On Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 1:57 PM, suntou touray <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
YeroWell put. Actually, we are all on the same page with regards to the collection and dissemination of knowledge. The difference in passion and locality is what I was trying to put across.The study of societies, cultures was first cemented by Ibn Khaldun in his classical work, the 'Muqadima'. Therefore, I am not remotely disputing the ability and exactness of Dr Wrights ability to convey our history or aspects of it like we can do. In fact, him being a specialist on that field, his enquiry may be more detail than some of us will attempt to do.The anthropological works of our societies by external scholars should given the respect it deserves and I personally have done that in many instances.Take the field research paper on 'Masalahs or Tablieqh Jamat' I discuss here for instance, the research was done by a Dutch from Holland. However, he was more interested in certain issues more than others, hence I was able to comment on areas he touch on briefly to provide a more complete picture of the group in the Gambia. Because also I have been present when certain elders object to them.However, since academic scholars like Dr Wright came to our country with specific agendas, budget, and time limitations, their enquiry cannot be relied upon to produce a complete discourse of our centuries old folklore, history and believes. This is where our own local knowledge became significant. It is like if you travel to Mali to study the Dunso community. In as much you plan your research project, you will miss quiet a lot and focus on those subject matters that are appealing and are part of your plan. There are many disadvantages of field work.I am calling on us all to dig into our memories of events narrated to us, with that as a backdrop, we will correct many statements recorded of our societies out in books and journals.Dr Wright and his peers are part of the later Institutional Scholars whose study of non-western societies took the sympathetic dimension, different from the earlier writers that deemed us, barbarians and heathens.Yero, even us here are not fully immune from disregarding each others traditions, cultures and practices. The City Gambians may not value the Rural Gambian and vice verse."a selective identification with regions and cultures not one's own wore down the obduracy of self and identity, which had been polarised into a community of embattled believers facing down barbarian hordes" SaedTherefore, for the narratives of Sociologist, anthropologist, ethnologist and other external social commentators to reflect and gain our acceptance, they must demonstrate a sympathy to our peculiar practices.If I attempt to write about the seasonal movement of Gainakos in Wulli, Sandou, Jimara etc for instance, every former Gainako will pay attention, why? It is something dear to him and he knows the subject inside out. But will someone born and breed in Serrekunda realy connect and even be intrigued? I wonder. The Twelve Queens discussion ha just started, and I hope others can push it further in their own way. This is the essence of bringing up remote areas of our history/cultures.I will order Dr Wright's book, please remind me of the title. Thanks, Ajarama.SuntouOn Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 12:42 AM, Y Jallow <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Suntou:
Thanks for the provision below and consider it truly a deal. Of course, like you, I heard many stories about the Hunters in the Gambia. In memento, you probably remember a piece I titled "Samba Dannah," a story that my father's best friend (Jafara) narrated to me as a child in exchange for buying him cola nuts from the nearby shop. You know well the word 'Dannah' means a hunter. ( http://www.gainako.com/news/news/2010/09/12/samba-dannah-a-traditional-story-as-narrated-to-me-by-jafara-bah-.html ) As a villager, I remember warming myself next to the firewood and listening to those stories.
To complement you and the many others on this debate, I recommend you look into Dr. Wright's book. You are right, he might have originated from America but he spent years of research mostly on Niumi. He couldn’t have been there just to get half-baked stories. Having interacted with him on two conferences namely Atlanta (July 4th) and DC (AlD), I am not in a position to term him as a foreigner, and I am very positive (100%), that if he is to write anything, he will do it with modesty and honesty to complement yours. The guy’s sincerity and humbleness is very charming. That would make a good update on his book if he is to come up with another edition. Rather than thinking his take might discredit yours, I can bet his take will be simple -a take that will be acceptable by you and any other party to this. Remember his' was such a research. Missing to document that doesn't mean he hasn’t heard about it.
We have to accept the fact that some of the oral narration lost some of its exactness on its way to our generation. In all honesty I enjoyed reading about the 12 queens. I wish it was our time though then we won’t have to struggle for a suitable man. You can clearly see how jealous I am of the hunter you ended up marrying the queen –I mean in no small terms. (lol).
Regards to grandpa, his gun is still inherited among the family. My take today, he was just a regular man, a shepherd, a herbalist and a man that was skillful in hunting.
Don’t give up Suntou. Remember when Dr. Cheik Anta of beloved memory of Senegal (educated in France) wrote his doctorate thesis about the ancient Egyptian being of the negro (black), his thesis was rejected, but it is an established fact today that the languish cum sociologist was more than just the ordinary man. It is accepted the world over that the ancient Egyptian is of the Negro. Good to see these different views Suntou and you can develop your piece even more. I will be entirely fine if you would like to borrow my copy. I wish you & yours well. Take care!
Thanks,
Yero
There is no god but Allah (SWT) and Muhammad (SAW) is His messenger. Fear and Worship only Allah alone!Date: Tue, 31 May 2011 23:11:15 +0100
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [>-<] RE: The Twelve Queens of Niumi
To: [log in to unmask]
YeroThanks for recommending Dr Wright's book. I will surely try to get it. However, there is ocean of difference between what an expert from a foriegn institution knows and what is out there that our local experts don't just talk about. His book, like that of Gamble's are all limited in scope and missing key facts. It will be good to hear his take if any such that, the myth of women were always relegated to back room in Africa can be debunked.In fact, women were custodians of many sacred institutions in AFrica Yero. Niumi is not unique with women rulers, the questions is, are we willing to dig for our past ourselves rather than relying on foreign experts? If you follow oral commentators, they will say "musu Mansa Masiya, Bari Ahkanda siyata" you being a good speaker of Mandinka understands that well. Yes, Queens are few and far between when compared to kings, however, formidable women makes Kings, jsut like today, Nyaye Kompins makes Presidents.What story can you relay on the hunting habits of your grand Pa?When I first arrive in the village, the first person in our village whose actions fascinate me was the only village hunter. Hunters were not only a source of providing meat, but they were also herbalist...That reminds me of the inter-village migrations of both land animal hunters and crocodile hunters.Since many aspects of our history is reserve in the spoken words, the colonial encounters helped in committing the later instances to paper and thus creating a two tier narrative.The Reigns of the Queens can be explore much deeper in future.ThanksSuntouOn Tue, May 31, 2011 at 5:28 PM, Y Jallow <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Professor Donald Wright, author of "The World and a Very Small Place in Africa" did his research mainly on Niumi. On page 71 (3rd Ed.), he talks about how the leadership of Niumi was shifting among three clains; the Jammehs, the Mannehs and the Sonkos. I was just wondering if he is still subcribed to the Gambia-L. If so, I would love to hear more on the 12 queens of Niumi. This is a part he probably missed to document. With our cultural set-up, to where women are not attributed with power, it is very interesting to know we had women leaders in the past, moreso at that age of Africa.
Suntou, you might be able to add more to your story on Niumi by reaching out to him or buying his book if you don't have a copy. I recommend his book to all students of African history.
Thanks,
Yero.
There is no god but Allah (SWT) and Muhammad (SAW) is His messenger. Fear and Worship only Allah alone!
From: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]
Subject: [>-<] RE: The Twelve Queens of Niumi
Date: Tue, 31 May 2011 10:38:34 -0500
[The tradition to make women reign came to an end when the beautiful and most lust after Queen Mama Adama couldn’t find a suitable suitor. She was reigning unmarried for some time. The women league went into full gear in helping the Queen find a match, a Princely male. ]
Suntou:
I wish we were able to reverse things back here. I tell you though, I can take on Prince Sankanu and win. Why would a princely male be needed? The picture you forwarded is nice, but it resembles more with the queen's guards then than it would resemble to the princely man they were looking for. From my mother side, my grandfather was a celebrated hunter, to the extent of taming wild animals. I would have still won this famous battle, don't you agree? (enough for the humor).
Keep them coming.........& thanks for the history lessons.
Yero.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ 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] ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤-----Original Message-----
From: suntou touray <[log in to unmask]>
To: GAMBIA-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Mon, May 30, 2011 8:23 am
Subject: The Twelve Queens of Niumi¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.htmlThe Twelve Queens of Niumi
By Suntou Touray (Oral narration by Finna Camara)
Oral historians and bards salute the twelve queens of Niumi from the ancient past. Niumi lies at the coastal point of the present day Gambia. The Sonkos who emigrated from the Kaabu Empire settled largely in Niumi.
The Sonko dynasty at some point had only Queens that succeeded each other, that is until love changes the tradition. The names of the Twelve Queens are not all recounted by the bards’, however, the number is not disputed by many oral commentators.
The names frequently mentioned of the Queens are:
Mama Adama Sonko
Calama Koi Sonko
Nyanpuran Jan Sonko
Sajike Sonko
Sawuya Nding Sonko
The rest of the Queens are relics of history, all efforts will be made to try to find out who they are.
The tradition to make women reign came to an end when the beautiful and most lust after Queen Mama Adama couldn’t find a suitable suitor. She was reigning unmarried for some time. The women league went into full gear in helping the Queen find a match, a Princely male. (An African hunter in the photo)
One day, a hunter who frequents the river by Berending (a settlement) was spotted by local women doing their laundry. One of them immediately suggests that, they should inform the Queen about the man. Hamadadou Seckan is very handsome, tall and strongly built. The adoring women only wished him for the Queen.
On return to the Village, they went straight to the Queen. The characteristics of the Hunter were recounted to the attentive Mama Adama. She without hesitation knew, the women folk at last found her a potential match, a suitable man.
However, Hamadadou Seckan (Mansa Demba Sonko) belongs to the old tradition of hunters’ secrecy and dress code. This is what makes the story so intriguing. Hunters in the past wore strange clothes, woven with horns, talisman, red ink, animal bones, cowry cells etc. In short, they look fearful.
With all the uncanny attire, the towns’ women knew the hunter is a handsome reveals that, women can tell a lot about men than they pretend to admit.
The Queen instructed the women to be on the lookout for the Hunter. “Should he appear, tell him to come and see me”. The women went again to the river for their usual laundry. Again the Hunter arrives at his usual midday time. He usually collects water for his dogs, whilst he quenches his own taste.
The women stood back and call out “Baba Nyima” Handsome man, “our Queen wish to see you”. Hamadodou Seckan (Mansa Demba) told them, “but you know that, the way I am dress, I cannot go into town this way”. Hunters enter their houses through the back door.
The women again informed the Queen that, the hunter came but decline to visit because he was in traditional attire, he cannot violate that routine and enter the village the way he is dress. The Queen thinking on her feet rose up. She thundered that, “tell the hunter to wear whatever clothes you have that is not yet wet, and come to see me, it is a command”.
The third time, the ladies were desperately waiting for the hunter. As soon as he surfaced, he was confronted with spear clothes to wear. As soon they told him you must see the Queen today, he gave them the usual excuses. They informed him that, he put on the unwashed clothes to see the Queen. To this suggestion, Hamadadou obliged.
Love Conquers
The fully dressed Hamadadou approached the village of Berending with the women. As soon as they arrived at the throne of Mama Adama Sonko, she stood up. She was mesmerised by the beauty of Hamadadou. She instructed him to seat on her throne. He declined. However, Mama Adama demonstrated her love by instructing, her largess to beat the Tabalalo (special Drum, an announcer).
The Drum is only sounded on special occasions or in emergency situations. When the villagers heard the drum, they went straight to the Queen. There she was, beautiful, elegant and majestic with a broad smile. The elders enquire what the matter is. Mama Adama with a broad smile says “I have given myself and throne to this man; this is the man I love and wish to spend the rest of life with”.
Hamadadou Seckan was Coroneted, Mansa Demba Sonko. His last name was replaced to that of the Queen and he became the King of Niumi who contracted the Kaabu warrior, the wandering Kelefa Sanneh to bring under the rule of Niumi the settlement of Barriar. Kelefa Sanneh was eventually betrayed by Mansa Demba himself after the fall of Barriar. Mansa Demba feared that, Barrair has been a strong antagonist of Niumi Berending. He couldn’t conquer the town.
His fears were that, in the retelling of the battle of Barrair, the Sonkos of Niumi will not be narrated, because they relied on the bravery of a wandering Jawaro (warlord). Kelefa was ambushed by his own host unexpectedly and killed. Some historians believe that, all this event took place around the 1820s to 1840s.
‘Bimuso, muso kajelefe ila korokan, yeba nghee suutele,yaba batonkolon’
Fena Camara is a bard from Sinbanding in Cassamance, his younger brother is the eloquent poet/historian Yahya Camara base in Dakar.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] ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
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