In the village walk, Pato next took Carol and I to watch the banana man turn his bananas into beer and gin.  He does it in his yard. It’s a laborious process that results in, according to Carol, a great tasting product that he sells in the village.  His family watches us from their house. His young beautiful daughter has been burned by very hot water. Her mother fears she will not recover.

The medicine man tells us, through Pato, about the herbs and plants that he uses to treat illness.  He tells us up front that he does not treat cancer, diabetes or high blood pressure. “People must go to the clinic for those illnesses”.  His specialty is “removing demons.”He uses the skull and sacrifices small animals in that process.  We ask him what demons cause in a person, and the symptoms he describes sound very much like  depression. He seems to be a kind and gentle man and answers our many questions.  As part of his practice, he gives Carol and I our “pet names.” Carol is Abouli, a steady, reliable person. I am Akiki,  strong woman.

Two women come to the medicine man’s yard to show their baskets and how they weave them. We buy a few.