West of Eden

This continent vibrates to the sound of drums, to the rhythm of the heartbeat of mother earth. From the very first steps, Africa grabs you, bewitches you. White magic on black earth bathed in light. I let myself be invaded by this carnal land; its wild, powerful nature and its dormant primitive instincts.

"White magic on black earth bathed in light"

The sun in the firmament crushes the shadows. Life holds its breath.  The thick mud walls of the Tata Somba¹ keep it relatively cool. Through the thatched roof and the few openings, the light diffuses and reddens the laterite. The deep voice of an old man envelops me with its roundness and time is suspended. On the rusty earth path, the full figure of a woman takes shape, highlighted by the vibrant colours of Wax's cloth². On her head, an imperfectly rounded calabash dances to the rhythm of her steps. The clinking of a cowrie shell bracelet on her ankle mesmerizes me. She wears on her face, like so much jewellery worn with pride and delicacy, the scarifications that decorate the walls.

"Imperfectly rounded calabash" 

In the shade of the large mango tree, the roasted yellow of the raffia reminds me of the colour of the savannah at the end of the dry season; in an earthen jar, the intoxicating palm wine. Dogon masks³ wait to be animated by the sacred. The shadow of a man eclipses the sun for a moment. The piercing sound of the Kora⁴ , the tinkling of the Gankogui⁵ , bare feet strike the ground to the heady rhythm of the percussion; in the atmosphere reddened by the suspended dust, the bodies enter into a trance. The sweat drenched, ebony black skin is dressed in gold in the late afternoon sun.

"Ebony black skin is dressed in gold"

A curtain of water blurs the view. The forest has fallen silent and the soothing sound of rain dancing on Iroko leaves envelops the whole space. Lulled by the swaying of the hammock and the hum of the fan, I fall into a gentle torpor. The woody smells, the cries of a Jaco and a howler monkey in the distance; out of limbo. The enigmatic gaze of the large Fang⁶ mask bleached with Kaolin contrasts with the soft ochre of the walls and the deep red of the Padouk floorboards. In an instant the sun bursts through and reveals the powerful green of the emerald canopy. Below, the mirror of the Ogooué⁷ reflects the light. The rainy season sky is absolutely clear, the eyes crinkle. The sensual wetness that emanates from the ground just after the tropical rain brushes my face.

¹ Traditional home of the Somba ethnic group
² A colourful fabric, popular throughout West Africa, made in Holland.  
³ Dogon country lies to the east of Mali.  
⁴ Typical West African string instrument 
⁵ Percussion (bell) originating in Dahomey (now Benin)
⁶ Ethnic group of Bantu origin that inhabits part of Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Cameroon.  
⁷ River that crosses Gabon