Mr. Baldeh,
Your point well noted. However each time we try to define things Gambian
I find myself running into one big problem - what is really GAMBIAN? If
what I have learnt so far is correct the Gambia we know today only came
into being about 1890s when France and Britain agreed to swap trading
rights in territories they controlled in Africa and elsewhere. Before
that we had Niumi, Foni, Kiang, Kombo, Fuladu among many. While these
may be part of modern day Gambia one would be hard press to tell us how
much of what they do or say is really Gambian. Even now many among us
(Mandinka/Fula/Wolof) still identify ourselves with where they believe
their ancestors came from - thus Mandinko, Saloum Saloum, Jorr Jorr,
Peul Futa /Futanko the list go on. You ask them they I am Fula pirr from
Mansina or Wolof pirr from Baol not Gambian pirr from Baddibu or is
Badibunka pirr from Baddibu?
I am sure you have got my point now. My problem is not about Abrahamic
(Judaio/Christian/Islamic) origins of the names we have but which name
can we call exclusively Gambian. Once we jump that huddle, we should
have no problem in getting things right.
Malanding
Mo Baldeh wrote:
>Dr. Jaiteh:
>
> For the sake of posterity and possibly in the interest of social research, I think it would be important to state in your introduction that the names listed here are ‘Names of People in The Gambia’ and not exclusively ‘Gambian Names’.
>
> I cannot understand how Elizabeth or Francis, Ismaila or Alieu, Aisha or Habibatou, etc. can be considered Gambian names. It is obvious that these names are of Western or Middle Eastern origin, and did not exist in our society before the advent of Christianity and Islam in Africa. I find it incomprehensible when - each time we baptize a child - we insist on giving him or her a name pulled out from the Bible or the Qur’an as if on the day of reckoning our names are what will determine our fate.
>
> It is such relentless aping of other societies that has left an indelible stain on our culture today; to a point where we sometimes consider it an effrontery to speak our own languages or use our own names.
>
> It was in reaction to such cultural affront that African novelists Ngugi and Achebe decided to drop their Western names. Here is what Achebe had to say regarding his name change, “I was baptized Albert Chinualumogu. I dropped the tribute to Victorian England when I went to the university…” (Hopes and Impediments: 1990).
>
> I hope the Back to Roots movement initiated here and there by African intellectuals will take momentum and arrest the further despoliation of our cultures.
>
> Keep up the good work!
>
> Momodou.
>
>
>Malanding Jaiteh <[log in to unmask]> wrote: Years ago brother Saiks Samateh with the help of many Gambia-lers
>compiled a list of Gambian names. In the process we have over 200
>female- and 300 male names . You can find the list at
>http://www.columbia.edu/~msj42/Common%20Gambian%20First%20Names.htm
>
>this evening I got a call from a young Gambian student working on a
>school project asking for the name of a mandinka musical instrument- one
>used by female Jalolu accompanying the male Kora Jalo or sometimes as
>solo instrument. A kind of a metal pipe (no more 6 to 8 inches long)
>and a long needle (8 to 12 inches). The pipe is held in one and the
>needle is used to sound it. If you know what is called please help me out.
>
>By the same token I am suggesting that we compiled a list of traditional
>instruments of sound and music. If you know one, tell us how it is
>called by the ethnic group who use it and a little description if you
>can. If you have any picture that you would want to share please send it
>to me and I will put it up on the webpage next to the traditional names.
>
>Malanding Jaiteh
>
>¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
>at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html
>
>To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l
>To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
>[log in to unmask]
>¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
>
>
>
>---------------------------------
>Stay in the know. Pulse on the new Yahoo.com. Check it out.
>
>¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
>at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html
>
>To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l
>To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
>[log in to unmask]
>¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
>
>
>
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html
To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
|
