Holy journey...

Contemplation

After the dificult walk

Arriving in the forest

Poilao

One river - Cacheu

A boat that take us through the canals, the birds that fly after feeling a strange presence, the power of nature that builts its castels and fortifications. Human beings trying to reach the holy trees.

A dificult path in the mud, the feet dancing with the water and the black grass.

Again, journeys of adventure, discovering and blessing...

Cacheu...

The all family and its guests

The pot were the slaves used to eat

The old crhistian church

Marco's house

Sometimes you just need to move around... Put a small bag in your back and get lost in another place with new people. This was my idea for the last weekend of January. The destination: Cacheu. Located in the north of Guinea is the capital of its sector. Waiting for us a european companion on this journeys for Africa.

Marco is economist, has been working many years in Africa, was director of African National Bank, likes to read, listen good music and talk. His curiosity for life is huge and is quitness conquers you at first sight. He lives in a small round house, among one beautiful guinean family. They take care of each other in harmony.

Cacheu is a city, according to the usual ones that i've met here. Althought it has national monuments like the Baluarte, small fortification builted by the portuguese, the pot were the slaves used to eat and the oldest christian church in West Africa.

The weekend was full of new things, long walks in the sand and, curious detail, reading the new book of Saramago.

Sabi!

Discotheque...

General view of the crowd

Ussumani and me

My great friends: Djodji, Ussumani and Félix

Saturday night in any part of the world should be for having fun and go out with the friends!

So, here in lost Africa doesn't have to be different... Of course the environment and the place is the opposite of what i'm used to but still... it has its wonderful side. The night starts after midnight, and till that time we gather in the house by the moonlight talking and drinking Cana (strong wine from sugar cane). Then we go to the discotheque. In Bissora is the only place of that kind. No bars, no pubs, just that. In the inside you can smoke and you can drink. Althought most of the people don't drink. The curious thing is that the beer does end... And then you don't have any other place were you can buy just one more... So you dance, we see the karaoke, dance a little bit more and... go home... African nights are more quiet...

Iracunda...

Salifo explaning how to put the plants

Eating all together

Hard work...

The field before our work

As i write another day here, in the past weeks i've been in the little villages outside Bissora center knowing the vegetable gardens of the women. In one of these visits i get the chance to stay the all day working with them. The women and the chief of them received me very well. The presence of a white person there, really helping in the field is something to be noticed for them. After introductions i grab a hoe and started to work. Our goal was to divide the field in stonemasons were they can put different vegetables. After that the number of rectangles is counted and divided for the women that are part of the group. We worked a few hours all in the same rythim. For me it was hard working at the strong and bright sun of Africa but still joyful.

One of the most beautiful images that i'll take with me is the women diging and singing at the same time, making of the work a poetry beyond imagination.

I observe and smile in the presence of this magic.

Às Cogumelas...

@Ana

"Recomeça...

Se puderes,

sem angústia e sem pressa.

E os passos que deres

nesse caminho duro do futuro

dá-os em liberdade.

..."

Miguel Torga

Vamos voltar a...

Falar...

rir...

brincar...

jogar...

dançar...

ser?...

Olho para trás... e vejo as coisas boas. Permanecem... e tudo o resto é pequeno, agora desconhecido e levado pelo vento. Não sei... já passou... as nuvens...

Gostava de voltar a ver o brilhante azul...

Estendida na praia... ou

Sentada numa mesa ao jantar... ou

... Convite...

In the field...

The well built by ADPP

A woman working

Onion in the field

The alphabetization programme between the group of women

On the past week i went with Gastão to visit some of the women's groups of vegetable gardens in the small villages. To go there we travelled by moto in sand roads where only donkeys and bicycles go by. The tabancas are far from city centers and people live a modest and simple life with poor conditions and means. ADPP promotes the construction of vegetables gardens to improve their nutrition and also their economic state. Helping the women to organize themselves in groups, providing seeds, material to work and technical support our promotors create new possibilities for these people. Besides that it also started in some groups an alphabetization programme that gives the opportunity to these women to learn to write and read. One time a week a teacher from the village gives them classes. They are shy before the new knowledge but curious and happier to gain it.

In these villages they work hard to provide food for all family and eventhough the long days their smile isn't smaller or weaker. On the opposite, they celebrate the fact of the new open well has water. The women work all day on the sun, sometimes with the child on their back, having only one meal during that time. It's impossible not ot recognize their huge courage and nobility. In my humble strength i try to help a little bit...

Preparations...

Practicing new steps

Ussumani making the mask of the group

Putting up a new figure

The country is waiting for it's bigger party: Carnival! In the middle of February all across Guinea everybody will celebrate. In each city we wil have a parade where the neighbourhoods compete between them. The winner will go to the capital of th region and from there to tha capita of the country, Bissau. Every group expresse themselves according to their etnic group or social themes. They said that the national parade is beautiful. Every year the country stops for those 4 days. The Bijagós, one of the most important and richest cultural etnic groups, are used to win. The women dance only with their skirts made by the dry leaves of the rice. The sound of the drums and their natural rythm make then rest. I confess i'm anxious to participate in the party. For those days the joy, the union and the belonging will be even bigger...