Gambian festival revitalises tradition of initiatory rite

FRANCE 24 English

Visit our website: http://www.france24.com  Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English  Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/France24_en

Transcript

00:00 His body covered in leaves and tree bark, he marches to the frenzied beats of drums and whistles,

00:07 threatening those who get too close with a swing of his machete.

00:11 A mythical character in Mandinka culture, the Kankurang is believed to appear once a year to ward off evil spirits.

00:20 The Kankurang is not human. It has this mystical power. It protects the people. It protects evil and ward off evil.

00:27 So it's so sacred and so respected that women are not even allowed traditionally to be close to it.

00:33 Since 2018, the city of Janjanbure in The Gambia has been hosting a yearly festival dedicated to this mystical figure,

00:42 a way to uphold cultural traditions that are increasingly threatened by westernization.

00:48 As the night falls on the town, the ceremony takes a hypnotic turn.

00:53 Their bodies swinging and shaking, entranced Kankurangs perform a traditional dance,

00:59 an unsettling yet riveting spectacle that fully captures the audience's attention.

01:05 It's amazing, it is unifying and it's cultural.

01:10 And this is something that belongs to The Gambia and Senegal, so it's important that we hold this every year.

01:17 A West African ethnic group, the Mandinka founded some of the continent's greatest civilizations, including the Malian Empire.

01:25 Now scattered across Africa, mostly in Senegal and The Gambia, they're fighting to keep their traditions alive.

01:33 (beeping)

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended