Handshakes

There are different handshakes around the world: You have the high-five young people give in US and elsewhere; the polite handshake when meeting a guest; the Clinton-esque handshake if your running for office; and then there's the handshake I saw in Nguigmi, Niger.

First off a short introduction to African greetings. You greet everyone everyday. There is even a set response, similar to "Fine" you give in the US.

Examples of both cultures meeting on the street:

U.S.
[Bill and Bob cross paths, they shake hands]
"Hey Bill"
"Hey Bob"
"How's everything?"
"Fine. Yourself?"
"Good. Nice to hear it."
"Say 'hi' to the family for me."
"Will do."
[exit stage left]

AFRICA
[Lamin and Musa cross paths, if they are in a hurry they say this as their passing]
"Peace be with you"
"Peace be with you"
"How is work?"
"In peace"
"How is the family?"
"In peace"
"How is the wife?"
"In peace"
"How is your brother?"
"In peace"
[etc.]

What's unique about these greeting is that they take them seriously for doing them but not seriously for saying them. Each question and response is under the breath, each person hoping the ritual will be over soon. Granted, there are excited greetings; but this is just the basic stranger-meets-stranger greeting.

Once in The Gambia I was told to answer every question with "Jam Tan" which is Pulaar for "In Peace." I held a full five-minute conservation, with correct responses, during an introduction by just repeating two words over and over again! [I fumbled though when he finally asked what my name was. I responded "In peace"...]

It's also funny to see two people do the greetings as they pass on another. They still mumble under their breath the full ritual despite now being out of earshot of the other person, as if some harm would come to them if they end early without the other person twenty feet behind him being left alone saying "In peace" for the next few seconds.

OK, back to Nguigmi.

I needed to transfer money from West African CFA to Centra African CFA. My host drove me to the 'banker' across town on his mo-ped. We arrive at the guys house and the greetings commenced!

As two people greeted they faced each other and shook hands. Now your free [left] hand grabs the right arm, just below the wrist, of the person whom you are shaking. Both of you do this. Those left hands do not move and keep the light grip you have on them. You ask a question, he responds, you shake with your right hand. Your right hands now undo themselves and 'retreat' a half-inch back. Remember, the wrist of your right hand is being held by your partners left-hand. They ask another question, respond, and shake again. They retreat again. The left hands still holding on to the other persons right. Continue.

The first time I saw it I was confused to the arrangements of the hands and arms, so I paid attention to them as oppose to the greetings. However, then I realized they were greeting for a while, repeating this mini-handshakes over and over again.

The first greeting ended, and the second started. I started counting how many questions they ask one another and how many mini-handshakes they gave

"1, 2, 3,..., 15, 16, 17, ..., 26, 27, 28."

Twenty-eight times! I can't think of that many questions to ask a stranger just for the greetings! [You're not suppose to ask what you really want to ask them until the greetings are done.]

"How's the wife?"
"How's the kids?"
"How's the job?"
"How's your second-cousin?"
"How's your third-cousin twice removed?"
"How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?"

Luckily when they came to me it was just a one up-down motion handshake with an arabic greeting I knew the response too.