Clean Hand, Dirty Hand

One of the first cultural taboos I learned was not eating with my left hand. Since I eat with my left hand, I knew I would have to switch, but eating is not the only time a person must use their right hand. Giving or receiving items and shaking hands also must be done with the right hand.

Gambians do not use toilet paper. They pour water onto their left hand and clean themselves. In most of the country, it is difficult to properly wash your hands due to the lack of running water. The left hand is therefore considered dirty. Gambians use a tea kettle to hold the water with which they clean themselves. In our compound, we have tea kettles next to all of the toilets. In the outdoor market, I saw a Gambian wash their feet with their left hand and switch to pour water on their right hand to wash their face.

I do not consistently use one hand over the other. It depends upon what I am doing. For example, when I eat with a fork, I use my left hand, but when I reach into the food bowl I automatically use my right. Starting today, I am going to switch my habits to make sure I use my left hand for certain things while my right hand for others.