Le retour du Kinkeliba
It’s not a pillow, it’s not a medicine, it’s not something to start a fire with.
It’s not a really large broom head, a delicious addition to any salad, home insulation, something religious, something sexual, or something for smoking- all very good guesses.

It is something of a….. tea bag.

It is the tender new branches with leaves attached of the kinkeliba tree. They are then bound together into this ubiquitous form. Hungry for tea? Start unwinding, grab a handful of leaves, throw them in a pot of boiling water. One kinkeliba can last quite a long time and is one of the real bargains available here. It is very popular in Dakar- reported to be something of a tonic, not caffeinated. Many Muslims look forward to breaking a day’s fast with a cup o’ kinkeliba and a few dates. Senegalese abroad pine for them, but find them difficult to pass through customs.