Some interesting history but I must say that to modern mandingoes, the Akus were the only group that earn themselves the title of Kebba. "N'na Aku Kebba". I am told by an uncle that the Akus were very generous to young mandingo migrant laborers in then pre-independence Banjul. Not only were they host of the Mandingoes they were employers too. As a result most "affluent" Mandingoes in say Baddibu will all have their Fulla Nding'o, Suruwa (wollof) Nding, Joloa Nding and Aku Kebba or Aku Musa Kebba! Nice to see Gambia-L talking history. Malanding Jaiteh ----- Original Message ----- From: "Prince Obrien-Coker" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2000 1:22 PM Subject: Gambians In History - The Answers > Gambia-L, > On Monday I posted a two-question quiz and promised that I will post the > answers today. Well, the fact that no one responded to the question on the > list said a lot. Those who responded by private mail, I am sorry to say that > they were centuries of the mark. Pa Small may have been to the United > State in the 30's or 40's but Granny Ann Lusack, the grandmother of Malamin > Janneh, Eric Janneh and the rest was there in 1917. Compared to my question, > these dates could be considered very, very recent. The fact is Gambians were > going to the U.S. centuries before. My first question was: > 1.) Who was the first Gambian ON RECORD to have gone VOLUNTARILY to America > and when was that? > In the above question, by the phrase "ON RECORD" , I meant something that is > easily verifiable. I intentionally did not say the UNITED STATES because > this person went there before the "Declaration of Independence", The answer > to question 1 is, and I quote from a book: > "In 1772 . the governor of Georgia issued a certificate to Fenda Lawrence, a > free black woman and heretofore a considerable trader in the river Gambia. > [who] hath voluntarily come to be and remain for some time in this > province." The certificate gave Miss Lawrence permission to "pass and > repass unmolested within the said province on her lawful and necessary > occasions." > > The answer to Question 2 is "Gullah Jack and Mingu Harth" of Denmark Vesey's > gang. The fact that these two were Gambian is more a conjecture than a > documented fact. It is stated by pure analogy. The two were, of course, > Africans and were said to be inseparable and they were very fond of calling > people "Little or Small". Everybody in their eyes was "small or little", and > no matter how old you are. The historians then found out that the Mandingoes > were and are the only people in the world who make such an appellative > distinction. The wise guys went further to explain that the habit came from > the time when the Mandingoes were lords and masters in West Africa, if you > think of those mighty empires. And since it is only the Mandingoes who > talked like that and these two were Africans therefore they must have been > Mandingoes, and if the Gambia is a Mandingo country and a final departure > depot therefore they are GAMBIANS. As a Gambian this conclusion first made > me laugh, but upon thoughtful reflection one has to agree with these wise > guys. Today, Jammeh as President of the Gambia, he is still a "Jola-Ndingo" > to the Mandingoes. My father who died in 1957 was an "Aku-Ndingo" to his > compatriots. No matter how old you are, if you are not a Mandingo you are > "Ndingo". "Suruwah-Ndingo", Fula-Ndingo, etc. My concordance with these wise > guys does not in any way authenticate their assumption. > > The confirmation of Question 1 and the story of question 2 could be found in > a book that every black person or person interested in black history should > read. It is not a book that tries to "score points" for black people, but a > book that is only trying to set the records straight. It is in this book > that I read the most moving Lord's Prayer. It Says: > OUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN > THE WHITEMAN OWE ME ELEVEN, AND PAY ME SEVEN, > THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE, > AND IF I DIDN'T TOOK THAT, I WOULDN'T HAVE NONE. > > I learnt also that a black man by the name of Matthew Henson was actually > the one who found the North Pole. In fact, 25 minutes before the one we are > made to think is was the founder.(Prairie?) > > The book I am talking about is call "BEFORE THE MAYFLOWER" - The History of > The Negro in America - 1619 to 1964, by Lerone Bennett, Jr. > ISBN 87485-029-0 for hardcover and > ISBN 0-14-02.0856 9 for paperback > > I am sorry for this long explanation. > > Cheers > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- > > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L > Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------