The Food Bowl:
 Refers
to the large bowl of food
shared by Gambians at meal times (usually at lunchtime), accompanied
by a set of table manners you might be considered rude for disobeying.
Though toubabs are most often handed a spoon and chair, Gambians
squat around their food bowl and eat with their right hand—and
only their right hand, as the left hand is used for rather unclean
purposes. You are encouraged to eat the Gambian way, as long as
you wash your hands first like everyone else.
The method of eating takes practice—grabbing a handful of rice,
closing your palm to squeeze it into a ball, and then letting
it fall forward towards your fingers to lift it towards an open
mouth. When you are called to eat someone might say let us come
and "chop".
Never do a full scale finger licking until the meal is complete.
Also, you should attempt to eat only from your part of the bowl
that is in front of you, as it is rather impolite to eat from
another’s portion. If you want to take a piece of meat or fish
from the centre of the bowl, tear a piece of it off with your
fingers and set it down in front of you first—never pop it directly
into your mouth. Most often, the host will break the meat or fish
for you and distribute it evenly. With food bowls, first come,
first serve—if you wait too long for the food to be comfortably
cool to handle, you are likely to miss out on the chow. Conversation
is usually kept to a minimum while eating.
Communal eating bowls are usually made from decorated or plain
enamelled metal which are about 1.5 feet across.
Greetings & Etiquette
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