Dundunba!

Yesterday (Wednesday) evening, we took a field trip to a neighborhood in Conakry for a dundunba, a traditional West African drumming and dancing festival. After a long taxi ride that took us past Conakry's major market, covering several square blocks and as crowded as Times Square on New Year's Eve, we pulled into a side street and heard the drums playing. We walked down the street to a dead end, and a large circle had been set up with chairs. We took a spot in the corner. Several drummers were up front playing djembes and dunduns, a larger bass drum played with a stick and usually accompanied by a cowbell-like instrument that is attached to the top. The drummers were very good, and included Sekou, one of our teachers, and Amara, our main teacher also drummed for awhile. The center of the circle was for dancing, and people went in individually and in groups and danced in traditional African style for brief periods, then returned to their seats. The dancing was incredible, very vibrant, and when groups were out there well synchronized. At one point a guy began doing cheerleader-like flips and gymnastic moves, which morphed into contortionist moves, moving his body in ways that seemed impossible. A couple of the drummers took turns choosing people to dance as well, and they selected people by handing them a handkerchief, and they then had to go out and dance in the center. From our group, they chose Olu first, and he went out and showed some of his moves. Abena was second, and she exhibited some of her very smooth dance style. Next was David Mason, who jumped around and got the crowd hooting in appreciation. The other members of our group, save yours truly, all got out and danced. I prefered to stay on the sideline and observe (like a good sociologist), and when they tried to coax me to the center I declined -- I have decided that African dance is not my strength. All the other members of our group did well and were appreciated by the crowd, which by the end was quite large, maybe 300 people. Lots of folks who were passing by stopped to watch for awhile. In the end, it seemed almost everyone was out there dancing at some point, and the inclusiveness says a lot about the warmth and sense of community in the Guinean culture.

Before we leave, we'll have our own dundunba, and hopefully will get as good a crowd as at this one. Apparently there are celebrations like this almost every day at some place in Conakry. Quite an interesting event to witness.