By Ebrima Mbaye
As dawn breaks over the Central River Region, the sleepy town of Brikamaba transforms into a bustling epicenter of commerce and culture. Every Saturday, the scent of roasted groundnuts, dried fish, and vibrant spices fills the air, mingling with the rhythmic chatter of traders and the melodies of griots strumming kora instruments. This is Brikamaba’s Lumo, a weekly market that serves as the economic and social heartbeat of this rural Gambian community, drawing traders from across the country and neighboring Cassamance, Senegal.
The Lumo is more than a marketplace; it’s a cultural institution, a dynamic hub where tradition meets opportunity, and a testament to the resilience of a community that thrives on connection. Stretching across a sprawling field in the heart of Brikamaba, the market comes alive with makeshift stalls, wooden tables, and colorful canopies displaying a wide range of goods, from fresh vegetables and livestock to textiles, shoes, and traditional medicines. On the fringes, women serve steaming plates of ‘Benachin and Domoda’, while griots weave tales of ancestry, creating an atmosphere that feels like a weekly festival.
“We call it our Saturday festival,” says Kebba Manneh, a farmer from Niani who arrives each week with sacks of millet and garden eggs. “It’s not just a place to sell. It’s where I meet old friends, catch up on news, and feel connected to the rest of the world.”
An Economic Lifeline
For the people of Brikamaba, the Lumo is a cornerstone of survival. “The Lumo is vital to our community’s economic well-being,” says Morro Kuyateh, Chairman of the Brikamaba Village Development Committee. “It generates income through diverse trading opportunities for farmers, artisans, and small business owners, creating numerous employment opportunities.”
The market bolsters food security by facilitating the distribution of local produce, from groundnuts to garden eggs, and stimulates agricultural and livestock production by providing a consistent platform for trade. “It’s a cycle of growth,” Kuyateh explains. “Farmers know they have a market, so they produce more, and buyers know they can find quality goods here.” Beyond economics, the Lumo fosters social cohesion, serving as a space for information exchange and community bonding, strengthening the social fabric of Brikamaba.
Yet, support for the market remains limited. “We have only one project, a livestock structure recently built within the market,” Kuyateh notes. “That’s the only external support we currently have.” Despite this, Lumo’s organic growth reflects the ingenuity and determination of the community.
A Young Entrepreneur’s Journey
Among the market’s many stories is that of Muhammad Mballow, a secondary school student whose hustle at the Lumo shaped his future. As a young boy, Muhammad used his uncle’s donkey cart to transport goods for traders every Saturday. “I could make up to D300 in a single day,” he recalls. “That money bought my school books and uniforms and even helped with food at home.”
Now studying in Kombo, Muhammad credits the Lumo for teaching him discipline and the value of honest labor. “My roots and strength came from Brikamaba’s Lumo,” he says proudly. His story highlights the market’s role as a platform for youth empowerment, providing opportunities for young people to contribute to their families and their futures.
A Cross-Border Melting Pot
The Lumo’s reach extends beyond The Gambia, attracting traders like Aissatou Diallo from Ziguinchor, Cassamance. Fluent in Mandinka and Wolof, Aissatou has been selling textiles at the Lumo for six years. “The security is good, the people are welcoming, and the sales are high,” she says, rearranging her vibrant fabrics. “I sell more here than in some markets in Senegal.”
This cross-border trade fosters regional integration, with the Trans-Gambia corridor facilitating the movement of goods and people. “These shared economic interests lay the groundwork for greater regional understanding,” Kuyateh says. The market also serves as a cultural crossroads, bringing together ethnic groups like the Wolof, Fula, and Mandinka. “Languages are shared, customs are learned, and traditional crafts and dishes are exchanged,” Kuyateh adds. “It’s a living school of culture.”
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs
The Lumo is also a launchpad for young women redefining rural trade. Fatoumatta Jammeh, a 22-year-old from Bansang, sells homemade natural body creams and herbal oils. “At first, people laughed at my idea,” she says. “But now, I have regular customers who wait for Saturdays to restock.” For Fatoumatta, the Lumo provided the confidence and platform to turn her passion into a thriving business. “It gave me a chance to believe in my talent and earn independently,” she says.
Her success reflects a broader trend of women leveraging the market to gain financial independence, challenging traditional gender roles, and contributing to the local economy.
Challenges on the Horizon
Despite its vibrancy, the Lumo faces challenges. Sanitation, limited space, and poor road accessibility—particularly during the rainy season—pose ongoing issues. “There are times when water floods parts of the market, making it hard for people to move around,” Kuyateh says. These concerns underscore the need for infrastructure improvements to sustain the market’s growth and ensure its year-round accessibility.
A Living Legacy
As the sun sets on another Saturday, the stalls of Brikamaba’s Lumo begin to fold, but the connections forged linger. For residents like elderly Binta Conteh, the market is a source of vitality. “Even if you don’t come to sell or buy, you come to feel alive,” she says with a smile.
The Lumo is more than a marketplace; it’s a living archive of Gambian rural life, where economic opportunities intertwine with cultural celebrations. It’s a place where a young boy with a donkey cart can fund his dreams, where a trader from Senegal finds a sense of community, and where a young woman’s entrepreneurial spirit takes root. For Brikamaba, the Lumo is a weekly heartbeat pulsing with the stories, resilience, and hopes of its people.
As the market continues to thrive, it stands as a testament to the power of community-driven trade and tradition, proving that even in a modest rural town, a single day each week can transform lives and weave a vibrant tapestry of connection.
