Into the sacred forest

My Wednesday: ask Joola women of Enampore to observe a ceremony of newlyweds. They took us in, treated us like the women and put us in traditional dress head to toe. Then they sang into the sacred forest, where we shed our shoes and danced for hours, to the rhythm of wood used as drums. Our guardian? One of the brides. This is when they walked us home. They seemed happy I could keep up with them dancing.
Such an amazing honor.

Manga, a new bride and one of our guardians

The women, dancing as they delivered us "home" to our traditional lodge.

Abbie Hantgan, Ph.D., and Joola Bondial researcher, dancing with our women hosts.