Madame Bin-Bin

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Yesterday, I went over to N’Gor Island (readers from last year, you may remember this as the island facing opposite our house - inhabited by weekenders, vacationers, and a few wealthy eccentrics, and quite popular among Rastafarians and less purposeful potheads, and the younger abstaining Senegalese crowd who can rent rooms by the hour. winkwink.).

I went with 2 american friends, both of whom are also living out their Senegal sequels. We treated ourselves to a very, very relaxed afternoon on the beach. While books and pads and pens were in our bags, we just vegetated. Enough so that I didn’t even have the energy to politely shoo away the many beach vendors…who offer ’good price’ on cloth bags, shell necklaces, imitation sunglasses. I even willingly struck up conversation with a woman as she knelt by our rubber beach mattresses (we were relaxing in style with our rented toubab beach equipment!)…she unfolded the cloth she held and splayed out necklaces and bracelets…mostly with plastic and glass jewels, some cowry shells, and what caught my eye, one made of coffee beans.

As I looked at this woman, working joyously in the heat of a Ramadan afternoon, full head wrap and matching outfit in a rich dark green pattern splashed with black, I thought of the job I just applied for to manage micro-grants…and in spirit of that, decided to, for the first time, entertain purchasing something from a beach vendor.

I had nonchalantly settled on my earthy coffee bean find, but was also allured by the shimmering, smaller-beaded, over-sized items draped over her arm. What look like stretched-out necklaces, these are actually meant for the waist. Called ‘bin-bins’ here, they’re worn by girls, who teasingly tuck most of it under their skirts or bathing suits….and what better purpose do they serve? but to increase sexual attraction, or improve sexual relations if already married (no sex until marriage here, remember).

I knew this was my bin-bin moment, and talked my 2 friends into letting me treat them each to one. There was much laughing throughout the haggling process, during which the vendor referrred to herself as ‘Madame Bin-Bin’, and dubbed the toughest bargainer among us as ‘Madame Sandaga’, after the main market in Dakar.

While initially I was drawn to a bin-bin made of smooth, tiny, rounded baby-blue beads…I thought I’d get something a bit zazzier…(not sure if the more adventurous the design - the better the end results…?). I chose a flashy multi-color one, which also had some bronze, star-shaped beads for that extra somethin’. I was honestly attracted to it because it reminded me of those pencils you buy at natural history museums (the ones that have a clear plastic part above the lead filled with faux minerals in all shapes, colors and sizes)…not that I think sharing that particular association may help create the right ‘atmosphere’ between me and my potential bin-bin-wooed mate…but I’m sharing it with you.

And so, having worn my bin-bin only a total of twice since purchased, I may or may not some juicy romantic tidbit for you next time…

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Photos

Swimmable Paradise
N'Gor Island can be seen in the distance, swimmable from N'Gor beach...and now with the new patrols, one doesn't even have to wade through plastic bags first - and I haven't seen my lizard friend in quite some time...so it's all good...

Sandaga Market
Fumes, dust, hollers, shoves, music, colors, wafts of grilled corn, burnt metal and well, other things. What better place to spend the afternoon...?