Buharry,

At this time, I can only say thanks for the truths in this piece and one
more thing - the idea that one has to come from a particular group of
people to be a singer/musician. Many talents have been smothered by this
thinking, a thinking that ought to be turned upside it's head and done
away with.  Greetings to the family.

Ya Soffie

-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Momodou Buharry Gassama
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 5:35 PM
To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]
Subject: [>-<] THE CORROSION OF GAMBIAN CULTURE: CAUSES, IMPLICATIONS
AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.

[ This e-mail is posted to Gambia|Post e-Gathering by Momodou Buharry
Gassama <[log in to unmask]> ]


THE CORROSION OF GAMBIAN CULTURE: CAUSES, IMPLICATIONS AND POSSIBLE
SOLUTIONS.

 

By: Momodou Buharry Gassama

Presented at the Gambian Cultural Week In Oslo

Tuesday, 1st. August 2006-07-26

 



The development of a society is determined to a large extent by its
culture. Culture serves as the foundation that supports development at
all levels as it shapes attitude. In determining the culture of a
society, one looks at that society's way of life at a given time, that
is, the way the society lives, worships, dresses etc. Based on this, one
can differentiate between various cultures. The culture of the Wollofs
of The Gambia clearly differentiates them from the Europeans of Sweden.
Similarly, the culture of the Indians of North America clearly
differentiates them from the whites of the same continent. The Gambia is
made up of various tribes with various customs and practices. It is the
sum total of these various ways of life that makes up Gambian culture
and by extension the Gambian person. As a partaker in the dynamics of
Gambian life, the individual is as important in the creation of Gambian
culture as he / she is a consequence of it. That is why it is of vital
importance that the shaping of the Gambian individual should not be
accidental but should be clearly calculated. 
Great care should be taken to identify the qualities that are desired
and ways and means created to bring forth such qualities. These should
be nurtured, protected and promoted. In this age of interactivity, it is
of utmost importance that Gambian culture is protected from the negative
influences of other cultures and creative means instituted to enhance
it. This has however not been done with its resultant corrosion. The
creation of the Gambian individual has not been properly thought out but
has been left to chance. That is why Gambian society is one of the most
porous societies in the world. This has resulted in the corrosion of
cultural values and the transformation of the Gambian individual. What
has brought about such a state of affairs, what are its implications and
how can the situation be remedied?

 

As alluded to earlier, the failure to actively mould the Gambian
individual and by extension Gambian culture is one of the main reasons
for the corrosion of the country's cultural values. The failure or
inability of the governments hitherto to create institutions, structures
and mechanisms that would shape and influence the Gambian way of life
and protect it from the dominating tendencies of outside cultures, has
meant that many negative aspects of various cultures have found their
way into the Gambian way of life.

 

The bombarding of Gambians with foreign films and television stations
has had an impact. Over the decades, Indian, American, Chinese,
Senegalese and now Nigerian and other films have been responsible for
the transformation of the Gambian character. The lack of local movies to
counter the influence of the foreign ones has meant that people have
been fed foreign cultures and many negative tendencies have been picked
up. The barrage of materialistic tendencies contained in film and
television such as MTV in the midst of abject poverty has given rise to
materialism at the expense of cultural values. 

 

The promotion of foreign cultures especially as it relates to the
creative arts such as music, at the expense of Gambian ones, is another
reason for the deterioration of Gambian culture. The deliberate
sidelining of Gambian musicians during the time of the former and
current regimes has meant a gradual slide from the heydays of Super
Eagles to the current wilderness Gambian music finds itself in. As the
first band in West Africa to blend traditional African drums and Western
instruments, the creation of the "Mbalax" sound can be accurately
attributed to Super Eagles and its offshoot, Ifangbondi. The popularity
of the group grew in West Africa at a time when most African countries
were gaining independence and the concept of Panafricanism was near its
zenith. They became one of the hottest groups in the region. They were
very popular in Senegal at time when Senegalese musicians were mostly
playing Latin music and Senegalese commentators were urging Senegalese
musicians to adopt Super Eagle's approach and play Senegambian music
when the group metamorphosed into Ifangbondi. 
The then PPP regime, without a clear cultural policy to enhance artistic
expression, together with the Gambian populace and other factors
resulted in the gradual decline of Super Eagles and subsequent groups.
This was exacerbated by the bringing in of Senegalese musicians to
perform on state holidays and functions at the expense of Gambian
groups, a practice that still continues.

 

Another reason for the decay of Gambian culture is the lack of
facilities and structures that create, enhance and nurture culture. The
lack of basic facilities for use by cultural practitioners has resulted
in their inability to produce material to feed the need of Gambians. 
The lack of suitable training and support institutions has meant that
cultural practitioners have basically relied on themselves and the
result has in many instances been less than satisfactory.

 

Lack of finance and the reluctance of the business community to invest
in Gambian cultural activities and institutions have resulted in
substandard products that find it difficult to compete on equal footing
with foreign imports. The failure of the governments since independence
to invest in the cultural infrastructure of the country is also a
contributory factor. As with all sectors, lack of investment and finance
means a lack of suitable facilities with the resultant lack of quality
output.

 

Cultural practitioners also contribute to the deterioration of Gambian
culture. The laissez faire attitude and the failure to create a
respectable and saleable image are also to blame. The attitude of the
early musicians, some of whom would not respect contractual obligations,
respect stage etiquette etc. did not help and the negative image created
since is still alive and affecting perception. The failure of the
artists to research and find out the likes and dislikes of their
customers means creating a product based on chance. 

 

Lack of patriotism and the apparent inability of the Gambian individual
to support artists based on the desire to contribute to the promotion of
Gambian culture is another factor. Whilst it is the prerogative of the
individual to invest in a product that makes one happy, the need to
promote the general good should enable people to realise the need to
sometimes forego personal desires and support Gambian culture in order
to help it develop. Given the fact that Gambian culture has not been
invested in for a long time, it needs to be realised that for Gambian
artists to compete with foreign imports, they need the support of the
population both materially and morally.

 

Yet another factor is the lack of statutory instruments and bodies to
protect artists from exploitation and piracy. This means that artists
barely realise anything from their creations. Many cultural
practitioners face extreme difficulty scraping together the necessary
finance to invest in the creation of their products. After succeeding,
they watch in vain as others who have invested in the odd tape or video
recorder benefit from their hard work. Information was received that
there was movement toward legislating copyright laws (if it hasn't
already been passed). This is good news. 

 

Music promoters and deejays bear a major responsibility for the
deterioration and in some instances stagnation of Gambian music. Their
investment in Senegalese musicians at the expense of Gambians has meant
that Gambian artists don't have the exposure they need. At Gambian
parties, one wonders whether there are any musicians in The Gambia or
why the parties are labelled Gambian parties. This applies to both
private and public occasions. One attends events such as Gambian
Cultural Weeks, ALD etc. and in some instances not a single Gambian song
is played. Gambian music promoters invest so much in Senegalese
musicians contracting them to tour and in some instances producing them.
This has meant the enrichment and development of Senegalese musicians
and the degradation of their Gambian counterparts. The basic excuse is
usually that Gambian musicians don't play what the Senegalese play and
are not good enough but nobody pauses to ask how they can develop given
that all their efforts are rejected and the necessary support they need
is given to foreign musicians at their expense.

 

 

The failure to fully integrate culture into the country's educational
structure also bears responsibility. The elementary arts and craft that
is part of the curriculum does not address the competence desired to
prepare artists to produce competitive products. The non-inclusion of
culture as a subject comprising music education, dance, oral and
cultural history and drama from elementary to high school inhibits
cultural creativity. These are just a few examples of the reasons for
the corrosion of Gambian culture and in some instance its stagnation. 
What impact does the corrosion of Gambian culture have on The Gambia and
its population? 

 

The underrating and rejection in some instances of Gambian culture has
been manifested in various ways from the artistic to the religious to
the linguistic. As mentioned earlier, the culture of a society
determines the type of individual resident in that culture. The
appreciation of the culture of the society results in the appreciation
of the individuals in that culture. The underrating of the culture
results in the underrating of the individual. The result is a society
without heroes, a society that looks outside for its heroes, a
lacklustre society devoid of creativity. The biggest beneficiary in this
instance is Senegal that has dominated Gambian cultural life. When
Gambians want to seek spiritual guidance, they sideline the spiritual
leaders and practitioners in The Gambia and travel to Senegal. When
Gambians want to listen to Senegambian music, they opt for Senegalese
music. When Gambians want to watch Senegambian films, they go for the
Senegalese. While this might on the surface seem harmless, its effects
on the national psyche are devastating. The looking outside for
solutions has left a society without creativity. This is manifested in
many ways leading to the mediocre performance of Gambian society in many
sectors.  

 

The lack of development within the musical sector means the appreciation
of foreign ones. As it is human tendency to identify with those one
holds in high esteem, many Gambians try to emulate not only their
foreign heroes but the cultures they represent. This is why one sees
Gambian-Jamaicans, Gambian-Americans etc. That is why any dance or
chorus line of a Senegalese song is readily adopted and becomes part of
Gambian life. Senegalese dance styles such as "doh bi", "saa nehh" 
dance, "ventilateur", "hors", "leumbeul narr", "mbarass" and many more
have been copied without question. Some of these dances are extremely
sensual and antithetical to Gambian cultural values. Their unchecked
intrusion into Gambian culture has a negative impact on the Gambian
character. The same goes for the MTV-style music videos of skimpily
dressed females dancing in provocative fashion and the culture of drug
use inherent in Jamaican music.

 

The film industry also brings with it great dangers especially for young
people. In the countries where they are made, most movies are rated by
bodies created to gauge what is suitable for viewing by young people.
Since The Gambia doesn't have such bodies, movies are freely watched by
all. Movies rated r or even x-rated movies are watched by young people
further corrupting their values. Some of these movies are serious
threats to the behavioural patterns of the Gambian population in that
they carry too much violence, drugs, sex etc. This has in turn
contributed to the increase in violence, crime and other vices. 

 

The religious area is not spared. The search for religious and spiritual
guidance and solutions usually leads outside Gambia. The Senegalese
religious sector as in many areas completely dominates and manifests
itself in many ways. In some extreme situations, Gambian religious
occasions and celebrations are postponed because many people travel to
Senegal to participate in various celebrations there. Because of the
preference for Senegalese religious leaders, Gambian religious leaders
have found it difficult to reach prominence. Religious leaders, such as
the late Alh. Babou Samba and many others have not been given the
recognition they deserve. As microcosms of Gambia, Gambian communities
abroad repeat and perpetuate the same tendencies. Apart from the
Senegalese, Arab and Christian evangelists propagate all types of
religious doctrines without challenge. Some of these doctrines
contradict and in some instances even negate the basic tenets of Islam
and Christianity but are accepted. 

 

Another impact of the corrosion of Gambian culture and the preference
for foreign cultures is economic and infrastructural. Because of the
investment in foreign cultural products especially Senegalese, the
cultural industry there has developed and the Gambian one has stagnated.
Gambia lacks basic production facilities because Gambians have not
invested in Gambian culture. The total investment in Senegalese cultural
products does not reflect on Gambia but helps to put Senegal firmly on
the world map. Gambia has played a big part in the catapulting of most
Senegalese artists to the positions they hold but this has not benefited
Gambia. Apart from the mentioning of Gambian'
s name in a song to satisfy and in some instances inflate an ego or two,
Gambia and Gambians do not benefit from the success of the Senegalese
cultural industry. Every budding Senegalese musician sings about how
Gambians are "tabbeh" or generous but is it a question of " tabbeh" or
"waaneh"? As the adage goes, charity begins at home. The same applies to
religious and spiritual leaders. It is not strange to see Gambians queue
with their hard earned cash when a Senegalese " serign" or marabout
comes to town or send money to Senegalese musicians even without their
asking for it. In some instances, these same people have been hounded by
requests for financial assistance from their relatives back home and
have failed to honour such requests. At shows and private occasions,
Gambians "miraas" themselves when a Senegalese musician mentions their
name in a song but give coins to a Gambian musician who does the same.

 

Another impact is the strangulation of Gambian creativity as creativity
is not rewarded. This is manifested in the laziness that characterises
Gambian designers, hair dressers and others who work with the creative
arts. This has given rise to a copy culture instead of a creative one.
Instead of creating fashion designs, hairstyles etc., Gambians just copy
these be it from Nigeria, USA, Senegal or some other place. Because
these things are copied from other places, many tend to subconsciously
view products that come from those countries as superior whilst Gambian
ones are inferior. That is why if one puts a 100% quality product in
very nice packaging labelled "made in The Gambia" 
and a 10% quality product in a less attractive package labelled "made in
Nigeria", "made in Senegal" etc., the average Gambian would probably
choose the foreign product.

 

In the linguistic area, Senegal and Gambia share nearly all languages. 
Gambia has lately not contributed to the development of the languages
especially Wollof but has relied on the creation of popular expressions
by Senegal. Senegalese expressions have made their way into Gambian
Wollof from Senegalese music and films. Expressions such as "moko yorr"
, etc. have become fashionable among Gambians. Even when Gambians want
to prove that they are speaking proper Wollof, they acquire a Senegalese
accent. When a Gambian and Senegalese are speaking to each other, the
tendency is for the Gambian to put on a Senegalese accent and not the
other way round. This demonstrates an inferiority complex brought about
by decades of cultural domination. The flood of Nigerian movies into the
country has ushered in the beginnings of another area of cultural
domination. Imitating Nigerian dialects and using expressions, dress
styles and other things from Nigerian films is increasing. If caution is
not taken, the negative aspects of Nigerian life will soon become a part
of Gambian life.

 

After discussing the corrosion of Gambian culture, some of its causes
and the impact on Gambian society, what can be done to remedy the
situation? Many solutions present themselves, some easy to implement and
others difficult. The need to remedy the situation is however apparent.
Whilst some of the following suggestions might not be the panacea to the
problems facing Gambian culture, they are at least starting points.
Whilst some of the suggestions are mine, others have been derived from
the study of national culture policies of Jamaica, Nigeria, South
Africa, Sweden and the Council of Europe. Whilst the Gambia National
Council for Arts and Culture has a culture policy, some of the
suggestions herein contained can aid in upgrading it. 

 

The first is to have a clear set of achievable cultural goals based on a
clear vision related to the envisioned Gambian individual. This should
be complemented with the necessary structures and mechanisms necessary
for their achievement. This means that the national cultural goals
should not be vague but should be clear, pragmatic and achievable. The
environment under which they are going to be achieved should be
conducive. This should be an environment that that fosters, rewards and
protects creativity.

 

As education is a very important component of creativity, cultural
education should be an integral part of the national curriculum. This
means that music education, dance, drama, creative writing and
composition, poetry etc. should be taught from primary through high
school. Students who excel should be encouraged through grants,
scholarships, international cultural exchanges etc. A national school of
the arts should be created to enable students who want to further their
education in culture to do so. Art educators and trainers should be
professionally trained to provide quality education to aspiring
students. Research projects to identify problem areas, identify possible
solutions and document Gambian culture and cultural trends should be
initiated.

 

Another important remedy is to build the infrastructure necessary to
make it possible for artists to produce qualitative cultural content,
effectively market and distribute it. The investment in recording
studios, production houses etc. should be encouraged by the government. 
Both private and public finance should be sought and invested. The
government should create incentives for the private sector to invest in
the industry. Investors should be encouraged to invest in the latest
technologies necessary to produce products that can compete
internationally. Tariff barriers and duties on culture and ancillary
products should be removed to encourage both artists and businesses and
facilitate investment. The government should also create a cultural fund
and encourage businesses, parastatals and NGOs to contribute to it.
Artists and other cultural workers can apply for grants to buy needed
materials. 

 

As the media plays a very important role in the promotion and
distribution of cultural content, the government should create a policy
and enact necessary legislation to ensure that cultural practitioners
get the exposure they need and to ensure that foreign artists do not
dominate the Gambian airwaves. This means that the government should
create quotas for Gambian cultural content and make sure that airtime
requirements for Gambian culture are included in all radio and
television station licensing documents. All stations should be required
to play Gambian cultural content for at least a certain percentage of
their total airtime. Gambian promoters should be required to include at
least one or two Gambian artists whenever they bring foreign artists. 
There should be a special tax on foreign artists to be paid by promoters
for engaging foreign talent and this should deposited into a special
cultural fund to help develop Gambian culture. As The Gambia is facing a
cultural state of emergency, drastic measures are needed to at least
stabilise the situation as in all states of emergency.

 

The government should also enact legislation that protects cultural
content and practitioners and accords intellectual property rights. 
Enforceable instruments and enforcement agencies should be created to
ensure that cultural content is protected and that artists are not
unduly exploited. These agencies should provide methods to help artists
and investors realise potential revenues from their creations. They
should also create schemes such as pension schemes and insurance plans
to secure and enhance their social and economic status.

 

Marketing and promotional schemes, activities and projects should be
undertaken to enhance Gambian culture and raise the Gambian identity. 
These schemes should aim to promote innovation and cultural excellence
through for example, the creation of a cultural excellence foundation
that identifies and rewards innovators and those who excel. Strategies
and programs should be created to promote and raise the culture industry
to the level of traditional industries. 

 

A cultural interest group should be formed that comprises a Gambian
artists union and representatives from the ministry responsible for
culture to put pressure on crucial agencies to further the interests of
artists. This group should also serve as a one-stop agency that
generates and propagates information about Gambian culture and artists
and also provides administrative support for them. The agency should be
charged with organising cultural fairs that showcase Gambian talent. It
should also be charged with organising a yearly festival that brings the
best Gambian artists together.

 

Another suggestion is the provision of incentives and rewards for
artists. This can take the form of providing awards and titles such as "
drummer of the year", "actor / actress of the year", "bassist of the
year" etc. Street names should be named after artists who excel. 
Monuments and parks should also be dedicated to artists. This will serve
as an encouragement to artists.

 

The film industry should be stimulated. Production facilities should be
invested in. Mobile film and video units should be created to travel the
length and breadth of the country to spread the creations of Gambian
artists. This will help bring artists and the consumers closer and
spread the work of the artists.

 

There should be co-operation between the tourism and culture industries
in the form of strategies that mould the final product received by
tourists. This would ensure that a clear vision of Gambian culture will
be presented to foreigners that will positively reflect on the image of
the Gambian individual. 

 

After having looked at the reasons for the corrosion of Gambian culture,
the impact on the country and the possible solutions, it can be
concluded that the failure to mould the Gambian individual has had a
negative impact on various aspects of Gambian life. This has resulted in
the decay and stagnation of various sectors. However, not all hope is
lost. If the government institutes corrective measures, the situation
can be arrested and Gambian culture can be rejuvenated enough to take
its rightful place among the cultures of the world. 




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