Hand in hand
I met up with Drissa today, the man who is the reason I ever came here. We first wrote to each other when we were eight (read the story) and today he took my hand and lead me through Bamako.
We slid through the market, past wax prints and soap stacks, mounds of drying shrimp softly shedding their smell and gold jewellery greedily hoarding the sun in the tight dark alleys. He called out to traders – this is the market he works in, touting toiletries and they’re his mates.
We were easy in each other’s grasp and whipping through the streets, ducking down snickets and back out across traffic, through a mound of plastic kettles and into an alley and then out on the battered bus park.
It really was a beautiful experience and my life flashed past with the Bamako sites – in a good way! It’s a long time since those first letters and they’ve had a big impact on my life!
Walking around hand in hand is something Malian men do when they’re old mates off on some big chat or mission. It’s a nice way to walk the street – and a nice thing to be able to do with a mate that you’d probably get battered for in the UK!
We went to his house to meet his wife and baby. His brother Mamadou was there too and we spent the afternoon bouncing the baby, laughing at photos and eating together, with neighbours dropping by. Nice way to spend a Bamako afternoon.
And after that it was off back to the Workshop with some visitors. Today was football and dancing for the most part, with a bit of ninja tumbling and felt tip tattoo drawing throw in. It feels incredibly positive down there at the moment.
We’ve got someone learning to make and play n’goni and loads of bogolan art on the go (which the kids were learning the night before – the video’ll be done edited as soon as I get back!)
Lots of good vibes! Here’s to the future!
Lots of love
Ben
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