Baba, great job... I saw the link on Facebook earlier. Keep up the good
work.

On Thursday, March 1, 2012, Baba Galleh Jallow <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Interesting question Njok - about the jeli's version of Sundiata. All we
know about Sundiata comes from oral traditions and each jeli has a slightly
different take of the epic. The versions that I have read - narrated by two
different jelis and translated by D. T. Niane and David Conrad do not
mention Jeli Susso's bit about Sundiata cutting a piece of his flesh for
his hungry griot. It probably was part of the original narratives but was
edited out for scholarly puroses and to avoid feeding the stereotype of the
African cannibal. Of course, Jeli Susso did not think anyone would think of
Balla Faseke as cannibal or the Mande as cannibal when he mentioned this
bit. To him, it was an act of great sacrifice that then yeilded everlasting
gratitude of the griots. Likewise, griot accounts vary and often conflict
as to the origins of the kora and the balafon. It is hard to tell when and
where exactly either instrument was first invented. So personally, as a
student of history, I am not in a position to agree or disagree with any
account of Sundiata. I can listen to them and present them with my own
readings and critiques as a student of African history and historiography;
but not personally agree or disaagree with them. That unfortunately, is a
function of the training I got as a professional student of history.
>
> Regarding Saraba, I must admit that I do not know much beyond the
Ifangbondi song. Now that you mention it, I might just look here and there
to see if I would bump into something.
>
> Thanks Njok. And please do be more critical should you see the need to.
That is what breeds heathly reflection. Thanks.
>
> Baba
> ________________________________
> Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2012 04:05:07 +0000
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [G_L] Gambian Griot at Creighton University
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Baba, not trying to be any more critical, but do you agree with the
Jali's narration about Soundiata, I understand in Kora circles that the
widely held view is that the instrument was discovered in Kabou, many
centuries after Soundiata's reigne, whats ur take...
> Also on a different note, what do you know of the legendary SARABA (Among
Ifang Bondi's popular songs), did it actually exist or is an imaginery
place?
>
> r
>
> ________________________________
> Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2012 19:20:46 -0800
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [G_L] Gambian Griot at Creighton University
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Indeed Njok. However, I think the cameraman did a bad job too because
guess what - the entire audience, everyone in the room - was on their feet
dancing from the moment the three women came to the fore to the very last
song. Of course, they had no way of judging the griot's level of
performance like you and me. Also, I do not think that the griot thought of
the larger context of Black History month. Perhaps his hosts should have
had a quiet word with him before, explained to him the significance of the
event - why he was invited - in some detail. I think he saw his role merely
as an entertainer, and so he entertained!
>
> ________________________________
> Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2012 03:11:05 +0000
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [G_L] Gambian Griot at Creighton University
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Baba,
>
> Maybe then it was a bad day in the office.  I think his performance was
not all that, so him continuously encouraging the audience to jump when
there wasn't anything to jump to was very funny to me.  I guess thats why
no one hardly jumped, though a lot of white folks easily jump to any
noise/music.
> I think he also was on some African enslaving one another story
which somewhat supports the position of the writers who are critical of
African history or lack of for that matter, which you did well to refute in
ur opening.
>
> Importantly, as this was a Black History event, he should have selected
songs that traces the heroics of our forefathers and their
achievements, most of his theme songs was love love and dance lol.
>
> Anyway, my little observation...
> r
> NM
>
> Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2012 18:45:22 -0800
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [G_L] Gambian Griot at Creighton University
>
> Njok,
>
> The kora man was invited by the Black Studies Program, of which I am not
a faculty member. I first heard of him from a professor in that program.  I
am a member of the History department, specializing in African history. I
think it was pure coincidence that we both come from The Gambia. I think he
is based in New York but is very widely knowwn among academic insititutions
around the U.S. where he routinely performs. Overall though, his
performance was very well received. Thanks for the kind compliments on the
presentation.
>
> By the way, just curious: what do you think one needs to talk to him
about? His accounts, music, jokes?
>
> Baba
>
> ________________________________
> Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2012 00:56:09 +0000
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [G_L] Gambian Griot at Creighton University
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Baba, where u got ur Kora man from :-), have a quiet word with him next
time before u let him loose lol.  Anyway thumps up for the
presentation......
> r
>
> ________________________________
> Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2012 15:38:06 -0800
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [G_L] Gambian Griot at Creighton University
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Hello Friends,
>
> I thought I should share this Yo
> いいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい 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]いいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい

いいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい
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]
いいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい