Folks.

Buharry sends his thanks and greetings to you all from Oslo and fyi he
has limited access to the net at the moment but if does he will surely
join you all for more discussions on his brilliant piece on Gambian
culture.

Wish you all a fantastic weekend.

Fye samateh (Niamorkono).



On 8/3/06, Amat <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Thanks for sharing Buharry. The "deterioration and in some instances
> stagnation of Gambian music" can be blamed on one person and one person
> only: Youssou Ndour. This one-man institution single-handedly changed,
> redefined, and continues to personify Senegambian music. Super Eagles and
> Ifangbondi might have pioneered Mbalax, but Youssou Ndour perfected it.
> Youssou Ndour has dominated Senegambian music for so long because of his
> focus, professionalism, and consistency. He has managed to stay relevant in
> the fickle music industry by not only anticipating changes in people's
> taste, but by being the driving force behind those changes. If Youssou
> decides to hum through a whole song, folks will come up with a dance to go
> with the humming! The fact that he has never allowed himself to be reduced
> to just another praise singer, but instead continues to sing about relevant
> social and historical issues, will always endear Youssou to the Senegambian
> people. By the way, it has not escaped me that as a Gambian, my reverence of
> Youssou Ndour proves the very point you made in your analysis, but Youssou
> has raised the bar so high, and kept it there for so long, that any artist,
> Gambian or Senegalese, cannot afford to be mediocre if they expect any love
> from the Senegambian people. So the solution might just be that The Gambia
> needs its own Youssou Ndour.
>
> I also believe that geography makes the Senegalese domination of Gambian
> cultural values, inevitable. They come at us from all sides! The porous
> borders, plus the fact that the Senegalese were beaming images of Senegalese
> culture, art, and music into our living rooms, some 20 years before Gambia
> had its own TV station, can only mean that our choice of  dress, speech, and
> taste in music, will be heavily influenced and informed by the 'Grandes.'
> Besides, the fact that we don't share borders with any other country means
> that we don't have any other cultural influence to counter the combination
> of Senegalese ingenuity and infectious, if not slightly arrogant,
> personalities. Overall, it was a good topic for such an event and you
> definitely did it due diligence.
>
> Amat
>
> Momodou Buharry Gassama <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> [ This e-mail is posted to Gambia|Post e-Gathering by Momodou Buharry
> Gassama ]
>
>
>
> THE CORROSION OF GAMBIAN CULTURE: CAUSES, IMPLICATIONS AND POSSIBLE
> SOLUTIONS.
>
>
>
> By: Momodou Buharry Gassama
>
> Presented at the Gambian Cultural Week In Oslo
>
> Tuesday, 1st. August 2006-07-26
>
>
>
>
>
> The development of a society is determined to a large extent by its
> culture. Culture serves as the foundation that supports development at
> all levels as it shapes attitude. In determining the culture of a
> society, one looks at that society's way of life at a given time, that
> is, the way the society lives, worships, dresses etc. Based on this,
> one can differentiate between various cultures. The culture of the
> Wollofs of The Gambia clearly differentiates them from the Europeans of
> Sweden. Similarly, the culture of the Indians of North America clearly
> differentiates them from the whites of the same continent. The Gambia
> is made up of various tribes with various customs and practices. It is
> the sum total of these various ways of life that makes up Gambian
> culture and by extension the Gambian person. As a partaker in the
> dynamics of Gambian life, the individual is as important in the
> creation of Gambian culture as he / she is a consequence of it. That is
> why it is of vital importance that the shaping of the Gambian
> individual should not be accidental but should be clearly calculated.
> Great care should be taken to identify the qualities that are desired
> and ways and means created to bring forth such qualities. These should
> be nurtured, protected and promoted. In this age of interactivity, it
> is of utmost importance that Gambian culture is protected from the
> negative influences of other cultures and creative means instituted to
> enhance it. This has however not been done with its resultant
> corrosion. The creation of the Gambian individual has not been properly
> thought out but has been left to chance. That is why Gambian society is
> one of the most porous societies in the world. This has resulted in the
> corrosion of cultural values and the transformation of the Gambian
> individual. What has brought about such a state of affairs, what are
> its implications and how can the situation be remedied?
>
>
>
> As alluded to earlier, the failure to actively mould the Gambian
> individual and by extension Gambian culture is one of the main reasons
> for the corrosion of the country's cultural values. The failure or
> inability of the governments hitherto to create institutions,
> structures and mechanisms that would shape and influence the Gambian
> way of life and protect it from the dominating tendencies of outside
> cultures, has meant that many negative aspects of various cultures have
> found their way into the Gambian way of life.
>
>
>
> The bombarding of Gambians with foreign films and television stations
> has had an impact. Over the decades, Indian, American, Chinese,
> Senegalese and now Nigerian and other films have been responsible for
> the transformation of the Gambian character. The lack of local movies
> to counter the influence of the foreign ones has meant that people have
> been fed foreign cultures and many negative tendencies have been picked
> up. The barrage of materialistic tendencies contained in film and
> television such as MTV in the midst of abject poverty has given rise to
> materialism at the expense of cultural values.
>
>
>
> The promotion of foreign cultures especially as it relates to the
> creative arts such as music, at the expense of Gambian ones, is another
> reason for the deterioration of Gambian culture. The deliberate
> sidelining of Gambian musicians during the time of the former and
> current regimes has meant a gradual slide from the heydays of Super
> Eagles to the current wilderness Gambian music finds itself in. As the
> first band in West Africa to blend traditional African drums and
> Western instruments, the creation of the "Mbalax" sound can be
> accurately attributed to Super Eagles and its offshoot, Ifangbondi. The
> popularity of the group grew in West Africa at a time when most African
> countries were gaining independence and the concept of Panafricanism
> was near its zenith. They became one of the hottest groups in the
> region. They were very popular in Senegal at time when Senegalese
> musicians were mostly playing Latin music and Senegalese commentators
> were urging Senegalese musicians to adopt Super Eagle's approach and
> play Senegambian music when the group metamorphosed into Ifangbondi.
> The then PPP regime, without a clear cultural policy to enhance
> artistic expression, together with the Gambian populace and other
> factors resulted in the gradual decline of Super Eagles and subsequent
> groups. This was exacerbated by the bringing in of Senegalese musicians
> to perform on state holidays and functions at the expense of Gambian
> groups, a practice that still continues.
>
>
>
> Another reason for the decay of Gambian culture is the lack of
> facilities and structures that create, enhance and nurture culture. The
> lack of basic facilities for use by cultural practitioners has resulted
> in their inability to produce material to feed the need of Gambians.
> The lack of suitable training and support institutions has meant that
> cultural practitioners have basically relied on themselves and the
> result has in many instances been less than satisfactory.
>
>
>
> Lack of finance and the reluctance of the business community to invest
> in Gambian cultural activities and institutions have resulted in
> substandard products that find it difficult to compete on equal footing
> with foreign imports. The failure of the governments since independence
> to invest in the cultural infrastructure of the country is also a
> contributory factor. As with all sectors, lack of investment and
> finance means a lack of suitable facilities with the resultant lack of
> quality output.
>
>
>
> Cultural practitioners also contribute to the deterioration of Gambian
> culture. The laissez faire attitude and the failure to create a
> respectable and saleable image are also to blame. The attitude of the
> early musicians, some of whom would not respect contractual
> obligations, respect stage etiquette etc. did not help and the negative
> image created since is still alive and affecting perception. The
> failure of the artists to research and find out the likes and dislikes
> of their customers means creating a product based on chance.
>
>
>
> Lack of patriotism and the apparent inability of the Gambian
> individual to support artists based on the desire to contribute to the
> promotion of Gambian culture is another factor. Whilst it is the
> prerogative of the individual to invest in a product that makes one
> happy, the need to promote the general good should enable people to
> realise the need to sometimes forego personal desires and support
> Gambian culture in order to help it develop. Given the fact that
> Gambian culture has not been invested in for a long time, it needs to
> be realised that for Gambian artists to compete with foreign imports,
> they need the support of the population both materially and morally.
>
>
>
> Yet another factor is the lack of statutory instruments and bodies to
> protect artists from exploitation and piracy. This means that artists
> barely realise anything from their creations. Many cultural
> practitioners face extreme difficulty scraping together the necessary
> finance to invest in the creation of their products. After succeeding,
> they watch in vain as others who have invested in the odd tape or video
> recorder benefit from their hard work. Information was received that
> there was movement toward legislating copyright laws (if it hasn't
> already been passed). This is good news.
>
>
>
> Music promoters and deejays bear a major responsibility for the
> deterioration and in some instances stagnation of Gambian music. Their
> investment in Senegalese musicians at the expense of Gambians has meant
> that Gambian artists don't have the exposure they need. At Gambian
> parties, one wonders whether there are any musicians in The Gambia or
> why the parties are labelled Gambian parties. This applies to both
> private and public occasions. One attends events such as Gambian
> Cultural Weeks, ALD etc. and in some instances not a single Gambian
> song is played. Gambian music promoters invest so much in Senegalese
> musicians contracting them to tour and in some instances producing
> them. This has meant the enrichment and development of Senegalese
> musicians and the degradation of their Gambian counterparts. The basic
> excuse is usually that Gambian musicians don't play what the Senegalese
> play and are not good enough but nobody pauses to ask how they can
> develop given that all their efforts are rejected and the necessary
> support they need is given to foreign musicians at their expense.
>
>
>
>
>
> The failure to fully integrate culture into the country's educational
> structure also bears responsibility. The elementary arts and craft that
> is part of the curriculum does not address the competence desired to
> prepare artists to produce competitive products. The non-inclusion of
> culture as a subject comprising music education, dance, oral and
> cultural history and drama from elementary to high school inhibits
> cultural creativity. These are just a few examples of the reasons for
> the corrosion of Gambian culture and in some instance its stagnation.
> What impact does the corrosion of Gambian culture have on The Gambia
> and its population?
>
>
>
> The underrating and rejection in some instances of Gambian culture has
> been manifested in various ways from the artistic to the religious to
> the linguistic. As mentioned earlier, the culture of a society
> determines the type of individual resident in that culture. The
> appreciation of the culture of the society results in the appreciation
> of the individuals in that culture. The underrating of the culture
> results in the underrating of the individual. The result is a society
> without heroes, a society that looks outside for its heroes, a
> lacklustre society devoid of creativity. The biggest beneficiary in
> this instance is Senegal that has dominated Gambian cultural life. When
> Gambians want to seek spiritual guidance, they sideline the spiritual
> leaders and practitioners in The Gambia and travel to Senegal. When
> Gambians want to listen to Senegambian music, they opt for Senegalese
> music. When Gambians want to watch Senegambian films, they go for the
> Senegalese. While this might on the surface seem harmless, its effects
> on the national psyche are devastating. The looking outside for
> solutions has left a society without creativity. This is manifested in
> many ways leading to the mediocre performance of Gambian society in
> many sectors.
>
>
>
> The lack of development within the musical sector means the
> appreciation of foreign ones. As it is human tendency to identify with
> those one holds in high esteem, many Gambians try to emulate not only
> their foreign heroes but the cultures they represent. This is why one
> sees Gambian-Jamaicans, Gambian-Americans etc. That is why any dance or
> chorus line of a Senegalese song is readily adopted and becomes part of
> Gambian life. Senegalese dance styles such as "doh bi", "saa nehh"
> dance, "ventilateur", "hors", "leumbeul narr", "mbarass" and many more
> have been copied without question. Some of these dances are extremely
> sensual and antithetical to Gambian cultural values. Their unchecked
> intrusion into Gambian culture has a negative impact on the Gambian
> character. The same goes for the MTV-style music videos of skimpily
> dressed females dancing in provocative fashion and the culture of drug
> use inherent in Jamaican music.
>
>
>
> The film industry also brings with it great dangers especially for
> young people. In the countries where they are made, most movies are
> rated by bodies created to gauge what is suitable for viewing by young
> people. Since The Gambia doesn't have such bodies, movies are freely
> watched by all. Movies rated r or even x-rated movies are watched by
> young people further corrupting their values. Some of these movies are
> serious threats to the behavioural patterns of the Gambian population
> in that they carry too much violence, drugs, sex etc. This has in turn
> contributed to the increase in violence, crime and other vices.
>
>
>
> The religious area is not spared. The search for religious and
> spiritual guidance and solutions usually leads outside Gambia. The
> Senegalese religious sector as in many areas completely dominates and
> manifests itself in many ways. In some extreme situations, Gambian
> religious occasions and celebrations are postponed because many people
> travel to Senegal to participate in various celebrations there. Because
> of the preference for Senegalese religious leaders, Gambian religious
> leaders have found it difficult to reach prominence. Religious leaders,
> such as the late Alh. Babou Samba and many others have not been given
> the recognition they deserve. As microcosms of Gambia, Gambian
> communities abroad repeat and perpetuate the same tendencies. Apart
> from the Senegalese, Arab and Christian evangelists propagate all types
> of religious doctrines without challenge. Some of these doctrines
> contradict and in some instances even negate the basic tenets of Islam
> and Christianity but are accepted.
>
>
>
> Another impact of the corrosion of Gambian culture and the preference
> for foreign cultures is economic and infrastructural. Because of the
> investment in foreign cultural products especially Senegalese, the
> cultural industry there has developed and the Gambian one has
> stagnated. Gambia lacks basic production facilities because Gambians
> have not invested in Gambian culture. The total investment in
> Senegalese cultural products does not reflect on Gambia but helps to
> put Senegal firmly on the world map. Gambia has played a big part in
> the catapulting of most Senegalese artists to the positions they hold
> but this has not benefited Gambia. Apart from the mentioning of Gambian'
> s name in a song to satisfy and in some instances inflate an ego or
> two, Gambia and Gambians do not benefit from the success of the
> Senegalese cultural industry. Every budding Senegalese musician sings
> about how Gambians are "tabbeh" or generous but is it a question of "
> tabbeh" or "waaneh"? As the adage goes, charity begins at home. The
> same applies to religious and spiritual leaders. It is not strange to
> see Gambians queue with their hard earned cash when a Senegalese "
> serign" or marabout comes to town or send money to Senegalese musicians
> even without their asking for it. In some instances, these same people
> have been hounded by requests for financial assistance from their
> relatives back home and have failed to honour such requests. At shows
> and private occasions, Gambians "miraas" themselves when a Senegalese
> musician mentions their name in a song but give coins to a Gambian
> musician who does the same.
>
>
>
> Another impact is the strangulation of Gambian creativity as
> creativity is not rewarded. This is manifested in the laziness that
> characterises Gambian designers, hair dressers and others who work with
> the creative arts. This has given rise to a copy culture instead of a
> creative one. Instead of creating fashion designs, hairstyles etc.,
> Gambians just copy these be it from Nigeria, USA, Senegal or some other
> place. Because these things are copied from other places, many tend to
> subconsciously view products that come from those countries as superior
> whilst Gambian ones are inferior. That is why if one puts a 100%
> quality product in very nice packaging labelled "made in The Gambia"
> and a 10% quality product in a less attractive package labelled "made
> in Nigeria", "made in Senegal" etc., the average Gambian would probably
> choose the foreign product.
>
>
>
> In the linguistic area, Senegal and Gambia share nearly all languages.
> Gambia has lately not contributed to the development of the languages
> especially Wollof but has relied on the creation of popular expressions
> by Senegal. Senegalese expressions have made their way into Gambian
> Wollof from Senegalese music and films. Expressions such as "moko yorr"
> , etc. have become fashionable among Gambians. Even when Gambians want
> to prove that they are speaking proper Wollof, they acquire a
> Senegalese accent. When a Gambian and Senegalese are speaking to each
> other, the tendency is for the Gambian to put on a Senegalese accent
> and not the other way round. This demonstrates an inferiority complex
> brought about by decades of cultural domination. The flood of Nigerian
> movies into the country has ushered in the beginnings of another area
> of cultural domination. Imitating Nigerian dialects and using
> expressions, dress styles and other things from Nigerian films is
> increasing. If caution is not taken, the negative aspects of Nigerian
> life will soon become a part of Gambian life.
>
>
>
> After discussing the corrosion of Gambian culture, some of its causes
> and the impact on Gambian society, what can be done to remedy the
> situation? Many solutions present themselves, some easy to implement
> and others difficult. The need to remedy the situation is however
> apparent. Whilst some of the following suggestions might not be the
> panacea to the problems facing Gambian culture, they are at least
> starting points. Whilst some of the suggestions are mine, others have
> been derived from the study of national culture policies of Jamaica,
> Nigeria, South Africa, Sweden and the Council of Europe. Whilst the
> Gambia National Council for Arts and Culture has a culture policy, some
> of the suggestions herein contained can aid in upgrading it.
>
>
>
> The first is to have a clear set of achievable cultural goals based on
> a clear vision related to the envisioned Gambian individual. This
> should be complemented with the necessary structures and mechanisms
> necessary for their achievement. This means that the national cultural
> goals should not be vague but should be clear, pragmatic and
> achievable. The environment under which they are going to be achieved
> should be conducive. This should be an environment that that fosters,
> rewards and protects creativity.
>
>
>
> As education is a very important component of creativity, cultural
> education should be an integral part of the national curriculum. This
> means that music education, dance, drama, creative writing and
> composition, poetry etc. should be taught from primary through high
> school. Students who excel should be encouraged through grants,
> scholarships, international cultural exchanges etc. A national school
> of the arts should be created to enable students who want to further
> their education in culture to do so. Art educators and trainers should
> be professionally trained to provide quality education to aspiring
> students. Research projects to identify problem areas, identify
> possible solutions and document Gambian culture and cultural trends
> should be initiated.
>
>
>
> Another important remedy is to build the infrastructure necessary to
> make it possible for artists to produce qualitative cultural content,
> effectively market and distribute it. The investment in recording
> studios, production houses etc. should be encouraged by the government.
> Both private and public finance should be sought and invested. The
> government should create incentives for the private sector to invest in
> the industry. Investors should be encouraged to invest in the latest
> technologies necessary to produce products that can compete
> internationally. Tariff barriers and duties on culture and ancillary
> products should be removed to encourage both artists and businesses and
> facilitate investment. The government should also create a cultural
> fund and encourage businesses, parastatals and NGOs to contribute to
> it. Artists and other cultural workers can apply for grants to buy
> needed materials.
>
>
>
> As the media plays a very important role in the promotion and
> distribution of cultural content, the government should create a policy
> and enact necessary legislation to ensure that cultural practitioners
> get the exposure they need and to ensure that foreign artists do not
>
> === message truncated ===
>
>
>
> BELIEVE THOSE WHO ARE SEEKING THE TRUTH. DOUBT THOSE WHO FIND IT. Andre Gide
> (1869 – 1951),
>
>
> ________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Next-gen email? Have it all with the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta.
>
>

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