And I should have been clearer that this was a 'traditional' contest. I can't find the original article, but is was very cute, with a number of young women in colorful, graceful Islamic dress (No burkas!) giggling and enjoying themselves. (I'll ask my friend at work to find it for me)
It wasn't perhaps the best example, but it's one I find interesting, mostly because of it's innocence, and I don't mean lack of sexuality, I mean a way of admiring minus the kind of bloated, unhealthy sexual baggage we have over here.
My friend, who is from there is a liberal Muslim who does much to educate me on the difference between what is typical government manipulation of religion and people vs what his (he's very devout) religion actually means to what he would consider the 'average' Muslim. I tease him all the time about being male and masculinity and he's very good natured about it. (He made the mistake of referring the taking care of his son as 'babysitting' one time in front of me and I've been having fun ever since) In his world a Muslim man holds a lot of responsibility and respect to his family and his wife, his way of looking at the Koran is that of a spiritual guide. He despises the Bush regiman. He understands women need equality and protection.
The plight of the Gambian people is one that's repeated throughout many countries in Africa--the fighting off of the effects of colonialism with the subsequent poverty, The attempts (largely successful) to democratize amid coups- they had government mandated education without resources to back it up according to Wiki. And now they have a wingnut 'President' to God knows what's going to happen
Some interesting links
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gEL79smZcLs4MRXUmFIBa89IQ_VA?docId=f9d36d8d4fbc442fbb4e2cfc151623fahttp://www.gambia.dk/gam.htmlhttp://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/GMB.html