I think I’ve mentioned that naming ceremonies (kulios) are a pretty big deal here. A kulio is basically like a Muslim christening or bris/t, followed by a huge party, often with most of the village in attendance. They are supposed to be soon after the baby is born, but they are expensive affairs, so sometimes they are delayed until the family can pull together enough money (in that case, the baby is given a unofficial name for the interim). If the family can’t afford a kulio, there are also smaller versions of naming ceremonies they can do instead, but if at all possible, the family will try to do a kulio. This particular baby was our host aunt and uncle’s first child first son and the compound had been actively planning for the kulio for at least a month.
While there is a brief element of praying for the baby’s future and officially giving the baby its name, like pretty much every other community event, the main focus of a kulio is on exchanging money and gifts, wearing fancy clothes and matching outfits, eating a lot of good food, and dancing. Here are some pictures from the kulio:
The rainbow of women greeting the new mother, Jeneba
Jeneba in her finest, surrounded by family and friends
Jeneba with her escorts, Alima and Fatoumata
Umie with Muddy Jamfata (literally Tall Muddy)
Hawa with Muddy, who, of course, was completely oblivious to the fact that he was the reason for all this fuss!
Me and Jacob in our asobis
Me and Jacob with Lucy and Ellie, two VSO volunteers (the British equivalent of Peace Corps) living nearby who came for the kulio
They had hired a camera guy for the kulio and he brought a flood light, so I was able to get some really cool pictures of the women dancing
More dancing
And more
Me with Sonka and Umie
Me with Ramo and Ida
Me, Fatou, and some other girl I don’t know
Jonyi with her friend whose name I can never remember
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