Mandinka – PHOTOS TELL STORIES – documentary | filmmaking | photography | people

The Kankurang Traditional Masquerade, The Gambia, West Africa

The Faara Kankurang, a tradition masquerade holding machetes, stands on the porch of a hut whilst a small child looks at him, and a woman cooks food over an open fire. The Gambia, West Africa. Image ©Jason Florio

The Kankurang traditional masquerade, The Gambia, West Africa. It is not uncommon here in The Gambia to see young Kankurangs boldly striding along in the middle of the road, surrounded by a gang of former initiates (almost protectors-like). As you approach, the Kankurang stands stock still so that you have little choice other than to stop your car.

Rate this:

PRESS: The families migrants leave behind – IRIN

Whilst on the MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) Phoenix, documenting the migrant and refugee boat rescues in the Mediterranean, off the Libyan coast, a couple of months ago, Florio, met a young man, Lamin, from The Gambia, West Africa; a country which we had, at that point, been living in full time for overContinue reading “PRESS: The families migrants leave behind – IRIN”

Rate this:

Recycling plastic: The Kankurang masquerade – ‘Coming of Age’ ceremony, The Gambia. Image © Jason Florio

To read more about the machete wielding Kankurang, and why this particular Mandinka masquerade was on the beach – made from recycled plastic rice sacks – in The Gambia, West Africa, please see previous post.

Rate this:

When in The Gambia, West Africa…celebrate with 49 Haikus for each year of Independence

Haikus for Gambia is the brain-child of Ibé Kaba – after discovering his Mandingo roots, this is his unique way of celebrating 49 years of independence in The Gambia. Ibé contacted us a few weeks ago to see if we would mind him using some of Jason Florio’s images to accompany the haikus. We areContinue reading “When in The Gambia, West Africa…celebrate with 49 Haikus for each year of Independence”