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“The face of cultural fusion – Gambian village boy in a Mardi Gras mask”. On the final night of a 2 month, 1130km expedition down the River Gambia in West Africa, we pulled into the riverside village of Mandinari in The Republic of The Gambia to find a place to sleep. We entered a family compound and a young boy appeared wearing a Mardi Gras mask. At first I assumed it must be for special occasion or ceremony; no, he said just enjoyed wearing it. No, he did not know what Mardis Gras was, just that he found it at the village market. His portrait was the last one I made on the expedition and for me became symbolic of global cultural influences happening in Africa. (Photo and caption by Jason Florio/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)
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