My Dear Baba Galleh: Very many thanks for your wonderful comments, and I am flattered that you described me as some one brilliant. And I am deeply honored by that. I thought that you had misunderstood my first critiquing, but let bygones be bygones and let's bury the hatchet. A well schooled guy like you should not come down to the level of personal satirizing, but rather edge up to a more advanced height. Please, let Jatta and small lay down low and let's do our thing. If I have time on my hands, I will continue to critique your writings, but I may not always have time to do that. In any case, thanks again for your wonderful description. Continue on with your new broader themes. Ansumana Kujabi >From: Omar Hatab <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: LIFE IN OUR LITTLE TOWN - Part One(BETTER REFINED SATIRE:GOOD > JOB THIS TIME) >Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 15:11:22 -0000 > >Dear Mr Kujabi > >Thanks so much again for a job very well done! Honestly, you are one of the >most clever guys I've ever come across! You are really so clever that I >know >not what to say! The question for me is - to say or not to say?!!! That is >the question! >I do really appreciate your brilliant critique which, this time around, has >not only captured the inner essence of my story, but also its hidden spirit >and open-ended matter. I hope you enjoy the remaining parts of this story. >And indeed, as you so very brilliantly put it, you have ruffled my feathers >so hard that they are all currently stiff and widely splayed, like so many >spears pointed at the four corners of the skies!! Please continue giving me >your brilliant citiques, so that I can find always find ways and means of >improving upon my writings and reaching higher heights. Once yet again, >thanks so much Mr Kujabi sir. I'm very highly pleased and impressed, and >more than the word honoured!! God bless. >Baba > > >>From: Ansumana Kujabi <[log in to unmask]> >>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list >><[log in to unmask]> >>To: [log in to unmask] >>Subject: Re: LIFE IN OUR LITTLE TOWN - Part One(BETTER REFINED SATIRE:GOOD >> JOB THIS TIME) >>Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 08:41:49 -0000 >> >>MY DEAR BABA GALLEH JALLOW: >> >>As you have already lamented earlier on, you were absolutely right that it >>paid off enormously to RUFFLE your feathers. This is chiefly due to the >>fact >>that this time around, you came up with a very brilliant SATIRE, and >>believe >>me, this comment is from the bottom of my heart, for my RUFFLING of your >>feathers is NOW tremendously benefiting every member of the L Forum, >>rather >>than creating confusion, misrepresentation, malaise and a very deep >>division >>amongst us all. Let me reassure you, I have a HOLLYWOOD STYLE of >>critiquing, >>and which has now paid off for us. Instead of PERSONAL SATIRIZING, you >>STYLE >>has thus changed and greatly improved this time around. Your this piece >>has >>SENSE OF DIRECTION and PINPOINTED ACCURACY to it. To state it more >>precisely, this time around, you have tailored, polished, sliced and >>positively altered the PRINCIPAL THEME of your satire from a PERSONAL to a >>more TRADITIONAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL, RELIGIOUS and POLITICAL THEMES. >>To further give weight to my critiquing, I have extracted my analyses from >>your first paragraph(see quotation below). >> >>In your first paragraph, you and BROTHER RENE have stroke similar cords OF >>CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE. Whiles Brother Rene, in his excerpt, has vividly >>described SAMBA as a humble country boy who has been fortunate enough to >>have been educated and acquired a "White Man Job" in the City, and always >>far away from home, his father, PA GORGI, has been greatly concerned >>because >>he fears that since old age nears him and his health failing, when he dies >>their tradition and culture will be lost because his one and only Son, >>SAMBA >>is DRIFTING into "CAFE INTELLECTUALISM", and PA GORGI does not want that >>to >>happen. >> >>Baba, your first paragraph on the other hand, is highlighting the >>RELIGIOUS >>SIGNIFICANCE and NATURALNESS of the tradition PA GORGI is fighting >>tirelessly to protect and prevent from being diluted and forgotten >>totally. >>The important question is how are you able to accomplished this. You have >>approached this from three distinct angles: Religious perspective, >>Enviromental Perspective and Political Perspective (1) You have >>demonstrated >>that there is always a NORMAL and SERENE life style in the Villages no >>matter what WIND of CHANGE may blow through the Village, and there will >>always be a TRANQUIL atmosphere. As you have mentioned in the first >>paragraph:"Not even the greatest storms and tornadoes could disturb the >>smooth musical rhythm of life in our little town". The above sentence has >>clearly indicated the strong influence religion has on our local people, >>that is to say, they still deeply believe that GOD MAKES LEADERS, >>therefore, >>we should all be humble and have patience till God brings another leader >>for >>us. To put the above point into its proper context, what it means is that >>since God brought PRESIDENT JAMMEH to us, therefore, we should all be >>humble >>and have enough patience to wait till another leader emerges from God; >>despite all what Jammeh has put them through, and with all the TORNADOES >>of >>intimidation, harassment, torture and killings, life is still absolutely >>normal in the BABA GALLEH LITTLE TOWN. >>(2) From an enviromental point of view, Baba, you have drawn an >>incomparable >>environment between the Western World and your little town's narrow, dry >>and >>sandy surroundings. The narrow streets of your little village which has >>dry >>bushes and often windy due to the dry HAMATTAN WIND that blows from the >>SAHARA to the ATLANTIC OCEAN is quite distinct from the much wider paved >>streets in the Western World which are fully electrified, and only a snowy >>winter may temper with the power. (3) Finally, your Satire has stroke a >>political cord, which I had earlier on criticized you for, but >>unfortunately >>you misunderstood me. Your remaining paragraphs have exposed the pompous >>life style of the Politicians of our generation. These politicians enjoy >>big >>money, women and Wine upon Wine and driving fancy cars(Pajeros), without >>regard to human life. >> >>To conclude, Baba, my critiquing this time should reassure you that I did >>not mean to cause malaise or personal attacks the first time around, but >>instead, I wanted you to refocus your brilliant Satires on this kind of >>VERY >>FINE work of yours, rather than focusing on themes such as KHANTEI, >>JAHASAY >>ENTERPRISE, RHINEHART SOBER LOOK, ETC. Both you and RENE have been >>lamenting >>on similar themes, but have approached it from differing angles. Your >>situation makes me to wonder why AFRICAN INTELLECTUALS do not like tough >>and >>passionate critiquing, unlike their Western counterparts. Critiquing can >>only enhance your ability to face tougher and bit by bit harsher >>critiquing, >>and more importantly, it does encourage efficiency and effectiveness. To >>that end, I extend to you and Brother RENE, a sincere appreciation. >> >>Ausumana Kujabi:(THIRD-Truth Telling, Honesty, Integrity, Responsibility >>and >>Democracy) >> >>"Unlike all other towns, life in our little town was always normal. Not >>even >>the greatest of storms and tornadoes could disturb the smooth musical >>rhythm >>of life in our little town. Come hail or wind, rain or shine, our little >>town remained calm and serene, its life patterned along age-old traditions >>and established norms. >>The small streets of our little town were paved with air and marked by >>rows >>and rows of beautiful thorn bushes, sharp and pricking to the touch, which >>grew freely and lent an added tranquility to the atmosphere. Here and >>there >>were big trees under which were erected big wooden beds that served as >>meeting places for the learned among our common townsfolk. There under the >>cool shades of those mighty trees, they would discuss every subject under >>the sun and carry on their learned debates, day in, day out. >> >> >> >>>From: Omar Hatab <[log in to unmask]> >>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list >>><[log in to unmask]> >>>To: [log in to unmask] >>>Subject: LIFE IN OUR LITTLE TOWN - Part One >>>Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 22:45:44 -0000 >>> >>>LIFE IN OUR LITTLE TOWN - Part One >>>By Baba Galleh Jallow >>> >>> >>>Unlike all other towns, life in our little town was always normal. Not >>>even >>>the greatest of storms and tornadoes could disturb the smooth musical >>>rhythm >>>of life in our little town. Come hail or wind, rain or shine, our little >>>town remained calm and serene, its life patterned along age-old >>>traditions >>>and established norms. >>>The small streets of our little town were paved with air and marked by >>>rows >>>and rows of beautiful thorn bushes, sharp and pricking to the touch, >>>which >>>grew freely and lent an added tranquility to the atmosphere. Here and >>>there >>>were big trees under which were erected big wooden beds that served as >>>meeting places for the learned among our common townsfolk. There under >>>the >>>cool shades of those mighty trees, they would discuss every subject under >>>the sun and carry on their learned debates, day in, day out. >>>Society in our little town was divided into several distinct strata. >>>Right >>>at the peak of the social pyramid perched our most prominent bigwigs, the >>>fat-potbellied moneybags who controlled the strings of all our bulging >>>purses and drove around in brand new Pajeros and other expensive cars. >>>These >>>were the Smoothface Beevys and Fatcheek Rattys, the Tonton Luhatis and >>>Jelyeb Lebatis, the really great names whose mere utterances activated >>>the >>>juicy glands of our common townsfolk. Nicknamed the untouchables, these >>>our >>>most prominent bigwigs led a life of ease and plenty. They led what was >>>commonly known in our little town, as ‘flamboyant lifestyles.’ >>>The favourite past time of our famous moneybags was to ride their >>>fattened >>>mares at the golden dusk of our little town, waving their flywhisks at >>>our >>>amazed common townsfolk as they trotted gaily by, and letting out small >>>shrieks once in a while, so as not to be mistaken for impersonators. For >>>of >>>late, some of our dishonest common townsfolk with no money and little >>>brains >>>had taken to riding stolen mares along the streets of our little town, >>>pretending to be untouchable moneybags so as to be able to dupe one >>>innocent >>>victim or the other. But now, with their special shrieks, the real >>>moneybags >>>could be distinguished from the fake ones. >>>A rung down the top of our social ladder were our less prominent bigwigs, >>>the Toughlip Weakys and Bigman Smallys, the Wahyeb Diyamus, Nehal >>>Lambalehs >>>and Momkai Degalas whose defining characteristic was their nearness to >>>the >>>real moneybags. They made up the administrative cadre of the prominent >>>council of our little town. Owing to their fabled garrulous cleverness >>>and >>>nimble minds, they were also the chief advisers in many a giant business >>>in >>>our little town. These had no fattened mares to ride in our golden >>>sunsets, >>>but they owned beautiful Japanese and Chinese cars, which they loved to >>>slowly drive before our famous moneybags, honking their horns and waving >>>their left hands out the windows to make way for their prominent bosses. >>>Their favourite past time was to sit around our prominent moneybags, >>>listening to tall tales of gallantry and exploits, and giving advice >>>where >>>needed and even where not needed. They were truly, the most spectacular >>>lot >>>in the social cocktail of our little town. >>>Next on the social ladder, almost parallel to our less prominent bigwigs, >>>were the quiet ones of our little town: the Norpil Degalas and Fangkung >>>Mofiseshs, whose defining characteristic was silence, but who >>>nevertheless >>>contributed immensely in making our little town what it was: A lively hub >>>of >>>exciting activity that was the pride of the centuries. >>> >>> >>>_________________________________________________________________________ >>>Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. >>> >>>---------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >>>Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >>>You may also send subscription requests to >>>[log in to unmask] >>>if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write >>>your >>>full name and e-mail address. >>>---------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >>_________________________________________________________________________ >>Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. >> >>---------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >>Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >>You may also send subscription requests to >>[log in to unmask] >>if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write >>your >>full name and e-mail address. >>---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >_________________________________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >You may also send subscription requests to >[log in to unmask] >if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your >full name and e-mail address. >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------