. Extensive greetings, saluting all and sundry we are summoned to see our favourite cluster moniter and graceful headteacher wife. Their children bow and curtsy.


Moving on, we turn into a compound of terraced houses, typical in the area. It belongs to the counselor, his one wife and two children. Concrete brick built, two small rooms with small windows, dark and cooler inside. The lino covered floor, the settee and, somewhat unusually, a television playing Senagalise music. We sit, chat and are made welcome. Wonjo, a purple juice made from local leaves and oodles of sugar is served in recycled bottles. Mulai gives Bubu, the small boy mountaineering his fathers’ legs a red five dalasi note which he secretes in his underpants in lieu of a pocket amid much laughter. Time for more handshaking and we move on.


Children run in the street, chattering and asking for ‘salibo’, charity given at Koriteh. Pink sequins glitters as they twirl, jig and writhe to the music from the local bar. Worth a lollipop to be sure.