Cherished Memories of Africa — Page 67
49 combining their practices with traditional African beliefs. Wikipedia] • Neighbouring countries are Mali, Guinea Conakry and Senegal. • Its important crops are groundnuts and millet. • There are many cashew farms in the country. • Currency CFA Franc; 1000 CFA = 6. 5 Euro. • It is counted among the poorest countries of the world. • Important tribes are Balanta Fula Manjaca Mandinga Papel • The country has been under the communist bloc, therefore, they are suspicious of everyone. • Having been under Portuguese rule, the people have become fighters; they had to fight for their independence from the colonial powers. • In the neighbouring countries, anyone seeking bribe talks of ‘tea/water’, however in Guinea-Bissau they ask for drinks (alcoholic). Drinking has taken away the radiance of their faces, whereas the people from Muslim majority regions have radiant faces. Because of frequency of drinking there is a kind of odour in the atmosphere of Bissau. • In Bissau city a Muslim traveller faces lot of difficulty in getting halal food. • The country is suffering from long standing civil war. • The country is at the brink of ruin in every respect: it is in decline financially, morally, politically, educationally and reli - giously.