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Photo Samples, West Africa 1
Cape
Verde, Gambia, Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso
West Africa is the driest and, in many ways,
the most boring part of Africa. Dry and dusty and without the multitude of
animal wildlife you'll find in the east or south. However, the colour of the people easily compensates for
the lack of natural attractions, and nowhere on earth the rhythm and the voodoo are more
evident than West Africa. Personal favourites are Mali, Benin, Togo and (surprise)
Gambia, however, all over
the region there are great chances of experiencing "something strange".
Just stray away from the beaten track, and chances are that you'll get
yourself a colourful experience.
This section covers the region from Cape Verde, Gambia and
Senegal to the lanclocked Mali and Burkina Faso (former Upper Volta). For
photos of the southern countries of Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin and Togo, see
West Africa 2. All photos are, as usual © Claus Qvist
Jessen, and none of them are to be used without my written permission.
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Very West African Market scene, Praia, Cape Verde. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Kids playing around a baobab tree, Isla de Fogo, Cape Verde Islands. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Very local and very vegetarian
transport; Isla de Fogo, Cape Verde.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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A flying fish "shot" in the middle of an escape jump. Note the line, as the fish is actually hooked; Isla de Fogo, Cape Verde.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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A great catch off the coast of Isla de Fogo: A 20+ lbs
wahoo, caught on a deep-diving Rapala plug; Cape Verde.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Drums in any aspect is a integrated part of West African life and it's
never too early to start; here from Banjul, Gambia. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Doing the hair braids seems to take up the majority of West African
womens time; Banjul, Gambia. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Stacking the baguettes in Banjul, Gambia. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Curious girls on the street, Banjul, Gambia. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Local musician in action on a tourist hotel; Bakau Beach, Gambia.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Come paint my giraffe! A souvenir vendor at work at Bakau Beach, Gambia. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Girls in a fishing boat; Gambia River, Banjul, Gambia. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Fishing for small bait fish; Gambia River, Banjul, Gambia. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Fishermans shags along the Gambia River, Banjul, Gambia.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Master drummer in action, Bakau, Gambia. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| One of
the best and most underrated markets on earth is the
Serekonda Market, Gambia. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Scenes
from the Serekonda Market,
Gambia. Hardly any tourists ever venture inside the gates, a sad fact
showing how afraid Europeans sometimes are to face the "real world".
Black people just equals lack of safety despite the fact that Muslim
countries generally are very safe. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Local merchants at the
Serekonda Market, Gambia. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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At night, the Serekonda Market becomes even more colourful and vibrant
with food and coffee stalls popping up anywhere. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Local beauty at the Serekonda Market, Gambia. Despite being Muslim, the
dress code is quite un-Islamic. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Very
local bar in the inland village of Farafenni; central Gambia.
Farafenni is much more Senegal than Gambia, however, even during the
Ramadan, there is time to catch a drink in broad daylight.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Same local bar. The barkeeper shows one of the bar's three empty bottles.
The only booze is locally made, and you can chose between 1/4, 1/2 and
1/1 bottle - of course
tasting awfully.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Local
musician playing an ode to the Danish tourist. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Local artist admiring a genuine work by Danish tourist Claus Qvist
Jessen and contemplating how to fill out the vacancies with colours.
A couple of hours later, the cartoon was all colour.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Carrying
stuff to the market;
Farafenni, Gambia, less flambouant but still one of the most colourful
markets in the country.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Local girl; Farafenni,
Gambia.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| A fish
vendor and a farmer;
Farafenni Market, Gambia.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Colourful elderly women at the
Farafenni Market, Gambia.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Traditional grave at the beach of Saint Louis, northern Senegal,
very close to Mauritania. ©
Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Colourful pirogue boats in the harbour of
Mopti, Mali. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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The usual African past-time: Hair-braiding;
Mopti, Mali. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Another place closed for the infidels: the mud-built Mosque of Mopti,
Mali. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Sometimes, a mosque doesn't have to be big to be sacred.
This tiny one is from the harbour district in
Mopti, Mali, and as always the merhab is pointing towards Mecca. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Tiny river boat on the Niger River between Mopti and
Kabara, the harbour of Timbuktu (Mali). © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Floating merchants, Niger River, Mali. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Mud mosque; Timbucto (Tomboctou), central Mali. For centuries, Timbuctu
was the centre of flourishing empire, based upon trade across the
Sahara. Bypassed by European ships and trucks, Timbuctu is merely a
ghost town these days, though getting a bit of money from the tourists. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Sahara at the outskirts of Timbuctu,
Mali. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Tuareg woman in the Sahara a few miles away from Timbuctu,
Mali.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Danish tourist Pia quenching her thirst while the Tuareg
(Touareg) guide quenches that of the camel; Timbuctu,
Mali. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Largest mud building in the world: The Mosque of Djenné, Mali.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Unfortunately, after an Italian fashion photographer filled the mosque
with light-dressed models, non-Muslims are not allowed inside; Djenné,
Mali. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Failasse de Bandiagara, home of the famous animist tribes of
Pays Dogon; central Mali. For
centuries, the escarpment has been the refuge against the Muslims from
the north and the . © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Baobab tree from the bottom of the valley. In the background is La
Failasse de Bandiagara; Pays Dogon,
central Mali. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Ruined mud buildings;
Pays Dogon, central Mali. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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More ruined mud buildings; western
Pays Dogon, central Mali.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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The traditional houses of
Pays Dogon, central Mali. The living quarters are made of rocks, while
the square, thatched huts are grain storage - one for each wife! © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Being the spiritual leader of the whole region, this medicine man is not
allowed to leave his hill-side cave. He is fed by donations, and every
night a cobra comes and licks him clean - or so the story goes;
Pays Dogon, central Mali. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Grinding the millet;
Pays Dogon, central Mali. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Local butchers at the market;
Pays Dogon, central Mali. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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The extremely colourful local markets are held according to a five-day
week; Pays Dogon, central Mali. Be certain to be there - if you can.
This one is from the village of Songi. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Village market outside Banfora, south-western Burkina Faso (Upper Volta)Togo. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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"So, what's up??" Proud mama from a village outside Banfora,
south-western Burkina Faso (Upper Volta)Togo. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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The holy catfish of Dafra, south-western Burkina Faso (Upper Volta)Togo,
close to Banfora. The fish are about 10 kgs each, but fishing is
strictly prohibited as the fish are regarded as sacred and even fed
every day. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Sorting the grain; north-eastern Burkina Faso (Upper Volta).
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Crowded jeep between Dori and Gorom-Gorom, north-eastern Burkina Faso
(Upper Volta). Apart from the present passengers, another ten (including
me) jumped off to take a pee.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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The simple and orderly inside of a nomade tent; Dori, north-eastern Burkina Faso (Upper
Volta).
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Sunset girl; Dori, north-eastern Burkina Faso (Upper Volta).
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Happy gold miners from the mining town of Essakane; north-eastern Burkina Faso (Upper
Volta). Taking photographs inside the open mines is a stict offense, so
you'll have to do with the outside.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Local
prospectors digging for
gold outside the government fencing; north-eastern Burkina Faso (Upper
Volta).
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Local boy with his home-made toy; Essakane, north-eastern Burkina Faso (Upper Volta)Togo.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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One of the most colourful markets on the planet must be
the Thursday market of Gorom-Gorom,
north-eastern Burkina Faso (Upper Volta).
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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camel at the Thursday market of Gorom-Gorom,
north-eastern Burkina Faso (Upper Volta). The colour of the market is
greatly enhanced by all the different tribes, including the Fulani, such
as the gentleman behind the camel. The Fulani are Muslim and have a
tradition of dealing with livestock.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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