Gambian fanaal

In The Gambia small lanterns, called fanaals, used to be built and paraded informally each night between Christmas and New Year. They always depicted ships and were covered in intricately cut paperwork designs

The fanaal in this photograph represents a tourist boat and was built by a group called Suturanteh Vous in Dippa Kunda (a neighbourhood in Serrekunda a little west of Banjul, the capital of The Gambia). The name of the group’s sponsor, Mr M.A. Ceesay (a customs officer) is written on the side of the fanaal. The fanaal has been mounted on a stand which will be placed on a hand cart. It is just possible to detect tiny spots of light shining from inside the fanaal. Members of the group claimed that they would use candles to illuminate their fanaal but this seems unlikely given the fire risk. It is probable that tiny light bulbs, connected to a car battery, have been strung inside the fanaal.