They maintained this friendship until the very end. These women supported themselves morally, emotionally, financially and spiritually throughout their journey on this earth. From weddings to birthdays, naming ceremonies to graduation parties and from anniversaries to funerals they stood by each other solidly. It was well-known knowledge in Banjul of yesteryears that these women never fought each other, slandered or tarnished each other.
They kept the circle for life and only death severed this bond. These women did not have it all smoothly, but they supported each other through thick and thin. From about 3 years old they connected, and it was the most beautiful bond to behold. To date, I marvel at how they achieved this feat. They would tell us how they were the best of dancers in town in those days in BJL and their contemporary men folks would be begging for months to have them accompany them to parties and social functions.
Yes, they never stopped talking about how they won all the dance competitions at the Banjul Reform Club. My mother especially would boast about how good a dancer she was and then the others would join in to give anecdotes of just how colourful their lives were.
About odd years ago my mother and some of her friends notably Aunty Mary B. We were getting prepped for a Rotary Club High School dance competition, and it was not surprising that between myself and my friends, we won all the dance categories. Oh, what a sight it was to behold my mother and her friends teaching us those dance moves in the heart of our living room in New Street, Banjul.
They encouraged each other to be assertive and stood by each other to ensure that each one of them pursued their goals in life to make them the phenomenal and powerhouse they were. Over 80 years of the unrivalled and unmatched bond of friendship that nothing or anything could sever except death.
