Thank you,I hope many will follow your fine example. For Freedom saiks >From: Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Gambian tradional instruments of sound and music - what are >they called? >Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 22:39:42 +0000 > >Mo, you have struck a chord and I can see we've made progress, compared to >a couple of years ago when this issue was discussed. Then, those Gambians >of the Christian and Islamic faiths were up in arms why the need for that. >Someone asked me why am I still called Joe, if I hate it so much. It is >not that I hate it, but knowing what I know now, I'd preferred a home grown >African name, just like the Arab or the European will choose their own to >give their offsprings. > >However, all hope is not lost and we can do something about it and we have >control over it. I named my two daughters Borkeny and Andene, after my >cousin and mother, respectively, who also have their Christian names of >Elizabeth and Therese, respectively. My mother and cousin challenged me >why I would not choose their biblical names, instead of the their >traditional names. I gave them my rationale but they did not buy it, but >in time, they get used to it. My inlaws rolled their eyes and some >protested that they will give them nick names. However, they too adjusted >quickly and infact pronounce them better that most gambians.That is how we >can take control of the situation, child by child and parent by parent. If >we continue that, five generations later we'd made great progress. Now I >have to work at differentiating the two Andenes, for when I call my little >one, my mother responds. It is also interesting that Africans have a hard >time with their names and would ask me where I got the names, and surprised >that it is not Anglo or Arabic. Americans on the other hand do understand, >especially some of our conscious brothers and sisters, that are trying to >do the same, in coining other names that they call their own. However, >these days, some have gone overboard with the Lexus', Mercedes, Mylove, >Diamond, etc. That is a whole conversation of its own. By the way, I >started this change with my dog, back in 1992. I named him Kilifa, and >Gambians thought that was the funniest thing they ever heard. > >Just like most things in Africa, we have to consciously work at turning >things around. It is not enough to identify the issue but to also actively >work at changing that which we have an issue with. Very thought provoking! > >Chi Jaama > >Joe > > >>From: Mo Baldeh <[log in to unmask]> >>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list >><[log in to unmask]> >>To: [log in to unmask] >>Subject: Re: Gambian tradional instruments of sound and music - what are >>they called? >>Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 07:56:55 -0700 >> >>Dr. Jaiteh: >> >> For the sake of posterity and possibly in the interest of social >>research, I think it would be important to state in your introduction that >>the names listed here are ‘Names of People in The Gambia’ and not >>exclusively ‘Gambian Names’. >> >> I cannot understand how Elizabeth or Francis, Ismaila or Alieu, Aisha >>or Habibatou, etc. can be considered Gambian names. It is obvious that >>these names are of Western or Middle Eastern origin, and did not exist in >>our society before the advent of Christianity and Islam in Africa. I find >>it incomprehensible when - each time we baptize a child - we insist on >>giving him or her a name pulled out from the Bible or the Qur’an as if on >>the day of reckoning our names are what will determine our fate. >> >> It is such relentless aping of other societies that has left an >>indelible stain on our culture today; to a point where we sometimes >>consider it an effrontery to speak our own languages or use our own names. >> >> It was in reaction to such cultural affront that African novelists >>Ngugi and Achebe decided to drop their Western names. Here is what Achebe >>had to say regarding his name change, “I was baptized Albert Chinualumogu. >>I dropped the tribute to Victorian England when I went to the university…” >>(Hopes and Impediments: 1990). >> >> I hope the Back to Roots movement initiated here and there by African >>intellectuals will take momentum and arrest the further despoliation of >>our cultures. >> >> Keep up the good work! >> >> Momodou. >> >> >>Malanding Jaiteh <[log in to unmask]> wrote: Years ago brother Saiks >>Samateh with the help of many Gambia-lers >>compiled a list of Gambian names. In the process we have over 200 >>female- and 300 male names . You can find the list at >>http://www.columbia.edu/~msj42/Common%20Gambian%20First%20Names.htm >> >>this evening I got a call from a young Gambian student working on a >>school project asking for the name of a mandinka musical instrument- one >>used by female Jalolu accompanying the male Kora Jalo or sometimes as >>solo instrument. A kind of a metal pipe (no more 6 to 8 inches long) >>and a long needle (8 to 12 inches). The pipe is held in one and the >>needle is used to sound it. If you know what is called please help me out. >> >>By the same token I am suggesting that we compiled a list of traditional >>instruments of sound and music. If you know one, tell us how it is >>called by the ethnic group who use it and a little description if you >>can. If you have any picture that you would want to share please send it >>to me and I will put it up on the webpage next to the traditional names. >> >>Malanding Jaiteh >> >>¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ >>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >>Web interface >>at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html >> >>To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: >>http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l >>To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >>[log in to unmask] >>¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ >> >> >> >>--------------------------------- >>Stay in the know. Pulse on the new Yahoo.com. Check it out. >> >>¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ >>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >>Web interface >>at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html >> >>To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: >>http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l >>To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >>[log in to unmask] >>¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ > >¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface >at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html > >To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: >http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] >¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live™ Messenger has arrived. 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