My introduction to the konkoron began innocently one fall day. I went out onto the Kolda streets and was immersed in a huge crowd of men and boys. At the front of this crowd is... a thing. I'm not sure how to describe it, so good thing I have pictures. It's like a cross between Bigfoot and a tree, if either of those things wielded machetes. I escaped unscathed, but my next encounter involved me riding my bike and a konkoron chasing me with a machete (I won).
WHAT IS GOING ON?
In Senegal, males aren't circumcised until they are around 8-10 years old. A respected, older man in the community will take them into his hut and perform the surgery. Once they are circumcised, they are now men. The day of circumcision they are pampered and petted, and the village women cook them huge meals. Weeks later, there is a party because they are finally healed. They get fed and pampered again, and they get new outfits and a fancy hat. Their fathers put them on their shoulders and carry them to the chief's compound to celebrate their manhood, and everyone has a huge dance party.
So how does the konkoron fit in exactly? I'm sure there's some Santa Claus-Christmas link there somewhere, but I have yet to fill it out. A vital piece of information: women aren't supposed to see the konkoron. The Consequence? He or his guard will hit you. The konkorons have machetes and their minions have large branches.
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| FOOD. |
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| Receiving a blessing from the cheif. |
This sounds worse than it is. The women love the konkoron. Running from the konkoron is really fun. All of the women gather on the road and when they see the konkoron approaching start running. I thought it was silly- he's so far away! He's never going to catch us! Then the konkoron started sprinting and my vision became a blur and all of a sudden I was also sprinting. Every once else had the foresight to run into a hut- i found shelter in a douche. Why? I don't know.
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| A father with his son on his shoulders. |
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| The boys in their new attire |
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| Before the circumcision. |
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| After the circumcision. |
My introduction to the konkoron began innocently one fall day. I went out onto the Kolda streets and was immersed in a huge crowd of men and boys. At the front of this crowd is... a thing. I'm not sure how to describe it, so good thing I have pictures. It's like a cross between Bigfoot and a tree, if either of those things wielded machetes. I escaped unscathed, but my next encounter involved me riding my bike and a konkoron chasing me with a machete (I won).
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