Civic Tea Pouring in Bobo Dioulasso Gymnasium

Warm candlelight flickers against the high concrete walls of a gymnasium in Bobo-Dioulasso, casting soft reflections on the damp floor where monsoon rain has seeped in. A large metal kettle pours steaming tea into simple white cups arranged on folding tables. The blue twilight of evening falls through high windows, against the golden glow of the candles. People stand in layers of depth, their silhouettes sharp against the dimming light. Metal bleachers rise in the background, empty and silent. The steam rises in thin, visible columns, catching the warm light. One cup sits on a wet table edge, its rim reflecting the candle flame.