Bro,
I have been trying to open the link from Dr jaiteh,s email but could not 
still go through,however,if names likes Elisabeth,Francis appeared in the 
list,it is not in the same spirit as we started,I still have my list.The 
basic idea then was to collect as much as possible traditional Gambian name 
all in the spirit of our own identity.Some times I do wonder what rolls in 
the head of the Arabs when you tell them that your name is Abdullah/Muhammed 
?I remeber a Kenyan political activist ,Koigi<writting that,when he came to 
the US in the 60s,whiles in the lundary a woman walked inn and started 
charting with him and when this woman asked him his name,which he told her 
and which was a bibilical one,then they woman responded  " I mean your real 
name" and it was since then he stoped using his bibilical name.But in 
practice I think he failed, I know that he has a son with a bibilical 
name.Lets follow the example of joe and progress. A friend told me that his 
name is a muslim name not knowing that there are Arab Christians with names 
that in Gambia we call muslim names.

For Freedom
Saiks


>From: Mo Baldeh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list              
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Gambian tradional instruments of sound and music - what are 
>they called?
>Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 07:56:55 -0700
>
>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
>
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