Malanding,
Lets remember that there are two Sabijees. There is Latrikunda Sabije and
Sukuta Sabije. It was the same people that moved from Latrikunda Sabije to
Bakoteh and eventually settled at Sukuta Sabije.
Omar Joof.

>From: Malanding Jaiteh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Sabiji/Sukuta
>Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2005 14:33:50 -0400
>
>Mr. Baldeh, I agree with you that some of the European accounts of
>Gambian/african history is full of holes. This is particularly true of
>post 1800 writers like Reeve and Archer. Nonetheless I believe it is
>possible to seive through all that to get a better understanding of what
>really happened.
>
>From the little I read, many of the writers agreed on a few things;
>1. At the time of European arrival  the people along river (primarily
>Mandinka and some Wolof) were subjects of  "Boor Meli" or "Batti Mansa"
>(somewhere in Mali).
>2. The majority of these people (Wolof or Mandinka) were not muslims.
>3.  settled among these largely non-muslim nations were muslim
>Fulas/arabs who were allowed to co-exist
>
>Moore 1730 wrote:
>"In every Kingdom and Country on each side of the River there are some
>People of a tawny Colour, call'd Pholeys, much like the Arabs; which
>Language they most of them speak, being to them as Latin in Europe, for
>it is taught in Schools, and their law, the Alcoran, is in that
>language. They are more generally leaned in the Arabick, than the People
>of Europe are in Latin, for they can most of them speak it, tho' they
>have a vulgar Tongue besides, call'd Pholey. They live in Hoards or
>Clan, build Towns, and are not subject to any Kings of the Country, tho'
>they live in their Territories; for if they are ill-treated in one
>Nation, they breakup their Towns, and remove to another. They have
>Chiefs of their own, who rule with so much Moderation, that every Act of
>Government seems rather an Act of the Prople than one Man. This Form of
>Government goes on easily, because the people are of good and quiet
>Disposition, and so well instructed in what is just and right, that a
>Man who does ill, is the Abomination of all, and none will support him
>against the Chief.
>In these Countries the Natives are not avaricious of Lands; they desire
>no more than what they use, and as they do not plough with Horse or
>cattle, they use but very little, therefore the Kings are willing to
>give the Pholeys leave to cultivate Lands, and live in their Countries.
>..."
>the grammar is his and the typos are mind.
>
>Speaks volume of the people, education, land tenure, the process of
>islamization and overall governance in 1730 Gambia.
>I guess the questions are: when and  how did it all become bloody? Was
>it Jihad or resistance to European colonization? Was it the scramble for
>Africa? Was the scramble between Europeans powers (Britain and France)
>or between religions (islam and Christianity)?
>
>As for Sabiji/Sukuta - One town, two names, four legends. Another good
>reason for history scholars to come to our rescue. Says much about the
>history of the Gambia.
>
>That said, Archer and later on Dr Mahoney  mentioned some important
>facts and dates that may give clues to the conflict in the area
>1. 1816 Banjul aquired as crown colony though a treaty with King of
>Kommbo (annual payment $100 Spanish)
>2. 1820 Arrival of colonists and missionaries
>3.  1830s arrival of cargoes of liberated Africans from Sierra Leone
>4. 1840 British Kommbo established to settle some of the liberated
>Africans and make room to service Banjul. Yet another treaty between the
>King and Britain. Border follows present day KMC. Must have been a
>nail-biting moment for the people of Sabiji less 2 miles from their new
>neighbors. Also it is worth noting that Sabiji was one of a handful
>muslim towns in Kommbo at that time.
>5. 1852. trouble brewing between Marabouts and the Sonninkees for
>sometime in Kommbo surfaced. The govenment stepped in on the side of
>King and his people (Soninkees). Sabiji openly defied the King of Kommbo
>and prepared for War
>6. 1853. British forces detroyed Sabiji and removed stockade. As
>punishment, the Alcadie and leading Marabouts taken prisoner. 7. 1853.
>Trouble again in Sabiji. Archer wrote "Sabiji was taken at the point of
>baynet, the Frech troops assisting those of colony".. with heavy
>casuality. It was later  "ascertained that the marabouts of Sabijee was
>led my one Omar, a Moor, who had formerly been an officer in the army of
>Abdel kader...." ala  Al Qaida in Gambia?
>8. 1855. Salum Jartar, King of Kommbo, was shot dead in Busumballa
>9. 1894 Brikama, Gunjour, Sukuta and Busumballa, under Fodi Silla's
>occupation. Fodi was one of the Jihadists/resistance leaders of his
>time  " it was against these towns a special demonstration was was
>considered desirable." (Archer).  February that year Bakote was demolished.
>
>Note the use of Sukuta instead of Sabiji.  It is not clear whether the
>town became Sukuta after the 1850s destruction although the name existed
>before Bakote's destruction or rebuilding.
>
>Just one last additionto the already crowded field of theories.
>
>
>Malanding
>
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