Back in 2007 I spent a wonderful day at a Jola’s initiation festival in The Gambia, West Africa. While taking a break from the hustle and bustle of the festivities, sitting on a rug under the shade of a tree with friends, one of the girls asked if she could plait my hair. Much to her frustration my hair would not do as it was told and refused to stay plaited! We had a great time chatting and laughing while she persisted but to no avail. She was a bright, cheerful little girl but this week’s travel snap shows a different side to her – a proud young daughter of the Jola tribe.

More about the day and a few more photos can be found in a previous post ‘Singing, dancing and some very loud bangs’.

Last summer I discovered the Weed and Wild Flower Festival in a little village in the Sussex countryside. A wonderful fantasy woodland had been recreated inside Bignor’s ancient church. I can’t imagine how long it took to build (or clear up!) but the effect was stunning.

When I first got there the church was packed but later in the day I went back and managed to get a few photos with it fairly clear. There was plenty going on outside the church all weekend including craft and local produce stalls, guided walks, a medieval village and a woodmen’s display area demonstrating traditional crafts. Typically English cream teas (a cup of tea plus a scone with cream and strawberry jam),  lamb roast and Ballards beer could all be enjoyed sitting on the lawn of the vicarage next door while listening to classical and folk music groups. The vicar even did some poetry reading. The highlight of the weekend on Saturday evening saw jugglers, fire-dancers and a host of other entertainers brighten up the churchyard.

This week’s travel snap… a lovely English village fete with a twist!

The Gambia is known as the smiling coast of Africa for good reason and I love the smiles of this brother and sister playing around together at a Jola Festival where the brother was initiated.

You can read about the fabulous day I had and see more photos on my post Singing, dancing and some very loud bangs!

Previous Kat’s Travel Snaps

Once a year, about 70 days after the end of Ramadan, virtually the whole of The Gambia holds a barbecue!

This is the festival of Tobaski (also known as Tabaski or Eid Al Adha) when Muslim families ritually kill a ram in commemoration of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his only son to God, who at the last minute exchanges Abraham’s son for a ram. It coincides with the end of the annual Hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca, one of the pillars of Islam and very much encompasses another one of the pillars, the giving of alms. It is a great time to visit The Gambia as the excitement is contagious. On the morning of Tobaski when I was there a few years ago I remember there being a noticeable buzz in the air around my hotel (and I had three marriage proposals from the waiters before I’d even finished breakfast – which is a record even for The Gambia!)

The lead up to Tobaski can be a stressful time for some, as the cost of a sheep can typically be twice a manual worker’s monthly salary. The cost raises steeply as Tobaski approaches. Everyone is expected to wear their finest clothes, preferably new. All compounds (family homes) are thoroughly “spring” cleaned.

Even during breakfast at our hotel, there is an air of excitement. Many hotel staff wear their finest clothes - the ladies in beautifully embroidered dresses.

Every married man or head of the household is expected to buy a sheep (ideally a ram) or other suitable animal such as a cow, goat or even chicken if that’s all they can afford.

Tobaski is a public holiday and one of the major holidays celebrated by Muslims around the world. After open air prayers at the local mosque, families return home, kill their sheep and divide it into three portions, one to be kept aside for the family, one to be given to relatives and friends and one to be given to the needy. Indeed, the idea of sharing is the essence of the feast, bringing unity and harmony among family and neighbours and it is a day to forgive past wrongs.

It is also the custom to offer food to anyone passing by and it would be disrespectful not to eat something, even if only a few mouthfuls. However, it would also be disrespectful to finish all the food as this implies that the host has not prepared enough food.

As the festival approaches everyone starts collecting coins as after the feast excited children visit all their neighbours asking for Salibo (gifts). If you pass down the Kairaba Avenue at this time you’ll find it jam-packed with crowds of children around the ice-cream and cake sellers spending the “gifts” they have collected.

Waitresses join in the dancing to a local band.

In the evening children are allowed to stay up late, while the adults sing, dance and chat while drinking numerous brews of ataya (green tea) and the celebrations can go on for a few days.

..and so may I wish a ‘Happy Tobaski’ to all my Muslim friends and to all Muslims around the world.

To see more photos of The Gambia visit Travel with Kat on Flickr

For information on holidays from the UK visit The Gambia Experience

Locals and tourists alike looked on in horror as Halloween arrived early to the normally easy-going and friendly seaside resort town of Brighton on the south coast of England this afternoon!

Thousands of zombies appeared from nowhere, to the dismay of many a bemused onlooker, and congregated in Victoria Gardens by the famous Brighton Royal Pavilion. Driving through the town’s shopping centre became a daunting prospect as the zombie parade wound its way through the town to the seafront.

While zombies protested for equal rights, a small group of brave (or should that be foolhardy) living protesters and reformed zombies defiantly stood firm, in front of Brighton’s pleasure pier, pleading with the undead to take-up their offer of a 12 step rehabilitation programme.
“A brain is for life, not just for breakfast!”

More, seriously gruesome, photos on facebook. You have been warned!

Beach of the Dead 2010

As co-founder of Nyodema I’m heavily involved with organising its annual festival held this year on Saturday 20th August in a lovely pub by the sea at Bognor Regis, West Sussex. I particular enjoy booking the artists and arranging the running order, however this is never with out it’s up and downs…

…so-and-so can only be there until such-and-such a time and thingyme can’t get there until after so-and-so o’clock but their display has to come before their workshop…

…on the day two artists get lost and one is going to be an hour late (oh heck! a quick re-jig of the line-up is needed).

It can get a bit tricky ensuring that the music ebbs and flows to create a vibrant day (without any long gaps between acts), ending in a crescendo of amazing music with everyone on their feet dancing and when the last act has played their final encore leaving the audience wanting just that little bit more.

Well that was the plan.. and thanks to everyone who played, sang, danced, sold raffle tickets, etc… this year’s festival went to plan (well, pretty much).

Slim Lightfoot's National guitar

It was,  in fact,  a really wonderful day starting on the verandah with rock n roll from Slim Jim and the Wildcards against a back drop of blue skies and the glistening sea. A variety of musical genres followed including Slim Lightfoot’s delta blues, an unplanned but very welcome guest appearance by two Gambian drummers, the beautiful voice of Daisy Mouatt, the outstanding medieval/Spanish guitar from Claude Bourbon,  the West African rhythms of the Nyodema Drummers and songs from around the world including traditional gospel from the Nyodema World Community Choir.  Morgana Villen Castro performed a stunning fusion of flamenco and belly dancing as well as holding a popular workshop. The children’s percussion workshop led by Chris Diallo from Hands on Skin brought out some fabulous young talent.

“Nyodema’s choir and drumming group are going from strength to strength. The weekly workshops held here in Bognor have proved a great success and both groups thoroughly enjoyed performing to such a receptive audience.” Said Geraldine Allchurch, the choir’s director.

The evening’s entertainment in the function room had everyone up and dancing. “What a great vibe – the whole day – then capped with Rattlin’ Bone’s feel from ‘The Big Easy’ ending perfectly with reggae from Planetman and the Internationalz!“ to quote Stewart Nicol, our fabulous compere for the day.

The raffle, stalls, workshops and donations collected throughout the day raised over £1,000. These funds will be used to provide children with insecticide treated mosquito nets and to continue developing the school in Dairuharu that Nyodema has built in one of Africa’s poorest countries.

“Nyodema would like to thank The Waverley and their staff, the ROX charity for the loan of equipment, all the artists, volunteers and sponsors including The Gambia Experience and everyone who contributed to making this a really wonderful day.” Nyodema treasurer, Shelagh Hamilton

And I’d like to add my personal thanks to everyone who made this such a special day. Thanks too for all the lovely comments on Facebook….”A great day of diverse and inspiring music – Thank You!” Seeing how much pleasure people get out of the day and, with the money raised, being able to continue with our work with schools in The Gambia, really does make all the hard work worth it. THANK YOU!

Now…  how can we make next year’s festival even better?

For more information please visit Nyodema‘s website. For photographs visit Nyodema on Flickr.

Wow! I just had the most amazing weekend in Valenza,  Italy – 2 days of workshops with the London Community Gospel Choir culminating in a concert on Sunday night. It was a real privilege to be a part of this wonderful weekend.

Friday evening was club night and we all headed off to Alessandria to party, the highlight of which was V9 Collective and Annette Bowen singing into the early hours.

The next morning we were all up early, despite the late night, eager to start the workshops. Bazil Meade and his team from LCGC, Waleed, Annette and Christina, were outstanding, teaching a choir formed just for the weekend. This comprised of our hosts, The Joy Singers Choir, and their guests from a number of other Italian gospel choirs plus a handful of overseas guests including myself and Gel from Nyodema’s World Community Choir from England.

Listen to Bazil Meade and LCGC singing one of Bazil’s compositions before teaching it to the workshop group….  ‘Where do I go?’

We learnt a number of inspiring songs, all in three parts as is the tradition with gospel music. Waleed conducted the men, Annette the altos and Christina the sopranos, all overseen by Bazil at the piano. It was wonderful to watch how the LCGC tutors lead and inspired the singers, with such energy and passion that, in no time at all, the singing was sounding amazing. It was fascinating to see how good conductors can lead a choir singing gospel in a free format, where it is not predetermined how many times each part should be repeated, by using visual and oral cues to signify which part of the song should be repeated next and how it should be sung. Each member of the choir had to pay keen attention to the conductor. They worked us hard but it was immensely enjoyable throughout.

Listen to the choir workshop group rehearsing…    “I Feel the Spirit”

Meanwhile other tutors from LCGC were working with another group new to singing gospel and I’m sure they were having as much fun as we were.

By Sunday evening we were ready for the concert held in a beautiful theatre in Valenza. I couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear as we clapped, swayed and sang our hearts out. What a joy! And once our section of the evening had finished we returned to our seats and watched LCGC do what they do best – sing the house down!

Stephanie, Annette, Waleed, Christina and Andrea from the London Community Gospel Choir, Gospel@Valenza 2011