Modou,


You raised an interesting debate here. I remember being sent home from 
school to bring my birth  certificate because Ndey was considered by my 
headmaster not to be what we call a real Name. That was the time i 
discovered that my real name was Aminata since they named me after my 
grandmother whose name was Ndey Amie. Even my grandmother no one new she was 
called Aminata everyone knows her of the name Ajie Ndey Secka( May her Soul 
Rest in Peace).  It was a pains taking job becuase i remember my parents 
asking my grandmother what was her real name. I completely refused the name 
and choose to stay with Ndey, it was a battle until my father had to 
intervene. That was how i stayed with Ndey.


It will be interesting to see how many names we will be left with after 
removing the Arabic and Western names.

The Struggle Continues!!
Ndey Jobarteh





>From: Luntang Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list          
>      To: [log in to unmask] Subject: SV: Gambian tradional 
>instruments of sound and music - what are they called? Date: Wed, 16 Aug 
>2006 19:18:56 +0200
>
>I will from now on call you Jiggi and not Jockie.
>
>Luntang
>
>
>----- Ursprungligt meddelande ----- Fr幩: "kebba trawally" Till: Skickat: 
>den 16 augusti 2006 18:30 獻ne: Re: Gambian tradional instruments of sound 
>and music - what are they called?
>
>
>Brother,  I think what we miss here is that those middle estern names are 
>adopted from the arabs when they introduce islam to us.One e:g is my self, 
>my name is jiggi which is very common in the Sarahules but the Mandinkos 
>use to call the same name as bala and the Arabic name for that is Musa.     
>     kebba jiggi Trawally(jockey is what they use call me in the gambia 
>cause the mandingkas cannot pronouce jiggi correctlly.) ----- Original 
>Message ----- From: "Mo Baldeh" To: Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 4:56 
>PM Subject: Re: Gambian tradional instruments of sound and music - what are 
>they called?
>
>
> > 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 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 > > 
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