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Subject:
From:
Hamjatta Kanteh <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 9 Dec 1999 22:42:24 EST
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
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Saiks,
My name is really Hamjatta. It has it's roots in Arabic; it stems from the
Hamza who was an uncle of the Prophet (pbuh). This is not stereotyping but
the Mandingo indigenous by that I mean those born and raised in a family
where the lingo and culture is Mandingo, do have a problem with pronouncing ZA
 all they can manage is JA. Hence Hamja instead of Hamza and after decades of
bastardisation of the phonetic, it eventually became Hamjatta.
Saiks when I was younger, it was the butt of jokes in Banjul and I remember
begging my dad to change it to anything normal. He would use this as a
leverage and form of blackmail to make do things I would otherwise loathe to
do promising to change it to anything "normal" if he wants something get
done. I am made to understand there are other Hamjattas and they say loads of
'em in the provinces; I have yet to meet any one of them. I only accepted it
because a girl fell in love with me because she loves my name!!!!! Isn't that
amazing? I really love it now after all those years of shameful and cowardly
"name crisis".
It's Aloha from me Hamjatta. Hope you find the info useful.
Hamjatta

hkanteh

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