Mr. Hamelberg,
Perhaps some clarification will help focus discussion on the topic at hand.
First the AKU do not have a place in the Gambian Caste system. This
group came into Gambian ethnic politics in 1840. Even then they were
primarily part of British Gambia and till now been restricted to what is
Banjul, Janjanbureh and British Kommbo (KMC).
Secondly Gambian caste system predates Islam. In fact one can claim that
both Sahelian Africans- those bordering the Sahara (Gambia included) and
the pre-Islam Arabs learned from the same teachers- Egyptians.
Thirdly "boy-boy" is an English term. This is the same as "Boy" in east
and southern Africa. The true Gambian term is "Mbindan" - house keeper/
au pair/ maid. Of course you see it used crudely like the "N-word" in
the US. It is true that a large proportion of "Mbindan" in the 70s thru
90s were Jola but had nothing to do with their religion or ehtnicity.
Infact every ethnic group in the Gambia has one time or another been
"Mbindan" or "boy-boy" begining with the AKU and Wolof in the 19th
century. History has it that a number of Wolof came to Banjul from Goree
and other colonial establishments as housekeepers and servants to
Portuguese Mulato Senoras. The AKU with their knowledge of English
became natural helpers to the British. As these two groups climbed the
economic ladder they in turn began having "boy-boy" and "Mbindan". The
AKU had "Boy-boy" housekeepers, garden boys and street vendors drawn
primarily from Mandinka. The term "Nna Aku Kebba" ( my old AKU man)
dates back to this period when AKU were employers and powerful to the
Mandinka. The saying goes that only the AKU were ever "high" or old
enough for the Mandinka to call them "Nna Kebba". All others including
Europeans are assigned less respectful term "Nding" (small) as in "Nna
Surwaa Nding" (my small Wolof), "Nna Fula Nding" (my small Fula0 and
"Nna Tubabu Nding"(my small Tubab). The Wolof were next in line to
have their own house keepers - "Mbindan" - meaning one who is signed up
(help me out Wolof speakers). At this time the Mandinka were "too good"
to be Mbindan as they also found their way to the pot of honey
(political and economic power) with independence and education. The
Jolas were the able and willing in the 70s thu 90s. However the
composition of "Mbindan" has changed since. The last time I was in the
Gambia I saw a number Manjago, Balanta and other Cassamance and Guinea
Bissau nationals in all sorts of home including those of Jola. The fact
is "Mbindan" and "boy-boy" are recent phenomena and artifacts of modern
economic structures.
Finaly, I do not know what "true slavery" is but I can say that there is
no slavery in the Gambian. This does not mean there aren't groups that
would marginalize others based on their ancestry, economic status or
ehtnicity. However discriminations based on caste are largely
disappearing thanks to education and economic.
Malanding Jaiteh
Just to help focus the discussion on the caste system.
Cornelius Edward Hamelberg wrote:
>Suntou,
>
>Thanks for raising this issue.
>
> Let me begin with a question: Where do the AKU, fit into all this? What is their place in the Caste system? How do education/ wealth affect a person's standing? Are men and women equal in the Gambian Caste system? What about the Quranic "Those whom your right hand possess"?
>
>"Boy-boy" is a very Gambian expression which I take to mean, "Underling" "minion" some sort of servant to a "Master". I've heard it said that the Jolas - the ethnic group that has been most resistant to Islam, used to serve the other groups and to some extent be subservient to them. True?
>
>The very first question that comes to mind on reading your complaint: Is there any type of slavery in such a system?
>
>(Let's limit ourselves to the Gambia area)
>
>This is a very interesting topic, if it can be freely discussed, considering that we are used to agreeing with the statement that "All men are equal" - especially in our "one man one vote" societies.
>
>Society is mostly always organised in some hierarchical fashion. Today you have the democratically elected president Jammeh, the equivalent of some ancient King, e.g. Mansa Musa and then you have the loyal citizens among whom are the landowning Lords, chiefs, Dukes, Counts and countesses, Earls, Barons, and maybe also chiefs of Police.....
>
>http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=All+men+are+equal&btnG=Search&meta=
>
>And in the hereafter?
>
>Unfortunately when you say CASTE SYSTEM - it is India that is represented - India's very structured social order from ancient times:
>
>http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=The+Caste+System+in+India&meta=
>
>
> I know that there is a sort of Caste system among the Mandinka, are the Banguras not part of the warrior caste (who would be a sizeable part of the army and police?) Who are the Camaras? Then you have the princes and princesses? The agricultural workers- special caste? The Musicians? The intellectuals?
>But it's not as rigid or as defined as in the ancient Laws of Manu. In India today the Dalits have taken up their cause.
>In the Gambia, surely there is no discriminatory tradition and I'm sure that anyone can be president? True? And in Mauritania?
>
>http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=Dalits+in+India&meta=
>
>http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=Caste%20system%20in%20the%20Gambia
>
>http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=Caste+system+in+the+Gambia&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
>
>Now let me sit back and observe and learn.....
>
>
>
>
>>From: Suntou Touray <[log in to unmask]>
>>Date: 2007/03/29 to PM 12:53:50 CEST
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>獻ne: cast system in the gambia
>>
>>i know this may be an imfamous subject but we need to venture into this
>>
>>territores as well.
>>i have seen evidences of cast system still happening in most parts of the
>>
>>gambia ,the question is should we allow this ugly malnorma to be happenin
>>g
>>at this day and age ?
>>i read a piece here on gambai l about the colour divide in south america
>>
>>especially brazil but what about where the issue is not colour but custom
>>s
>>of old .no one can denied that cast system happens in the gambia and to m
>>y
>>knowledge i have never heard any government agency trying to address this
>>
>>problem.
>>some may be at lost here as cast system or calling certain families of
>>
>>slave decendant don't occure in every part of the gambia. some parts of
>>
>>the kombos don't know
>>cast system,but in the interlands of the gambia it happens.
>>it is a very ugly practice and we need to educate our people about the
>>
>>harmful nature of its continous occurance.
>>i have seen an incidence in u.k last year when a young gambian guy wanted
>>
>>to marry another gambian lady only to be interrupted by some else.
>>the interfarer claim that the lady should try to find out the family clas
>>s
>>of the young man before any marriage proposal can take place. ofcourse th
>>e
>>young lady was shocked at such nonsence but still the marriage plans was
>>
>>altared. when the would be wife asked the man about just thing the man wa
>>s
>>very hurt because back in the gambia his family where regarded as a lower
>>
>>cast. so he though such nonsence will not follow him up to u.k but it did
>>.
>>the would be wife didn't care any way and the marriage happens.but if the
>>
>>family of the young lady had been from the same area as the man the
>>marraige wouldn't have happen. i am not a sociologist , and my family
>>backgroung is not regarded as of lower cast but i am from areas where
>>people are put in there place.
>>i am humblely appealing to gambians brothers and sisters to do away with
>>
>>this old age custom of ours which is worthless and useless ,it doesn't
>>
>>serve any purpose just petty enemity. let freedom reign and brotherhood i
>>n
>>unity bind us together.the human family as always been divided ot all age
>>s
>>and our age is no exception .the number of human beings forced to work fo
>>r
>>others for free is exestimate to over 12.5 million people world wide.
>>the issue of race is sentive but race is not the only problem here.
>>among pulfutas and jahankas labelling a darker complexion ignorant or
>>black is a common words which to me is silly . the jahakans can easily
>>
>>call a non- jahankas ignorant or lacking knowledge just because you are
>>
>>not one of them .
>>the fairer pulfutas regularly do the same. we can elaborate on this topic
>>
>>at lenght ,but as usual people will go back in their cells and behave as
>>
>>if this ugly misnorma doesn't happen. it does.i don't want to name places
>>
>>where it is prevalent but the cast system happens in
>>mandinka ,sarahuleh ,fulla ,jahanka communitees .i don't know about wollo
>>f
>>communitees.even if we can't say any thing about but don't be a party to
>>
>>it.
>>we are all born free. let's remain free.
>>suntou.
>>
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