Bunce Island

So life continues here in Makeni along with all of its joys and pains, jubilations and frustrations. I have been soldiering on as per usual, finding life easy and work difficult. I have an additional housemate, as Gearoid's girlfriend Natasha has made the long journey from the states to be with him this year.

I managed to take an escape from the town last week to go on a day trip. Father Joe from the Fatima Institute has been very kind to me, and he heaped yet more generosity in my direction through providing a vehicle and driver for myself, Gearoid and Natasha to go to Bunce Island.

My friend Kari made a video of her trip to Bunce, you can see Father Joe Turay here at Bunce Island only a week earlier:

http://www.jhr.ca/fieldnotes/view.php?aid=1448

It is a place that was used to house slaves before they were shipped to the new world in America. A World Heritage Site, despite its utter neglect and inaccessibility (if we did not have our own vehicle it is unlikely we would ever have got there), it is a harrowing and interesting place. The old fort is in ruins, though still intact are signs of that once was: a deep well, an oven that was used to heat pokers to brand the slaves, a prison-like sleeping quarters, and a graveyard for the “masters” who died. We hired guides from the nearest inhabited village, and they proved to be very knowledgeable, and their tree climbing antics and good humour took the edge off the experience.

We have now also officially joined a football team. After training with a number of teams, we took the decision to play for Megbente village. It is a poor village on the outskirts of town, who play on a downhill overgrown pitch bordered by the hills, with felled-tree goalposts. It is a dangerous yet beautiful pitch. We had our full debuts this week, playing against rival village Mathinka, and coming out narrow 3-2 victors.

It is hard to do justice to how amazing it is to play in this environment. There is singing and dancing before the game. There are huge speakers on the side of the pitch which blare out Krio-pop every time there is a goal and at half time. There are hundreds of spectators who all somehow know my name and go crazy when a goal is scored. There is a pitch invasion at full time. Its is a real privilege to be part of the team, and I am already looking forward to next weekend's game in far away Magbroka.