To: Karamba,
I am not tempted to reply this load of rubbish from you but I will not do
justice to myself, if I do not put to you that you are if not biggest Idiot
and Ignorant on this earth. You did not believe in what you saw, you know
nothing on what you saw nor hear, but you still ascribe your name and
negative attitude with such ill thought commentaries of no basis at all.
People like you made so many decent gambians stop contributing to such a
wonderful media tool, I do not know what you expects to achieve with such
negative comments.
If by chance you decides to grow up, one might dwell on the concept of
WASILLAH/talibeh,which I am quite convince you will never benefit from.

salam,
koto faal
>From: [log in to unmask]
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: The 'Serigne/Marabout" Concept
>Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 20:09:07 EST
>
>A while back someone I know flew all the way from Europe to the U.S to
>attend
>what was billed as a Gammo. The principal attraction of the event was a
>middle aged guy from Senegal who I later learned was affiliated with one of
>the powerful brotherhoods that constitute the majority of Senegalese
>Muslims.
>Diaspora Senegalese have a well established tradition of maintaining their
>ties to the home based groups and would periodically invite the serigne to
>come here to America to rekindle ties and nurture the relationship between
>Serigne and Talubeh. Having been born in a family that essentially
>practiced
>Islam in a simple and straightforward way devoid of the brotherhood
>affiliations, I did not understand or appreciate the Serigne/Marabout-
>Talubeh dynamics I saw manifested at this particular Gammo event my friend
>crossed continents to attend. When I got to the Gammo venue around 4.00am
>to
>pick my friend up, I ended up staying for the remaining two hours of the
>event and what I saw    can only be described as something of a mixed bag.
>On
>the one hand I was thrilled to see fellow Muslims congregate and bask in
>the
>glory of the Lord and reminding each other on the virtues of faith with the
>added bonus of a knowledgeable person offering services. The recitations
>were
>beautifully and energetically delivered and the audience seem to be really
>on
>a spiritual upswing. On the other hand I also sensed a profoundly unhealthy
>dynamic that existed between the Serigne and his audience. It began with
>the
>atmospherics such as the seating in which they had the Serigne perched up
>on
>some kind of an elevated imperial chair on a small stage with a phalanx of
>alternate volunteers doing everything from pretending to be fanning him
>when
>it was a cold night to serving him snacks. There was also relentless
>adulation from a core group of handlers that seemed to be designed to
>validate the supposed stature of the Serigne to an audience already
>enamored
>by him. I also sensed the Serigne expertly playing to these statements of
>awe
>and adulation by occasionally dropping a tear or two in a display of
>emotions. Incase some in the audience forgot, he reminded them that all of
>the credit for whatever they may think he represents actually belonged to
>his
>father who I gather was also a big Serigne. He also had on that night the
>same kind of wide rimmed sunglasses and facial hair style his late father
>sported. I have noticed that an important aspect of the Serigne concept
>revolves around the perception and to the extent possible the reality of
>continuity. That is the only way it can be a family thrust  and like
>royalty
>it is very important to both maintain old supporters and woo new ones and
>appearances are vital in that respect.  The serigne's handlers were very
>clever in that they combined savvy marketing and high pitched evangelism to
>hawk pictures of the Serigne and selected verses chosen for the loyal
>Talubehs both of which are suitable for framing according to the peddlers.
>The high pressure sales tactics worked brilliantly as veiled women and
>Haftaned guys dug into their pockets to purchase merchandise. At the end of
>the night I was left pondering this question: What is the exact nature of
>the
>relationship between a Serigne and a Talubeh? Is it purely a religious
>bond?
>Is it socio -religious? Is it a cultural  relationship? I do recognise that
>it is ultimately upto the individual to chose in matters of faith. We are
>all
>entitled to our own perceptions and interpreting religion such as the way
>different schools of thought have done leaves room for practices that may
>look unorthodox to some. Clearly supporters of these sects feel pretty good
>about maintaining the clerical dynasties that function in their midst
>because
>on that night i went to see that Gammo, the attendees displayed profound
>gratitude and a real sense of spiritual renewal . I suspect that is why the
>brotherhoods have not only lasted for as long as they did but continue to
>thrive. For those of us who remain outside of the brotherhoods , the
>concept
>of the Serigne remains unappealing. I believe quite a bit of our cultural
>baggage has seeped into our practice of Islam over the years. That is why I
>would much prefer to subsidise a religious school with a published and
>acrredited curriculum than cater to the supposed stature and inherited
>wisdom
>of a clerical dynasty. I just believe having a Serigne with two,threeand
>four
>wives with dozens of underfed Talubehs who spend years doing studies that
>can
>otherwise be accomplished in a far shorter duration in proper institutional
>settings is a thing of the past.
>     Karamba
>
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