Depa:

Tom has been visiting Depa since 2004. This village is about 5 km southeast of Issia, a city known for its large granitic upwelling similar to Ayers Rock in Australia and Enchanted Rock in Texas. The chief of Depa is a real mensch, and we've spent many hours sipping palm wine with him. Depa is the chef-lieu of `140 villages, and chiefs from those villages gather every year to discuss issues relating to governance, local, and national politics.



Every time we visit Depa, we are regaled by the mask dance. The figure on the left is the mask (uh huh). The Mask Dance is presented by a secret society of men who speak in tongues as well as Bété, the local language and who play special music.



Pictures of Justin Seri Dédé, chief of Depa. Left, Chief Dédé with trophy made of "bamboo." Middle, the chief approaches the gazebo where the Mask Dance is being held followed by the donations ceremony. Right, the chief and Tom Neuhaus celebrate donations of the machetes.



Women of Depa. Left, young woman carrying plastic basins. Middle, the chief's wife with her new hair-do. Right, young mother with child.



Left, Annika and Christiane. They have a hair salon in nearby Issia; they employ young women whose parents were killed in the latest war. The women live on the premises, are fed, and learn how to do hair. Middle, Mark Phillips of San Luis Obispo, California, exhibits his prowess on the stilts Right, Stan Thompson toasts West Africa with his palm wine libation, compliments of Chief Dédé.



Left, Three women sitting on the porch. Middle, young woman preparing Foutou. Right, breast is best.



Left, in return for the boots and machetes, we were given this goat, who road with us in the back of the car. Middle, two sisters . Right, father of the chief.



Left, this young man is bringing twigs back to sell as toothbrushes. He also spent the day guarding the rice, keeping it safe by shooting pebbles at birds with a slingshot. Right, the toilet constructed from the contributions of Mark Phillips and Kate Montgomery of San Luis Obispo and Stan Thompson of Morro Bay.