Hi Mariama

I think it is quite a misquote by calling the Afriacan continent "great".
The continent of Africa could have been a great place if it was not for the
very very greedy, selfish and inhumane leadres it has raised since it became
"independant" from the colonists. It is a darn shame!!!

Chi Jama

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mariama Diop" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2001 4:09 PM
Subject: Re: Culture of poverty or poverty of culture


> Thanks to all for that interesting reaction to my remarks. I guess we're
all
> entitled to our appreciation and analysis of what constitutes African
> culture.
> In a nutshell, I strongly believe that Africa  has failed to look into
> itself and its values for answers to its development hurdles. And until it
> does, this great continent of ours will continue to be marginalised and
the
> steroetypes we hate so much will forever be part of the world's portrayal
of
> us.
>
>   What a shame it is to have to acknowledge that I  cannot read or write
in
> my mother tongue, or  in any of the other  Gambian languages. I wonder how
> many of us are literate  or even fluent in  any one of the seven Gambian
> languages? How many of us know the history of Fulladou West as well as we
> master all the details of the the Great Trek, or about the Swing of the
> pendulum" or about Devolution in United Kingdom?....  Do we ever stop to
> think about how much it costs us all stock our supermarkets, stores and
> houses with imports of all sorts,   furniture, textile, processed foods
> ,jasmine rice from Thailand, clothing, detergent you name it)How much do
we
> squander on all those white elephant projects we embark on to beautify our
> urban areas?
> These are some of the disturbing realities that I alluded to in my quick
> reaction to Maria's piece.
>
> >From: Rene  Badjan <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> ><[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: African Culture Or A State Of Underdevelopment?
> >Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 20:34:25 EDT
> >
> >Mariama,
> >         Your point is well noted. May be, we should also realize that
the
> >issue is not so much as to the poverty of culture, but instead the
culture
> >of
> >poverty. Our culture is our way of life. Regardless of our stations in
> >life,
> >the values and norms that characterized our culture, are permanent
imprints
> >that leave marks on the sands of time. Whether it is in Banjul, or in
> >Wahington or New York or elsewhere, the way Gambians celebrate their joys
> >and
> >mourn their sorrows is essentially the same. The essence that validates
> >these
> >shared values is rooted in a deep sense of identity; a sense of
belonging.
> >It
> >is not a surprise then, that a child who is born to a Gambian but the
other
> >parent from a different culture, here is the USA or anywhere else, might
go
> >through the same cultural rites of christening as the child born in the
> >Gambia.
> >
> >     Secondly, most of the artifacts and the outward symbolisms of our
> >culture, are concrete manifestations of the relevance they permeate in
the
> >past, whether for good or ill. The fears of the people, their beliefs and
> >spirituality, their passions and tradegies, which had been an integral
part
> >of the very basis of their existence, are the core representations of
most
> >of
> >the rites and ceremonies that shaped our culture. Whether it is the
> >Kankurang
> >or the initiation ceremonies into manhood, or the songs( kassak) that
> >reverberates their melody from the confinements of the circumcised, to
the
> >family that eats together in one bowl under the big Mango tree, the
> >cultural
> >traits are as potent as the  drums that gathered the community together
for
> >a
> >dance. This is what we should celebrate, but not the huts or dilapidated
> >Keringting houses that characterized the poverty of the people. Poverty
> >should not be equated with culture. People are subjected to poverty.
> >Culture
> >is their way of life.
> >
> >    Rene
> >
>
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