Thanks to all that responded to my enquiry. Including the private mails, I
have received 6 different answers to the question.
To further tweak the minds, and foster historical thinking, I wonder what
the name was before the partition of Africa - if any. And what did we call
our continent before the division? Was the name Africa coined by us or the
invaders? What does it mean? How did empires deal with these issues beyond
what we know?
As you read my emails, you may be wondering what happen to my history
lessons. The question is "what history lessons?" Christopher Columbus? What
I am getting at is reform - of the education system (not only in Gambia, but
Africa in general) from a historic perspective. Being a village boy
(Ballangharrian Fanafana), I certainly have my share bit of oral history
lessons. My fear is that if we don't start writing, a lot of what we know
and value will go with us to the graves. Yes, I have read Stories of The
Gambia, some publications by authors like Papa Jeng and others. They are
great, well written publications, but not "history" books.
The challenge. It will be very beneficial for generations to come, if a
writer can document the triumphs, and tragedies of "The" Gambia/Gambians -
modern and ancient. I hope someone takes me up on this. Where there is a
comprehensive history book on "The" Gambia, can anyone give me a title. If
you know someone working on such a project, please let me know who it is.
Thank you all for your continued support!
Maila
-----Original Message-----
From: Ousainou KEITA [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2000 1:18 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: The Gambia
According to the information I got from one of my high school
teachers,
alias Master Sillah( a Gambia pioneer). He told us that Banjul used
to be a
"Bamboo Island". The people used to go there to pick Bamboo stick
during the
precolonial time. When the missionaries came to the island and found
these
Bamboo stick pickers, they asked them what the name of the island
was. The
indigenous people, who thought they were asked what they were doing
responded in Mandingo that they were picking Bamboo stick(Bamboo
stick is
called Bongjuloow in Mandingo) and the name of the island was
recorded as
Banjul. The indigenous people were then asked about the name of the
region,
again they thought that they were being asked where were they taking
the
Bamboo stick to, their respond was that they were taking them to
Kambi(Kambiya in Mandingo means to Gambi) and the name of the region
was
recorded as Gambia. Kambi was a chief.
I do not know the authenticity of this story. It might just be
entertaining,
because the man was a very entertaining storyteller. I hope you will
find
some with an authentic version of the story.
Best Wishes,
Sainey Keita.
>From: "Touray, Maila" <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: The Gambia
>Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 17:09:10 -0400
>
>Can anybody answer the question, "why is our country named The
Gambia?"
>
>Maila
>
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