They call it hunting. A tradition that originated in
Freetown,
Sierra Leone
but has since migrated to
Gambia
as well. There are small huntings that happen starting Christmas Day & go
through the New Years Day & then there is the large hunting “battle” that
happens the day after New Years Day.
The small huntings are mostly groups on neighborhood kids
that get together & create an elaborate costume of palm leaves, shells,
& funny looking heads with horns. This creature becomes the “devil” and the
kids chase it through the streets singing & dancing & beating sticks
together. It’s a competition to see which group of kids has the best costume.
We were with the Red Tigers which included some of Gabou’s siblings &
cousins – They even dragged me into the middle of it all at one point to dance
with everyone!
The large hunting is basically the same thing but on a
larger scale, which includes real animal heads. There are groups that come to
the streets of
Banjul
every year to battle for who has the best heads & costumes. There was the
Odilleh & Okum Baba Societies – this year the Odilleh society won the
contest & I had a second row seat for the big show. I saw heads of an antelope, fox & giraffe, the antlers of what I think was a moose & I missed seeing the lion’s head but I
heard it was there as well. There was tons of dancing & music along with
some nice fireworks. It was quite a spectacle in the middle of the street.
Seeing all of this was such a fun & exciting experience,
something so unique it’s quite hard to describe actually. I took a bunch of
videos but they take too long on my internet connection to upload, so you’ll
just have to wait until I get back to see the actual footage. If you search for
Gambian Hunting on youtube I think you can see some similar ones.
They call it hunting. A tradition that originated in 
The small huntings are mostly groups on neighborhood kids
that get together & create an elaborate costume of palm leaves, shells,
& funny looking heads with horns. This creature becomes the “devil” and the
kids chase it through the streets singing & dancing & beating sticks
together. It’s a competition to see which group of kids has the best costume.
We were with the Red Tigers which included some of Gabou’s siblings &
cousins – They even dragged me into the middle of it all at one point to dance
with everyone!
The large hunting is basically the same thing but on a
larger scale, which includes real animal heads. There are groups that come to
the streets of 
Seeing all of this was such a fun & exciting experience,
something so unique it’s quite hard to describe actually. I took a bunch of
videos but they take too long on my internet connection to upload, so you’ll
just have to wait until I get back to see the actual footage. If you search for
Gambian Hunting on youtube I think you can see some similar ones. 
The big day is on new year's day, I believe that the New year's day was on sunday that's they came out day after. Because it's not done on sundays. And the name you're looking for is Ekun Baba Odeh Hunting Society.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you had a blast and I hope you that you make it a tradition of going to The Gambia.
The only hunting society in The Gambia to go onto the world wide web. www.ekunbabaodeh.com we lead and others follows
ReplyDeleteIndeed Odeh Anonymous
DeleteIndeed Odeh Anonymous. Can't wait for New year's day 2016.
Deletehello my name is famara jammeh in the gambia old yundum our hunting name is young ekun baba odeh hunting society old yundum the gambia we love to see ekun baba odeh hunting society in Banjul . if you only to see our com to old yundum Ase of olocoto baba jammeh or yaya or doss bye you email our in youngekunbabaodeh@hotmail.com send our email bye
ReplyDeleteHi I am sorry but will have to correct you. The Hunting Secret society is not originally from Sierra Leone. It's a culture from from Nigeria and of the Yoruba tribe. It migrated to Sieera Leone, The Benin Republic and the Gambia. The following will be helpful to you.
ReplyDeleteHunting was brought to Freetown, Sierra Leone by the Yorubas liberated the British Navy from the high seas. It's also in Nigeria, Benin Republic and The Gambia.
The songs are in Yoruba, Egba, Ijesha and Ondo dialects. They worship The Yoruba Gods. Sango also called Oba Koso ( The god of thunder), Ogun also nicknamed
The big man (The god of Iron and War) and Osoosi also called Ochosi ( The God of hunting)
Well I will have to correct you here, I am a Sierra Leonian and am a member of hunting in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Huntings is originated from York, Sierra Leone and is more than 200 years old. Hunting society is not from Nigeria, Egungun and we call it ojeh in Sierra Leone is from Nigeria. Huntings when it first started they never used to speak Yoruba or sing Yoruba. They have there own language that they sing and talk. It was later years when huntings start spreading in other parts in Sierra Leone like the capital Freetown, Fourah bay were you can find some Yoruba descendants starts to talk in Yoruba and this hunting that start to sing in Yoruba is the Midlands hunting society in Fourah bay, Freetown, Sierra Leone. They were the first hunting that start to sing, wear grass hat, arshoby and bata that match with there arshoby colour. So huntings is not from Nigeria and if you look up on the net you can't find any trace of hunting society in Nigeria. Sierra Leonians created huntings.
DeleteWell I will have to correct you here, I am a Sierra Leonian and am a member of hunting in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Huntings is originated from York, Sierra Leone and is more than 200 years old. Hunting society is not from Nigeria, Egungun and we call it ojeh in Sierra Leone is from Nigeria. Huntings when it first started they never used to speak Yoruba or sing Yoruba. They have there own language that they sing and talk. It was later years when huntings start spreading in other parts in Sierra Leone like the capital Freetown, Fourah bay were you can find some Yoruba descendants starts to talk in Yoruba and this hunting that start to sing in Yoruba is the Midlands hunting society in Fourah bay, Freetown, Sierra Leone. They were the first hunting that start to sing, wear grass hat, arshoby and bata that match with there arshoby colour. So huntings is not from Nigeria and if you look up on the net you can't find any trace of hunting society in Nigeria. Sierra Leonians created huntings.
Deleteye
ReplyDeleteBefore being a bigman in hunting Society they will beat you mercilessly and tell you not to talk about anything you see inside the yard,also cut your skin and take your blood for the Ogun if it's Awo Society so be well prepared Awo la meji Awo la onka
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ReplyDelete