Gestures made by people in Gambia can be confusing at first. Here are some commonly
used hand signals, pictured and explained:
Fig. 1: “mañ-bañ” in Wolof. A sign of refusal, usually coming from
stubborn children. Literally, “a chicken would!” (Note: this is an
effective way to ward off minty-begging children, guaranteed to make
them giggle).
Fig. 2: “I will beat you” or “You will get a beating.” Often
accompanied by a tsk tsk and disapproving shake of the head—a common
threat of punishment for stubborn children.
Fig. 3: “later” or “when I return.” Useful for craft markets.
Fig. 4: “Salamalekum.” This represents a handshake from afar and
thus should be reciprocated. Often used in passing at a distance or
when full-length verbal greetings are impossible.
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Fig 1,
Maa-bañ:
Flapping your arm like wings, chicken-style. |
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Fig. 2, Tsk
tsk:
Downward flicking of thumb and index finger. |
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Fig. 3,
Later:
Circling index fingers around in front of you. |
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Fig. 4,
Salamalekum:
Clasping hands in front of you and raising them slightly. |
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