Marriage and Family

While the practice of arranged marriages has been rapidly diminishing in urban areas, it is still common among rural families. Men and women share family responsibilities, but women are responsible for household chores while men provide the family income. Although polygamy is still practiced, especially in rural areas, it is not common.

The extended family is still central to Gambian society and is the source of individual strength, pride, recognition, and social standing. Gambian families tend to be large and three generations may live together in one household. The father is normally head of the family, and most Gambians refer to one another by their family title of brother, sister, aunt, grandfather, and so forth. It is common to call more than one person father or mother, and there are various kinds of “relatives,” including friends and colleagues who have no blood relationship. Although younger women often work outside the home, most older women do not.

Eating

For breakfast, bread with butter or jam and hot tea are popular in urban areas. People might also eat Ruy (pap), Chura (porridge), or Accara (fried bean flower), all of which are sold by street vendors as well as prepared at home. Rice is the main staple, and most Gambians eat rice and stew for lunch. The stew, which always includes spices and vegetables (eggplant, cabbage, cassava, and often okra), may have a fish, chicken, beef, or groundnut-butter base. Other popular lunch dishes include Benachin (jollof rice), Superkanja (okra soup), and Domoda (groundnut-butter stew). Dinner may be leftover rice from lunch, Chereh (a form of millet couscous), fried fish, beef sauce with bread, or salad with potatoes, and chicken or beef. Gambians eat more fish than beef, but couscous with a special beef sauce is popular for certain festivals. Pork is sold in some urban markets, but Muslims are forbidden to eat it.

Most Gambians eat three meals a day. Breakfast is usually between 7 and 9 am, lunch between 1 and 3 pm, and dinner between 7 and 9 pm. Many wage earners, however, do not have lunch until after 4 pm, when government offices close. Eating patterns are different in farming communities, where lunch is the most important and largest meal of the day. Most Gambians sit on a floor mat to eat; older adults may sit on a low stool or bench. Although some urban Gambians eat with utensils, most prefer to eat with their hands from communal bowls. The left hand steadies the bowl while the right is used to eat. Conversation is limited. Food does not have to be finished. It is impolite for children to reach for meat in a bowl; they must wait to be given a portion. Children also look down while eating and do not engage in conversation with their elders. Leftovers are divided equally among the children. Since eating and drinking at the same time is not acceptable, drinks are usually served after a meal. Water is usually served before soft drinks. Burping after a meal is not rude; it is a positive comment on the food. It is often followed by a word of thanks to the cook or to Allah for providing the meal.

While eating on the streets is rare among adults, people might eat groundnuts or oranges sold at street stands. Children may eat on the street and adults may chew kola nuts or bitter kola. Kola nuts are round and have a caffeine effect; bitter kola nuts are elongated and taste bitter, but are not a stimulant.

Socializing

Greetings play an important role in both social and business meetings, and are usually initiated by the younger person. A handshake is followed by the phrase Salama lay kum (“May peace be upon you”), to which the response is Ma lay kumma salam (“May it be upon you, too”). When greeting older people, one may start by saying their first name once and their last name several times. Greetings may last a minute or two and include inquiries about the individuals and their families. When a girl greets an older person, she may shake hands, but she may also curtsy (dip her knees toward the ground) to show respect; in the past she would actually kneel. Boys do not kneel or curtsy when they greet their elders. Direct eye contact with older people is considered disrespectful.

A person of the same age group as one’s parents is greeted as “Mother,” “Aunt,” “Father,” or “Uncle,” regardless of their relationship with the greeter; these titles are combined with the first names (for example, Aunt Marie). This greeting is especially common in and near Banjul, Serrekunda, and other cities. In some other towns, especially in the east, the Mandinka greeting Summo lay (“How are people at your house?”) is common. The customary response is Ibbi jay (“They are fine”; “They are there”). The Wolof also use Na ka nga def (“How are you?”) and respond Ma ngi fi rek (“I am all right”; “I am here”).

Visiting is one of the ways Gambians maintain strong bonds with friends and relatives, whom they usually call on without prior notice. Tradition dictates that guests must always be made welcome and never turned away. Even when about to leave home, a person will stop for a conversation with an arriving visitor. The most common time for visiting is in the late afternoon or evening, when the sun is mild and there is enough shade to be outside. Visitors who call at mealtimes are expected to at least taste the food.

Although visitors are not expected to bring a gift for their hosts, it is not unusual for people to bring a mango or some other fruits from their own tree, if they have one. Similarly, visitors from other towns will normally bring a gift of anything from vegetables to a chicken. In some cases, when a guest leaves, the host may offer a gift in the form of a taxi fare.

Recreation

Visiting and socializing are the main recreational activities, and festivals or ceremonies such as weddings, burials, and naming ceremonies play an important role in Gambian life. The country has beautiful beaches, but the only Gambians who use them much are hawkers trying to sell goods to tourists, and young men who play beach soccer or go swimming. Soccer is the most popular sport, but Gambians also wrestle, run track, and play tennis, basketball, and cricket. Family outings are not common. Playing cards or checkers is popular.

Holidays and Celebrations

The Gambia’s official public holidays include New Year’s Day (1 January), Independence Day (18 February), Easter (including Good Friday), Labor Day (1 May), and Christmas Day (25 December). Most holidays, except Labor Day, are celebrated with festivals, which include ethnic dances, house parties, social dances, and local wrestling competitions. Muslim holy days that also have official recognition include Id-el-Fitre (Koriteh in Wolof; a three-day feast at the end of Ramadan), Id-el-Kabir (Tobaski in Wolof; Feast of the Sacrifice, held in conjunction with the summer pilgrimage to Mecca [Makkah]), and Maulud-el-Nabi (Gammo in Wolof; Muhammad’s birthday). Muslim festivals fall on different days each year because they are set by the lunar calendar.

Source: Encarta Interactive World Atlas

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