Brother Babucar,
Thanks for your comments and personal insight. For us as a people to
continue to assert that there are only 2 options for Africans
(Christianity and Islam) and then to too often engage in a diatribe as
to which is more civilized and that anything other is "demonic",
"uncivilized", etc. is very dangerous and attests to the extent of the
damage and success of the forces of oppression, colonization and
religious expansion (European and Arab). It encompasses all of us to
cease from viewing the world and ourselves through such a limited
indoctrinated manner, to remember the proud people we were as Africans
(especially south of the Sahara ) prior to the vicious reign of
colonization by both the European and Arab invaders.
Just as an abused child ultimately takes on the attributes of his
abuser/tormentor, the same holds true for the millions of Africans both
at home on the Continent of Africa and those stolen and dispersed
throughout Africa and the Caribbean who were forced to accepted
Christianity and Islam through brutality and force. Just as
Christianity was spread through fear and violence (the Crusades, etc.)
the same holds true for Islam which imposed on Black Africans (submit
to the will of Allah or die by the sword). Any religion or way of life
that demands that we must negate who we are as a people and further
demands that we look upon our past, history and continuing aspects of
our African rituals that have not been completely submerged with
contempt because it does not fit in with the professed propaganda of a
specified way of life (religious or political) is and will always be
Suspect and Detrimental to African People.
As Youssour Ndour implored/sang at his recent concert in NY, "Africans,
My Hope Is In You... and further implored us to stop our fighting, to
stop wagging war... to stop killing ourselves... as Africans Are Dying
Throughout The Continent. It is of necessity that we stop denying the
beauty of who we were (our greatness, our culture and religions) before
the brutal onslaught of Christianity and Islam throughout Africa.
Recognition of this reality does not mean that we suddenly and
arbitrarily re-convert to functioning as we did in the past. But to
continue to despise ourselves in such a manner and to take on an
attribute (way of life) that essentially indicates that "The Only Good
African Is One Who Either Follows Christianity or Islam" only serves to
remind us that The Process Is Almost Complete. I truly hope and pray
to the spirit of our ancestors that this is not so!
Jamila
_______________________________________________________________________
--- babucar k jaata <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi brother musa,
>
> Thanks so much for your message, however I feel a bit disappointed
> about
> this kind of message when posted to the Gambia-L. If I am not wrong,
> I
> guess this web-site is developed to alert the Gambian population
> about more
> important issues than this kind. I think it is up to UDP to do what
> they
> feel will help them and I wonder how are you so concerned about this.
> I agreed with you that, there are lots of churches and mosques in The
> Gambia
> but does that make every person in The Gambia a Christian or a
> Muslim.
> Certainly not so you should not be suprise about this kind of things
> being
> done now. I will tell you my village Gunjur -Kombo is one of leading
> muslim
> villages in The Gambia, but we still have a place of worship where
> people
> comes from all over the country to seek help there and the villagers
> cannot
> do anything about.
> I beleive this does not mean that one is trying to seek help from
> SATAN or
> whatever you call it, but part of a beleive which cannot just be
> eradicated
> at once.
> I would therfore advice that we use this net to alert, educate and
> confront
> each other for the development of our beloved country, not for shake
> of
> writing or wanting to say something.
> Thaks
>
> Babucar Boye Jaata
>
>
>
>
> >From: Musa Sonko <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> ><[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Is UDP PARTY seeking help from DEMONS?
> >Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2000 03:38:50 -0800
> >
> >Fellow Gambians
> >
> >I was flabbergasted to read from the news papers that UDP
> >leader, Husainou Darbou and his supporters were at Bakau
> >Kachikally and other places believed to be sacred seeking
> >blessings (from Demons) in the coming 2001 election in the
> >Gambia. Were they frightened by the unprecedented turnout
> >of elders and youths at the APRC rally held in Bakau a
> >week earlier?
> >
> >
> >If that it is the reason then they are making a
> >miscalculated response. Somebody should tell them that we
> >have past that age of seeking help from Demons (a satanic
> >approach in deed). The Gambia have enough mosques and
> >churches with highly respected and devoted Muslims and
> >Christians. Why can't they asked these people to pray for a
> >smooth and peaceful campaign.
> >
> >In any case lets all pray for peaceful canvasting in 2001
> >emboding all aspects of a free and fare election.
> >
> >PEACE PEACE PACE
> >
> >__________________________________________________
> >Do You Yahoo!?
> >Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products.
> >http://shopping.yahoo.com/
> >
>
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