Christmas Day Celebrations:
Date: 25 December, 2008
 This time
of the year is celebrated by both Christians (who are mostly
Aku) and
Muslims in Gambia and takes on many forms. This time of the year sees
a proliferation of traditional local masquerades & rites as well as
Christian celebrations. In the run up to the day
hotels & other accommodation resorts put up decorations such as
lights, tinsel and holly as well as offering special dinner menus and
events.
A distinct characteristic of the Xmas festival in the
Kombos and Greater Banjul is the carnival of the
Fanal parades of small paper & bamboo
boats.
Other aspects of this time of the year will see the
emergence of various dance groups & acrobats such as the Wolof's Zimba lion
dancers, Mamapara (man on stilted legs), Kanirang, the Jola's Kumpo. Another distinct feature of this time is
the appearance of the Mandinka Kankurang and the Aku's parade of
Gesse masks and Hunting.
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