My Gambian name is Saajoo Sonko – I really like my Mandinka name. I have the same name as one of the siblings in my host family, which makes me her “toomaa”. It is customary and a honor, to be given the same name as an older sibling (although the chronological time frame is a bit off with my senior citizen status). The Gambian tradition is for the naming ceremony is held when a newborn is seven days old.  As a new arrivals to The Gambia, each Peace Corps trainee also had their name ceremony seven days after our arrival in country.

On October 18, my host family dressed me a fancy local outfit, and they took a great care to put my head scarf on correctly. They escorted me to the ceremony, where I was joined by the three other trainees in my village. Everyone greeted us by our new names, prayers were recited, and small bags of cookies were given to the children. We were now considered full members of the community, and our American names were discarded.

After the naming ceremony, the party begins, although our party was fairly subdued due to a recent death in the village. Music and food are a major part of Gambian celebrations. A sheep or goat is slaughtered, guests bring food (Gambian potluck) and money is given to the host father. The music and dancing can last all through the night, ceasing a few hours before the 5:30 morning call to prayer. It was a compelling experience, and it helped me feel more integrated into this culture.