remote gambia

My time in Jali, the remote village in The Gambia, was very short, but I did manage to participate with a celebration of some sort. A lot of boys had just been circumcised and the women celebrated this fact with music and dancing. It was quite interesting as some of the women dressed up like men, and acted in a real macho and arrogant way! What fun I had, dancing with the men/women!!
Until the local translator told me that in two weeks time it would be the girls circumcision!
He said that a lot of Europeans had problems with this, but he said, it is just the same as the boys!!
I sugested that it was NOT, unless they cut of the testicles of the boys! Then it could be similar! He advised me strongly NOT to mention this, as people would just kill me!
It was hard to keep my mouth shut, as all the people who know me are aware off, but I managed. It was interesting to see that the local women seem to have no problem with any of this and see this as a white person;s problem!
The circumcision practise is outlawed by the government, but in the remote parts of the country nobody takes any notice at all!
Overall it was a wonderful opportunity to experience life in a remote village! It was definitely one of the highlights of the trip.