Tradesman Masally Jagne
Selling products from his home country of Gambia is a way for Masally Jagne to familiarise Finnish people with his country’s culture and show them Africa’s more attractive side. For Jagne the business is not just about earning a living but a medium for articulating ideas.
Tradesman Masally Jagne, 45, thinks that Finnish people know surprisingly little about Africa. Although Finns might travel in Africa, they do not necessarily understand African culture.
This lack of appreciation might be due to the media, which, in Jagne’s opinion, give a negative picture of his country, Gambia.
“Wars, unrest, poverty and disease are only one side of the reality of Africa. The Gambians are peace-loving, friendly people.”
Jagne sells clothes, fabrics, bags, jewellery, ornaments, and musical instruments at his company, African Touch, in Helsinki’s Hämeentie. The articles for sale are unique, handmade products that Jagne usually buys directly from Gambia. He also sells African literature and music.
“I buy the handicrafts directly from those who make them, so that they get a decent price for their work.”
“I’ve worked in many European countries, and I have never experienced racism.”
Jagne’s Finnish-born wife helped him to realise his big dream. He set up his own African shop in 2003.
Before moving to Finland, Jagne worked as a bookkeeper and auditor for the Gambian state. But he wanted new challenges. He travelled in Europe, worked as a DJ in Germany, and was a cook in the UK and France.
Today his time is spent running his own business, but also organising music events, selling African products at festivals and sometimes also working as a cook.
In the district of Kallio, in Helsinki, there is a number of ethnic shops, but all the entrepreneurs in the area get on well together. If a customer cannot find what he is looking for in one shop, he will be pointed in the direction of another.
“The shopkeepers in the area understand and respect one another. If one is successful the others are not envious.”
Jagne likes his work, but it ties him down and makes it hard to arrange holidays. He works virtually every day, from morning to evening, and enjoys meeting different people.
“If a customer buys him- or herself something beautiful it makes me feel good too. I couldn’t do this sort of work if I did not have a love and respect for African culture.
I will try to develop in my work, and I believe that in the future African Touch will indeed touch more and more Finnish people.
Text and photograph: Anu Likonen, Jukka Vuolle and Nanni Akkola
The Ministry of Employment and the Economy