My Friends Silver Shop In Gambia

My friend Idrissa's work in Africa:







It's well-known that in West Africa they have high unemployment. Certainly there are a wide range of opinions as to why this is. The most condemning side of the spectrum would claim that West Africans are lazy, while an opposite side of the spectrum would claim it is a result of oppression and subjugation that was exacted during the Colonial Period.

Myself, I am still researching this subject. I can only point out a few observations I made on my own. I notice that the culture there is much more free in the spirit than what we have in the West. Many people there prefer to own their own businesses, from millionaire property and real-estate owners with College Degree's from the West, to small-time street vendors selling watermelon and kola nuts; African's are very Libertarian in spirit. They prefer to work for themselves and not others, and that certainly fits the culture there.

So in saying this, I think it would be harder to implement large scale factory work in this region of Africa, such as you would see in Asia. Where you have a business owner employing thousands in hard labor while they receive very small compensation for their work.Also it wouldn't be likely to see gigantic franchises in the region such as a Wall-Mart or a McDonalds; because the people prefer smaller, mom and pop shops and ownership to mass employers such as Wall-Mart.

Hard and sometimes dangerous work does take place in this region. For example in the neighboring country of Sierra Leonne people risk their safety and health diving for diamonds, and dig extensively in the heat in hopes of finding a diamond, but even many of these people, work for themselves.

So I think there is more of a free-flow to the culture. Where they are sometimes socialistic in their politics yet in their individual economic and social lives very Libertarian. It is quite a unique balance.






...As for my friend, once again; some could call him lazy. There is a very negative stereotype that is associated with people such as my friends by their detractors. They dub them as "Bumsters" and even the ruler of Gambia Yaya Jammeh gets made fun of and called "The Bumster King" by his detractors. Because my friend is viewed as a population of youth who sit idle at the beach all day long, lazy, socializing in the sun, drinking tea, and hustling tourists from day to day. They are accused of damaging the moral fabric of society and of not contributing positively as "citizens" of the country. They are associated rightly or wrongly with peddling marijuana and accused of living off Western women much older than them.

But from another perspective it is also these people that provide much to the culture of these regions. Growing up poor and having to independently seek their income, they have had to be much more creative to make it in the society. Their creativity and ambition has provided much to the social fibric of society, both internally, and in communication and welcoming outsiders to the country, whom they at times have to depend upon financially. They are conduits to the night life, and understand both the Western world and the deeper roots of their own culture. Because they serve as conduits to both. Depending on each other and depnding on outsiders to make it, they know the life of Africa more than anyone. They are the people who live with the most freedom, and it is likely that many of them have been pushed into such a life by necessity, and not simply a matter of enjoyment. Regardless, they do all kinds of odd jobs to come up with their money throughout the day.




My friends nickname around the Gambia was "Silver". His Muslim name is Idrissa, but mostly he prefers "Silver". And this is why, his work and family business has been in two things, cars and silver. So one of his brothers is a car mechanic, one is a driver for diplomats in the country, and he works in Silver.

Here I am picking up a necklace from my friend's silver shop. I wanted something that represented Africa and the personal growth I experience when in African. There was no better choice than the African Boubab tree. It is a well-known symbol of Africa. It is a wide tree, with strong roots and great beauty. It grows often in the upcountry. When I was sick with food poisoning I was regularly drinking Boubab juice, it is believed to be a remedy for nearly all ailments, from Malaria to other stomach, digestive conditions.