Thanks again Suntou for sharing ..You are right i have dual belongings and i
also have good memories from both sides as well.. I am looking forward to
visit most of it next time am in Gambia...

Niamorkono..


On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 5:44 PM, suntou touray <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Thanks Faye for the kind words. *"But will you agree Africans could have
> written and understand their history better with oral narrations than what
> we are still learning from the white man."* Fye
> Edward Saed eloquently captured that concept in his seminal work,
> Orientalism. In it he demonstrated how every non-white society is made into
> a field of expertise by the western institutions of learning. I think in our
> context, if you follow the works of the likes of David Gamble, Charlort
> Quinn, Prof Thomas Arnold etc etc, you will detect that, they were able to
> textualise our oral history and folklure into something many can understand.
> However, they did that at the expense of very many key local understanding
> and dialectics.
> This is why, before the remnants of the bards are gone forever, we should
> capture what they know. Fina Seyrifou Camara, Finna Dahaba, Fina Yahya
> Camara are folks who still can narrate this things non-stop for hours. But
> they are getting old. Fina Seyrifou use to tour with the late Lalo Kebba,
> hence he is well verse. Try reading David Gamble and listen to the oral
> narrations, he leave out many details that are quiet the fascinating real
> deal. Hence, I agree with you. What the external expert tries to record is
> half the story.
>
> Interesting to hear that, you have a dual regional belongings. Haruna is
> likewise. He is from Diabuku but escape to Pipeline, then Burufut. Likewise
> many of my Inlaws from Gunjure. Sukuta is their second home...This is why,
> we are all well place to accomodate each other..
> Thanks and extend my greetings to the family.
> Suntou
>
> On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 1:11 AM, Fye samateh <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
>
>> Thanks for sharing Suntou...But will you agree Africans could have written
>> and understand their history better with oral narrations than what we are
>> still learning from the white man..By the way i am a Niuminka though i was
>> born in Niamina Dankunku due to my father's business relations in the MID
>> and Upper River..But both my parents were born in Albadarr (Albreda ) from
>> the Samatehs and the Jattas...
>>
>> However the last Sonko chief from SIKA for upper niumi was Landing Omar
>> Sonko ( L O ) But what i heard from another narrative the Mansaya was given
>> to them during the Islamic revolution but not by inheritance...Do you know
>> any thing about that ?
>>
>> Abaraka imokende
>> Niamorkono
>>
>>
>>
>>   On Mon, May 30, 2011 at 2:23 PM, suntou touray <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
>>
>>>   The Twelve Queens of Niumi<http://suntoumana.blogspot.com/2011/05/twelve-queens-of-niumi.html>
>>>
>>> <http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SRYejh83LOw/TeNj4yWVwII/AAAAAAAAAPE/uTrZXGR_L5c/s1600/Chasseur_bambara%255B1%255D.jpg>
>>>
>>> By Suntou Touray (Oral narration by Finna Camara)
>>> Oral historians and bards salute the twelve queens of Niumi from the
>>> ancient past. Niumi lies at the coastal point of the present day Gambia. The
>>> Sonkos who emigrated from the Kaabu Empire settled largely in Niumi.
>>> The Sonko dynasty at some point had only Queens that succeeded each
>>> other, that is until love changes the tradition. The names of the Twelve
>>> Queens are not all recounted by the bards’, however, the number is not
>>> disputed by many oral commentators.
>>> The names frequently mentioned of the Queens are:
>>> *Mama Adama Sonko
>>> Calama Koi Sonko
>>> Nyanpuran Jan Sonko
>>> Sajike Sonko
>>> Sawuya Nding Sonko*
>>> The rest of the Queens are relics of history, all efforts will be made to
>>> try to find out who they are.
>>> The tradition to make women reign came to an end when the beautiful and
>>> most lust after *Queen Mama Adama* couldn’t find a suitable suitor. She
>>> was reigning unmarried for some time. The women league went into full gear
>>> in helping the Queen find a match, a Princely male. (An African hunter in
>>> the photo)
>>> One day, a hunter who frequents the river by *Berending* (a settlement)
>>> was spotted by local women doing their laundry. One of them immediately
>>> suggests that, they should inform the Queen about the man. *Hamadadou
>>> Seckan* is very handsome, tall and strongly built. The adoring women
>>> only wished him for the Queen.
>>> On return to the Village, they went straight to the Queen. The
>>> characteristics of the Hunter were recounted to the attentive Mama Adama.
>>> She without hesitation knew, the women folk at last found her a potential
>>> match, a suitable man.
>>> However, Hamadadou Seckan (*Mansa Demba Sonko*) belongs to the old
>>> tradition of hunters’ secrecy and dress code. This is what makes the story
>>> so intriguing. Hunters in the past wore strange clothes, *woven with
>>> horns, talisman, red ink, animal bones, cowry cells* etc. In short, they
>>> look fearful.
>>> With all the uncanny attire, the towns’ women knew the hunter is a
>>> handsome reveals that, women can tell a lot about men than they pretend to
>>> admit.
>>> The Queen instructed the women to be on the lookout for the Hunter.
>>> “Should he appear, tell him to come and see me”. The women went again to the
>>> river for their usual laundry. Again the Hunter arrives at his usual midday
>>> time. He usually collects water for his dogs, whilst he quenches his own
>>> taste.
>>> The women stood back and call out “Baba Nyima” Handsome man, “our Queen
>>> wish to see you”. Hamadodou Seckan (Mansa Demba) told them, “but you know
>>> that, the way I am dress, I cannot go into town this way”. Hunters enter
>>> their houses through the back door.
>>> The women again informed the Queen that, the hunter came but decline to
>>> visit because he was in traditional attire, he cannot violate that routine
>>> and enter the village the way he is dress. The Queen thinking on her feet
>>> rose up. She thundered that, “tell the hunter to wear whatever clothes you
>>> have that is not yet wet, and come to see me, it is a command”.
>>> The third time, the ladies were desperately waiting for the hunter. As
>>> soon as he surfaced, he was confronted with spear clothes to wear. As soon
>>> they told him you must see the Queen today, he gave them the usual excuses.
>>> They informed him that, he put on the unwashed clothes to see the Queen. To
>>> this suggestion, Hamadadou obliged.
>>> Love Conquers
>>> The fully dressed Hamadadou approached the village of Berending with the
>>> women. As soon as they arrived at the throne of Mama Adama Sonko, she stood
>>> up. She was mesmerised by the beauty of Hamadadou. She instructed him to
>>> seat on her throne. He declined. However, Mama Adama demonstrated her love
>>> by instructing, her largess to beat the *Tabalalo* (special Drum, an
>>> announcer).
>>> The Drum is only sounded on special occasions or in emergency situations.
>>> When the villagers heard the drum, they went straight to the Queen. There
>>> she was, beautiful, elegant and majestic with a broad smile. The elders
>>> enquire what the matter is. Mama Adama with a broad smile says “I have given
>>> myself and throne to this man; this is the man I love and wish to spend the
>>> rest of life with”.
>>> Hamadadou Seckan was Coroneted, *Mansa Demba Sonko*. His last name was
>>> replaced to that of the Queen and he became the King of Niumi who contracted
>>> the Kaabu warrior, the wandering Kelefa Sanneh to bring under the rule of
>>> Niumi the settlement of Barriar. *Kelefa Sanneh* was eventually betrayed
>>> by Mansa Demba himself after the fall of Barriar. Mansa Demba feared that,
>>> Barrair has been a strong antagonist of Niumi Berending. He couldn’t conquer
>>> the town.
>>> His fears were that, in the retelling of the battle of Barrair, the
>>> Sonkos of Niumi will not be narrated, because they relied on the bravery of
>>> a wandering Jawaro (warlord). Kelefa was ambushed by his own host
>>> unexpectedly and killed. Some historians believe that, all this event took
>>> place around the 1820s to 1840s.
>>> *‘Bimuso, muso kajelefe ila korokan, yeba nghee suutele,yaba batonkolon’
>>> Fena Camara is a bard from Sinbanding in Cassamance, his younger brother
>>> is the eloquent poet/historian Yahya Camara base in Dakar.*
>>>  Posted by SUNTOU TOURAY at 02:23<http://suntoumana.blogspot.com/2011/05/twelve-queens-of-niumi.html>
>>>
>>> --
>>> www.suntoumana.blogspot.com
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>>
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>
>
>
> --
> www.suntoumana.blogspot.com
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