SANAWUYA IS NOT A FREE FOR ALL

Like in politics, our penchant for disrespecting those we disagree with or those with whom we do not share similar values extends into the cultural sphere and that hits a chord. Disagreeing to something or not sharing similar values with the next person is not the issue; how far down the lane of disrespect that degenerates into is where the problem lies. Those who follow me on social media will notice that I take a swipe at my Jarranka cousins quite often with jokes. Some of my Badibunka/Kiangka friends engage in similar endeavors and it is always fun from all sides with responses along similar lines so much so people laugh at jokes made at their own expense.

On more than one occasion, some comments in response to such threads were so out of taste and insensitive that one could be excused for thinking they were made by non-Gambians. It is unfortunate that some Gambians, either out of ignorance or a sense of entitlement feel left out of such relationships and claim that should they join in that “battle of cousins” people will take offence, the insinuation slanting to the all too familiar culprit; tribalism; a sense of “we can’t join because we are not them.” It is really disheartening to see that almost everything in our little haven is being viewed through sectarian lenses, creating acrimony where none exists or should ever exist.

We should really take time to learn a little bit more about each other and do so with open minds. The concept of Sanawuya/Dangkutto is an age old tradition that has been at the core of Manding society in particular and generally in our region, some aspects of it cultivated later than others. It was such an important concept that it was incorporated into the Charter of Manding - the Kurugan Fuga. Article 7 of the charter states;

The Sanankunya/[Sanawuya] (joking relationship) and the Tanamannyonya/[Dangkutto] (blood pact) have been established among the Mandinka. Consequently, any contention that occurs among these groups should not degenerate the respect for one another being the rule. Between brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, between grandparents and grandchildren, tolerance should be the principle.

This was a document adopted in the 13th century, in addition to the safety cushion it provides to absorb some of the discontent within the community, it helps address issues of concern in a free and open environment. In essence, freedom of speech is enhanced, no holds barred. Which is why to balance it out, Sanawuya often goes alongside Dangkutto which provides parameters or limits which must not be crossed even in that environment. Sanawuya is highly regarded and holds a very special place in our culture.

The relationship exists between Jarra and Niumi. Kiang and Badibu share one, Badibunkas and Serahules, Jolas and Serers; the various regions of Manding; Kaabunkas and Jahankas, Mandinkas and Fulas (likely after the battle of Kansala) etc.

At the family level between cousins, grandchildren and grandparents, and people from families with certain last names. A grandchild can make fun of their grandparent and get away with it, within the bounds of respect of course. Insults and foul words are absolutely out of the question. You can mock, make fun of, or pick on a person you have a joking relationship with and they are required to laugh it off or respond in like measure but never respond in anger or take offence as one normally would.

Perhaps the most prominent and most outlandish is the Sanawuya between Jarra and Niumi; that one stretches the limits a little further but in good faith. As jovial as it is, the story that gave rise to the relationship, which goes along with the concept of Dangkutto is rooted in a very moving episode in history; one of courage, trust, and sincere goodwill, one borne out of genuine friendship and upright character.

The narrative has it that the King of Niumi and the King of Jarra made a pact that no true native of either of their kingdoms shall ever upset or give grief to a native of the other. They swore on their crowns and prayed for ill-fortune to descend on such an individual; being that the prayers were made with sincere intent, and being the conservative communities that both are, the natives dare not test fate.

This pact was initiated by Niumi Mans as a show of deep gratitude to Jarra Mansa who laid down his life for his counterpart; literally. To cut a long story short, the two kings amongst others went to declare their loyalty to the throne as subject kingdoms of the empire; on that expedition Niumi Mansa fell afoul of the throne (no he was not high) and was to be sentenced to death. He sought permission to return to Niumi and convey his fate, that request was deemed unusual, as a man sentenced to death would not be expected to return to have the sentence carried out after being let go of. Jarra Mansa stepped in and offered himself in the place of Niumi Mansa, that should Niumi Mansa not return, the sentence can be carried out on him and pleaded that Niumi Mansa be allowed to return to his people as requested.

Niumi Mansa returned home and came back just in time to avert the execution of Jarra Mansa; to this the emperor stated that these two are worth wearing the crown, for a man to have given his word and stood by it no matter how dire the circumstance, and for another to be so brave and compassionate enough to lay their life on the line for another is extraordinary, that it will be a waste to execute either of the men or end such a friendship. He offered his blessings and freed them to go back and rule their kingdoms. When they were about to part ways at the end of the return trip; they shook hands to bid farewell and in that moment the pact was made. 

A grateful Niumi Mansa, holding the Hand of Jarra Mansa stated; from this day forth should a son or daughter of Niumi cause grief to a son or daughter of Jarra, may it not be well for the culprit, a statement reciprocated by Jarra Mansa giving birth to the Sanawuya and Dangkutto between the two regions. In honor of their memories and sacrifices for one another, the people of these two regions still uphold that pact and you will be hard put to find a Jarranka who cannot get along with a Niuminka or vice versa. Lesson; if you witness them go at each other, stay out of it.

This form of societal set up offers the chance for people to be blunt with each other without risking angry retaliations. It is used as a means of mediation in times of dispute where your “Sanawo” (noun) can be called upon to deliver the truth that others may shy away from for fear of harming whatever relationship they may have with you. As a Sanawo, you have earned the privilege of not risking anything for speaking the hard truth. Also in cases where a person you share a joking relationship with is angry about something or someone, he or she has to let their anger go if the Sanawo ask them to. Of course the concept has been watered down so much in our time.

The art of Roasting, Blazing, or Clowning as practiced amongst black Americans is traced back to the concept of what is known as The Dozens. You are probably more familiar with “Yo’Mama” jokes, which is an aspect of Roasting. The Dozens was traced back to the plantations and with strong evidence of African origins. It is an aspect of Sanawuya that today is more prevalent among youngsters who still engage in the practice across West Africa. We know that component as Tombongdirro/Aaji wanteh; a children’s version if you like. Like in Sanawuya, you cannot engage in that art with just anyone, not especially with elders, it is a practice confined to age mates.

American sociologist Harry Lefever and journalist John Leland in writing about The Dozens stated that “other ethnic groups often fail to understand how to play the game and can take remarks in The Dozens seriously.” This can be attributed to their lack of understanding of the concept, its origins or purpose. In a similar case, if a non-native of any of the regions that share the Sanawuya/Dangkutto relationship should take part, they may easily get offended or go beyond the limits set for lack of understanding, that is not discriminatory in any way.

Asking simple questions without being overly sensitive usually clears things up and we should try to make that a habit; simple insightful questions devoid of sentiment, just seek answers then form an opinion, we will go much further and much faster too.

So don’t be like the Jarranka lady pretending to be all classy and informed but did not take long for her cover to be blown when offered a drink. “Mbaaring musso attaya felleh.”She responded; “Nteh buka hattayaa ming, n’ka worrko leh ming (I do not drink attaya, I drink warrga - same thing). Although you can’t blame her, Niumi attaya in many cases is especially strong, enhanced by a certain leaf added to the brewing, you know…

A MOMENT WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

A picture speaks a thousand words. Moments captured in frames to last long after those who painted those pictures ascended away from our midst, generations later will look into those frames to behold definitive moments in days gone by that has impacted their lives in their own present time. It has been said that from little acorns oaks grow, from those individual frames a bigger picture emerged; these frames captured the defining moments of  history in the making; the birth of a new Gambia. This picture represents one of those frames, captured at the height of the resistance; the planting of the seeds from which will grow the giant we all behold in awe; the New Democratic Gambia thought impossible without bloodshed.

Every story has many players, but every story has heroes who take the lead, and with charisma attract followers and supporters. These faces are a representation of the many faces of defiance and steadfastness.

The wary look, the frustration, the concern and despondent look could easily be mistaken for a portrait of defeat and a sense of surrender. Like any great work of art, what lies hidden in the details is the steely resolve to never relent, the resolve to be unyielding, undeterred, unintimidated and unfazed. Here are elders with grandchildren and even great grandchildren with sleeves rolled up, bracing the heat and dust because they refuse indignity. These elders, who under normal circumstances should have been surrounded by their grandchildren with joy in their hearts and glee on their faces as they bear witness to their progeny taking steps towards stepping into their oversized shoes. Instead, they sacrificed those precious moments, all for country; treading the path of certain death or incarceration in a hellhole of indignity.

Concerned and frustrated sons and daughters will ask, then plead and even beg that they give it up; “It’s not worth it when those you are fighting for are sitting comfortably at home taking you for fools.” Their response; “We are doing it for you. We hadn’t had much growing up, it was a daily struggle each and every day, but we had dignity and freedom. That same dignity and freedom is what we are seeking to bequeath to you and those precious grandchildren, if it cost us our lives then we will rest well knowing you are free and dignified in your own land. We are glad that we will not be leaving orphans behind since you are all grown now and can manage on your own. We inherited a land of dignity and cohesive societies that is being ripped apart, we cannot betray the trust bequeathed to us, for what then will we tell those who left us with this land when we meet them as we are about to? We should at least refuse to be complicit, we owe it to you, your children and especially those before us, it is a trust and we owe a duty of care to fulfill that trust.”

Before all these attempts at discrediting these men and women of honor and what they gave for our collective well-being, there was a time when they represented hope. We heard instances in the past of such statements as; “Why is Darboe not calling his supporters to come out on the streets? This is the largest party in the country and it needs to assume leadership.” That was when the price was too dear with very few willing buyers; the price of taking on remorseless tyrant. But since it is Wanterr season now and everyone can afford an “item” or two, suddenly “there is no such thing as the biggest party.” All of a sudden the narrative has changed to claim all as heroes and none having sacrificed more than any other. Supposedly the sacrifices were to fulfill selfish political ambitions and not driven by a duty of care or by moral obligations; unfortunately it seems to be the politics of our age; win at all costs even at the expense of morals.

Your refusal to yield to pressure and take to the streets sooner than to claim Solo’s body speaks to your collective foresight and elderly wisdom, you have always been measured and calculating, never impulsive. Hindsight, we are grateful that you refused to yield to such pressure until the time was right. If we as a people, for the most part have shown anything consistently, it is to disown our very own when things heat up. Hindsight we know you would have been the sacrificial lamb and get no thanks for it safe from a few; take the case of Ebrima Solo; “he did it for UDP not The Gambia” so they say now. We are indeed an interesting people, especially those of us who consider ourselves ‘educated’ and politically aware.

Those of us who know you, even from afar thanks to shared norms know the values you espouse and are certain that such values are a guarantee to upholding our collective dignities as a people. Your selflessness will be written in songs of praise that will carry your names and your exploits into the distant future, your good legacies sealed never to be undone. What a tragedy it would have been if you had not lived to see the tyrant shamed and banished.

It is a tragedy that we view politics as requiring us to strip the opponent of all dignity and earned credits just to make our side look and feel good, so evident in the treatment of these noble souls.

Our hope is that no matter how opposed one may be to another person’s politics and policies, their good name can, at the very least be upheld by all. That will be the height of political maturity, but as it stands it seems good deeds only emanate from those we agree with. Claims of insincerity and ulterior motives are the explanations for the good deeds of those we are opposed to. Hopefully objectivity rules our assessment of others, eventually.

Fun Fact; the body of this article is exactly a thousand words.

BABILIMANSA; THE VENGEFUL EGOMANIAC

Back in 2009 at the launching of the Q-Cell head office on Kairaba, sitting in the audience I can still clearly recall getting angry and barely being able to contain that anger when I heard Yaya say something along these line;

“When I say that the sky is the limit for the Gambians, I mean it. I must add that if you get to within a few meters of the sky, wait for me to get there first since I am your president.”

“This is a beautiful building; I challenge Muhammed Jah to build a similar one in Medina (Niumi). Come to Kanilai next year, there will be an even taller building.” These statements of course are paraphrased, meaning the words did not flow in that exact sequence but the meaning has not been lost even after all these years.

I was not at the launch of Q-City but I bet similar sentiments were not expressed in that the president did not see himself as being in competition with industrious citizens whose entrepreneurial skills have paid off.

Why am I making this frame of reference? Having seen very recent pictures and videos on social media presenting Banjul and the sorry state it is in; another aspect of Yaya’s vengeful nature is exposed yet again. Yaya is typifies the classic egomaniac, but more than that he has been consumed by hate and jealousy for most if not all of his life. Here was a man whose ultimate goal for seizing power was to unleash misery and suffering on innocent people because he blamed society at large for his humble beginnings and the misfortunes that such a life wrought. Remember his attitude towards former officials of the PPP government; the continuous reference to their “flamboyant lifestyle” and how they beat their chest accompanied by “do you know who I am” scenarios he referenced? That was the hate in him speaking and henceforth his mission was; I go show them peppeh! Sadly, “them” became every Gambian he viewed as a threat to his primitive mode of consumption. “When they were practicing their dirimo-cracy you benefitted and now you want to challenge ME?” That right there embodies Yaya’s whole outlook on opposition and dissent. To the Banjulians he said “now it is time for you to taste what the rest of us have been enduring our entire lives.”

This attitude also, in part explains the neglect of Banjul. You see, Yaya may be primitive, but he is shrewd. Yaya knew very well that Banjul, or at least Banjulians benefitted the most under Sir Dawda; remember he was close to that seat of power and was very abreast with the comings and goings within the corridors of power. He will sweet talk the capital into aligning with him but in his mind he was plotting to take everything away from them, unless some direct benefit was in it for him. We dare even go a little further and claim that the roads he built were partly a political bait but partly because he needed to travel on them. That may be a stretch but by now we have wizened up to know that we should never put anything past him as being incapable of. Look at the Arch, a monument he dedicated to himself and only he drove under it for the longest time. 

An egotist like Yaya likes to bask in his own perceived grandeur; just take a closer look at his lifestyle and choices of material objects. I bet he drives on those roads, have those street lights shone on him and thinks to himself, "wow I definitely made it." Those items all served as reminders to him, who he was before July 22, 1994 and who he became. “Dekka bi maako morm” sums it all up for us. When he inaugurated those street lights he claimed them to be his and categorically stated that any driver who accidentally veers into one of them will pay for it. Even his investments in Kanilai were just for him, he enjoyed having people grovel at this feet and having the power to either give them or turn them away. Yaya’s whole attitude was to thump his chest and say “I am the guy.” And since no one else can claim such or be seen to be of similar status as him, his colleague council members had to be eliminated, humiliated, or rendered irrelevant, all hail Yaya the mighty Babilimansa!

So those claiming that “this is how Yaya started and became a dictator”; in reference to President Barrow, take a closer look and you will see that from the get go, Yaya was never well meaning or well intent. Yaya was a vengeful egomaniacal tyrant. Ask those who knew him from childhood and through his adult life and you’ll see a man full of himself. Even in the Gendarmerie, his mates will tell you he took pleasure in “punishing” arrestees which included beatings; the man likes to exert authority and likes being on top.

Seeing folks trying to paint a saintly picture of benevolence go to show how misunderstood Yaya the man was, he is a case study for psychologists. Or are such attempts at drawing similitudes with President Barrow out of insincerity and selfishness? I am not saying President Barrow is perfect, incorruptible or beyond reproach, but going so far as saying there is no difference between him and Yaya is a manifestation of ignorance as to who Yaya really was, or that one does know who Yaya was but out of some personal motive tries to make comparisons where none exists.

With an independent city council about to emerge, the Mayoress will have all of the tax money collected in Banjul used to give a face lift to the city and hopefully with a generous augmentation from the central government.

This was just a simple reminder, a dedication lest we forget! We will NEVER forget.

LOSING OURSELVES

For colonialism to succeed, the invaders must adopt an air of superiority and cast native ways as inferior in every aspect. All colonizers share that characteristic. They will represent themselves with their best attributes and highlight the seemingly worst and often misunderstood ways of the natives interpreted to suit a negative narrative and conclude that in fact the natives are inferior. That skewed logic is the “evidence of history” that unfortunately our very own “intellectuals” buy into; consequently every prescription they proffer is the proverbial ‘garbage in (flawed evidence), garbage out (proposed solutions to our “problems”)’. That is one explanation of why we are in this seemingly unending cycle of stagnation in terms of development, both human and capital.

The sad truth is that the narrative, sustained over the past many centuries has had an effect on us as a colonized people; the inferiority complex. We have come to believe that in fact we are as our oppressors have labeled us, that in fact we are less. “See how advanced their societies are and how backward we are; see how democratic and open their societies are and how intolerant ours are,” etc. etc. that our backward culture is to blame for our lack of ‘advancement. The purveyors of the narrative that we need to do things exactly like our former colonizers are doing are those we view as “intellectuals”. Steve Biko once said that “the greatest weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” That reality is what we are living today. Those we view as educated or intellectuals for a large part have had their minds ‘programmed’ by those very colonizers and that most potent weapon; their minds, have been unleashed on us to further enhance the colonial narrative.

Suddenly, completely ignorant folks, with no insight whatsoever as to how our societies are shaped or molded together are the self-appointed experts on what the problems of our society are, and what the remedy should be. Diagnosis; tribalism and backward culture! Prescription; loyalty to the nation state and shunning African culture! To them the wise and experienced elders can take a nap because they do not know how ‘democracy’ works. Like hell they don’t! You (the more knowledgeable than his elders) are the ignorant ones but too proud to admit it since you are confusing western consumerism with democracy. Without realizing it, their prescription is for a misdiagnosed ailment and it is only going to rip our societies apart and in the process advancing the course of those who, centuries ago held us in bondage and kept our minds captive. The irony is that they claim to be pan Africanists. But just like a well programmed machine, they will say that “we are proponents of democracy and human rights advocates”; which implies our ways were neither democratic nor advanced human rights – the colonial premise. What in fact most of these so called human rights activists and champions of democracy are promoting is westernization which is not the same as democracy.

On the other side of the narrative are the masses, a large portion of who view fluency in the language of the colonizer as equivalent to knowledge. We listen to anyone who can articulate their points well and often fall short of questioning their logic or reasoning. In our case, speak English well and you’re ‘the guy’. That fluency masks the ignorance within. Even on religious knowledge and matters of faith, the unassuming Faa Nyonkoling may only know Fatiha and the last three Surahs of the Qur’an, but his entire life is the perfect representation of the character of a true Muslim; he is honest, he is sincere, he is modest, he is content, he is generous with his meager resources, he is patient with hardship, does not talk about people’s shortcomings, keeps confidence and is always admonishing good conduct, hard work, truthfulness and empathy. Yet, in the eyes of the villagers of Wasabali Kunda, Faa Nyonkoling is a simpleton who has nothing to offer other than outdated traditions. The go-to guy is Alhaji Abdul Malick just returned from Arabia and speaks with every fifth word being an Arabic word; now he is the true Muslim. Instead of admitting his lack of knowledge in Islam, he will use his Arabic literacy to mislead people as long as the respect and attention such fluency accords him keeps coming. The same applies to our social media loudmouths. Neither disciplined nor informed but the ‘boldness’ to speak up and articulately so has earned them followers and so they march on spewing garbage in their wake.

Now this is by no means an attempt at generalizing, but in fact it is an attempt at highlighting instances of such manifestations of inferiority complex. The wealth of knowledge in our modest and unassuming elders is such a treasure throve that it will take real intellectual skills to decipher them in relation to the context such knowledge was acquired; but out of intellectual laziness or a predisposition to consume everything from the colonial masters as gospel, so we just prefer them over our “oral traditions.” Like much else, we just want ready-made stuff, and like every ready-made item, unverified knowledge is poisonous and worse; subjugating and misleading. The only remedy to that has been captured many a time before; “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery….” so says Bob Marley. “Who taught you to hate yourself?” inquired Malcolm!

In their attempt to subjugate us, the colonialists made it a duty to devalue and eventually eradicate our belief systems, our culture, values, customs, traditions and the last frontier is language! Start small, end big if you like. Culture can be manifested in many ways but language is the total embodiment of a people’s culture. How many of us can express ourselves in our native languages without injecting some European or Arabic word? Now imagine a generation or two from now and the challenges they will face in understanding our culture. We have set course on a trajectory that can only end in tragedy for our people as a collective, but are insisting that we are doing the most good.

How often do you hear that Africa’s problem is tribalism; in the ‘New Gambia’ of course it is the choicest topic of discussion; yet if people are asked to point out such cases of tribalism they fall short of giving any convincing answers; what do we promote in its stead; nationalism. In the greater drive for a unified Africa what is more an impediment, tribe or nation state? The nation state needless to say has a foreign design to it. The partitioning of Africa to suit various Western interests never took into account existing norms and institutions. Attacking any aspect of what is left of our culture without looking inward for substitutes is playing right into furthering that colonial narrative. Being proud of and upholding one’s culture is not synonymous with being unpatriotic, in fact it is a collective of such cultures within certain geographic regions that makes up a country. Try to ‘assimilate’ all into one melting pot and you are sure to kill off some.

Show me an intolerant Gambian and you have an uncultured individual. Our society is unique and worth being proud of. Thousands of years of culture and traditions of peaceful coexistence and intermingling of people of different customs and value systems required an intricate and delicate system to maintain; our forebears did it with no outside ‘help’, but that legacy is under threat from none other than copycat wannabes who falsely project an image of intellectually sound individuals, when in fact they are as ignorant as a toddler when it comes to their knowledge of how such an intricate system of peaceful coexistence was woven and maintained. Our task is to challenge them, and it is simple. Understand and celebrate who you are and embrace your neighbor; that’s all it takes!

OF AFRICAN SPIRITUALITY AND CONVENTIONAL RELIGION

With the anti-Arab sentiment rising among black Africans on the heels of the inhumane treatment and enslavement of black Africans in Libya and across the Middle East, the debate has taken a new turn on social media, at least among Gambians (surprise!). The new narrative is the stance of Islam on slavery, the history of the contact between sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabs, the spread of Islam and the force-feeding of religious dogma and indoctrination of blacks to submit to the God(s) of the Arabs and subsequently that of the Christians from the western hemisphere.

Won’t do much help to invoke historical facts to debunk the claims of Islam’s spread by the sword to sub-Saharan Africa and beyond; the proponents of such a narrative have already made up their minds as to what to uphold and what serves their narrative. So the argument to be had now is whether those adhering to Islam today are under any duress to uphold the belief or not. So respecting people’s individual choices and values is the hallmark of a democratic and civilized society. Labeling, insulting, denigrating people’s beliefs or those they hold in reverence degenerates into a nasty situation fast and averting damage control is prudent; live and let live!

For those so called African idealists, the narrative that “African Spirituality” has been kicked to the curb in favor of “foreign doctrines” imposed on us is always a prominent presence. But what is African Spirituality? A lot of them will fall short of giving you a coherent answer to that effect; so are you really sincere about your pan African stance or you’re just projecting disdain for others using the shield of a “proud descendant” of great forebears with little to no insight as to what they stood for or believed in?

Let’s employ some logic here; logic may not always be true but truth always stands on logic.

There are two distinct narratives as to who we are; Creation vs Evolution – Faith or a lack of it. What category do you fall under?

If you are truly for African Spirituality then you believe in Creation; shocked? Then you’ve been a hypocrite all along.

See our ancestors believed in the “Supreme Being”, the creator of the universe and all life. They further believed that when we die, our souls are in fact returning to that Supreme Being. One other thing to take note of is that African Spirituality is all encompassing; spirituality informs every aspect of human life, from culture to the environment and especially the public sphere (governance) so let go of your separation of church and state mantra. Even sickness has spiritual significance.

This by no means encompasses all of the various versions of African Spirituality. The point here is that our ancestors believed in a Supreme Being and a life beyond death; which is why the spirits of the ancestors are invoked and the reason why shrines are built for them. Death is not the end but rather it is an ascension to the spiritual realm, a return to the Supreme Being Whom we invoke through those ancestors who have returned to be with Him.

You see the logic in this belief system? You and I are direct descendants of the ancestors; the Supreme Being is the giver of bounds and the healer, since our ancestors are with him it makes sense to call on them to intercede on our behalf, what if that is what the shrines are for? In fact that is the concept in some traditional African religions. Islam teaches that you and I are good enough and worthy enough to ‘face’ the Supreme Being and ask directly from the source and not use intermediaries like our ancestors or anyone else to intercede on our behalf. All that is required is to submit to His Majesty and be humble.

Beyond that African Spirituality is pluralistic and flexible; it does not see other spiritual belief systems as mutually exclusive but rather as a means to strengthen its own spirituality. When I was in tourism, I use to tell this joke when tourists asked me; “why are there many more Muslims than Christians?” I’d reply thus; “Africans have always been polygamous, the Christian missionaries came and said a man can only have one wife; the Africans rejected their call. Then came the Muslims and they preached polygamy of up to four wives and no more, the Africans listened and opened up to receive some more of the message of Islam.” That was a joke but it speaks to the all-embracing nature of African spirituality, which further explains why traditional belief systems are still upheld even with the adoption of Islam and Christianity, are you wearing a Juju? Exactly!

So, now that we can agree that African Spirituality upholds the belief in a Supreme Being, if you truly share that view then we move on to the logic of conventional religion – Islam and Christianity. I’ll lean more towards Islam since I know a little about that. The logical question to ask then is why were we created? What is the purpose of our existence, who is our creator?

How do we know our creator and our purpose?

Our purpose has to be communicated to us somehow, through some medium. From the Islamic perspective, if not that of others this is where the concept of Messengers and Prophets come in. Islam teaches that from Adam, to Muhammad (peace be on them both), the mission was the same, the message was the same; remind us of our purpose and who our maker is; worship the one true God – the Supreme being. So those of you claiming plagiarism understand the mission of the messengers; they come from the same source with the same message; One God – worship Him.

It’s not that simplistic, but you get the gist of it. The first man in this tradition was Adam, to whom was given guidance as to how to live this life; that guidance was passed down from him to his children. Like us today, after a few generations we deviate from the traditions of our forebears and every so often a reminder is sent to get us back on course, and on and on it went through the ages. In that long line of Prophets and Messengers were blacks as well, who are all considered Muslims by the way. When the Rastafarians claim that His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie descended from the royal bloodline of King Solomon and David, they are unto something. According to Islamic scholars, Solomon (Sulayman – the greatest king that ever lived) and David (Dawood) peace be on them both were black. So too was Moses and Jesus; peace be on them all. In fact through scientific research, which caused some uproar recently, scientists concluded that the people who inhabited the region that Jesus was said to have emerged from at the time he emerged were of dark skin complexion. Before them, the last Prophet of Islam described him as having dark skin. The Islamic Scripture gives further evidence to this;

“And verily We have raised in every nation a messenger, (proclaiming): Serve Allah and shun false gods. Then some of them (there were) whom Allah guided, and some of them (there were) upon whom error had just hold. Do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequence for the deniers! (Quran 16: 36).

Nation here does not mean our current nation states as can be spotted on the map, just for note.

So how would you feel if those ancestors and their messages were rejected because of their ethnicity?

See it is absolutely okay to not believe in what these various scriptures call to; but the people who adhere to them are not all just blind followers. If you do not consider yourself as being full of blind hatred or blind pride, then accord the same respect to those who adhere to different beliefs than you do. Ridicule and open contempt is a direct attack on an individual as our beliefs are an extension of who we are as humans. By all means if someone tries to impose their beliefs on you, repel them any which way you know how, but until then live your life and respect your fellow man.

If on the other hand you do not believe in the Supreme Being as the originator of the universe and life as did our ancestors; if evolution is what speaks to your rationality; then stop come off your liner that faithful people are subjecting themselves to foreign doctrine. Simple reason is that the concept of evolution is also a foreign doctrine to Africans which begs the question; how different are you in that case? If truth be told, the faithful are more African than you and your evolutionary theory, at least they are upholding the faith and teachings of some of those great ancestors sent as Prophets and Messengers; whose teaching are you holding on to?

SOLIDARITY OR REVERSE RACISM

We should, at all times be mindful of not becoming the very thing we condemn. The fact that we are condemning it means it is wrong, and two wrongs don’t make right. What is happening in Libya is despicable and should be strongly condemned the world over. Africa, here you are yet again left to fend for yourself. Fingers can be pointed in many directions, and understandably so. Some are more deserving of reprimand than others. Ultimately the fact remains that Africa needs to get her house in order, and by Africa it is you and I and all who claim some affinity from the Caribbean to South America and beyond.

When Ghadaffi was targeted for liquidation, the world seemed to have stood still as far as the western main stream media was concerned. 24 hour news reels fed the world with the moves that NATO was making in Libya, Benghazi became a household name everywhere. Fast forward to the stateless Libya we are witnessing today and the same western media and the war hawks they serve as mouthpieces for are oblivious to the atrocities being meted out against our fellow citizens. Ghadaffi’s tyranny and the denial of basic human rights to Libyans was highlighted to justify his removal, so we ask; what is worse than subjecting human beings to commodity status and systemic abuse as is obtaining in Libya today against black Africans. I am not sanctifying Ghadaffi or painting a rosy picture of the man, but a state he did preside over; and with the gift of hindsight we know such travesties will not happen under his watch. Bigoted Libyans, yes but slave markets I very much doubt will thrive under him. If those who screamed at the top of their lungs that Ghadaffi needed to go for the Libyan people to get the dignity they deserve are mute today, is it then farfetched to ask was human dignity really what motivated his ouster? Then why are Libya and Africans left to fend for themselves now with concern only over potential radicals crossing over to Europe? Wake up Africa!

Which points the next finger to the elephant in the room, the toothless, spineless African Union as far as the plight of the common African man and woman are concerned. Anyone can swoop in and remove any leader or engineer regime change anywhere in Africa with no consequence, not even a frown from the continental body. I think the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the AU is no news to Africans generally, but since we claim power belongs to the people, it is about time we exert people power on that body claiming to represent us. But the African himself as an individual is not blameless. Our total lack of faith in ourselves and what we are capable of is too demoralizing; add to that the penchant for wasting time on trivialities and naysaying.

In a redacted speech entitled The Black Revolution and Its Effect Upon the Negro of the Western Hemisphere, Malcom X stated; “No matter where the black man is, he will never be respected until Africa is a world power.” Tell an African this and he will laugh off the idea of an African world power as unrealistic, an impossibility not worth any effort as it will end in futility. Speak of an African union as was dreamed by the founders of the Organization of African Unity and the average African will start listing all the impediments that will make a unified continent an impossible venture.

The anger and emotions on display about the plight of Africans across the Arab world is very justified. That passion needs to be translated to action to put pressure of the leaders of the Arab world and by extension the UN and the international community to end the systemic racism in the countries within the Arab league. We can collectively take our individual national leaders to task to hold the leaders of these countries to account for whatever injustices are being meted out to Africans in the various Arab countries. Granted, Libya is a stateless society at this point in time but various regions are under the authority of various organized groups, some recognized around the world. At the very least pressure to facilitate the voluntary evacuation of victims should be mounted and further efforts to locate those that may be in some form of detention or bondage.

What we cannot and should not do is to target people for retribution because they are Arab or share kinship with the supposed oppressors. The anti-Islamic sentiments being displayed is a clear dividing line in those efforts to speak with a unified voice against the abhorrent practices in the Maghreb and across the Middle East. That is the kind of trivial issues referenced above that we have a penchant for escalating instead of focusing on the task at hand which is to galvanize and unite in efforts to bring attention to and seek redress for the plight of our brothers and sisters in bondage but instead we are focused on what Islam is or is not. That stance does one thing; engineer a debate around Islam with non-Muslims highlighting how Islam condones slavery and Muslims rejecting the false interpretation of their scripture; meanwhile the suffering masses endure torture, rape and forced enslavement when we could build consensus and hold our elected representatives to task in ending the plight of our brothers and sisters across the Arab world, the religious debate can wait.

“How long shall they kill our prophets while we stand aside and look…?”

LESSONS FROM CATALONIA

If only we’ll look close enough, and reflect/ponder deep enough, there are lessons unfolding right in front of our eyes that we could learn great lessons from. It is a tragedy if one always has to learn the hard way; through bitter experience when lessons could have been learnt from others’ experiences.

Observe every public fora closely in the New Gambia and without fail you will hear talks of ending ‘tribalism’ and creating a Gambian Identity. The proponents of such notion fall short of defining what a Gambian Identity is or is meant to be. The all too familiar line that we need to put country first and ditch ‘tribal’ identities/loyalties gets thrown at anyone who dares ask. What is ‘tribe’ without identity? Who says such identity is anathema to patriotism; that you can’t be a member of one ‘tribe’ and be patriotic as well; creating a mutually exclusive scenario where non-exists.

Take America for example; since we like referencing them so much. With all its racial identities, and the ever present instances of racism one will always find American to be patriots and proud of their country. Americans will tell you that their individual rights and identities are respected and celebrated. They feel a sense of belonging despite the bigotry and hate emanating from one group towards another in certain cases; the law always protect rights and accords individuals the freedom to celebrate their cultures, beliefes and identities. Black History Month, Cinqo De Mayo, Chinese New Year, etc. are all elevated to the national stage without threatening the existence of the state or the union while at the same time according these groups a celebrated identity.

The United Kingdom comprises England, Scotland, Wales, and Nothern Ireland, but to us British culture, especially English culture is what we identify the Kingdom by even though the Welsh, the Scots, and the Irish are not exactly of the same culture as the English. Each has their unique customs and even languages. There are even claims of cultural components to the Scottish independence bid. More pronounced of such cultural components in pro-independence movements is that of the Catalans.

For a large part, to us Africans Europeans and westerners are seen as homogeneous groups with national identities. We hardly ever see any sub cultures within those countries, much the same as we’re identified by a large majority of them as African, period.

In a recent article published in Public Radio International, Christopher Woolfe wrote:

In 1714, under a new dynasty, Madrid abolished the ancient medieval liberties and institutions of almost all the different former kingdoms under Spanish control. That was also the start of discrimination against the Catalan language, as Castilian Spanish became the official language. The 19th century saw a renaissance of Catalan literature, which helped revive a sense of separate identity…. There were various efforts at self-rule in the early 20th century, but then along came the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. Catalonia and most of the minority regions of Spain sided with the leftists and fought against the fascist forces of Gen. Francisco Franco — who was aided by Hitler and Mussolini…. During Franco’s 36-year rule, all minorities were suppressed: their language, their music and even their dancing. Spanish was the only language permitted in schools. Franco also moved poor Spaniards from elsewhere in Spain to Catalonia to dilute the Catalan population. It's this period that caused many Castilians to become dismissive of Catalan, as though it were just a bad dialect of their "pure" Spanish. After Franco’s death in 1975, Catalans signed up for a new constitution that gave them considerable regional autonomy and control over their language and education. For the last 30 years, most school subjects have been taught in Catalan. That era of discrimination and its legacy help drive modern Catalan nationalism today. (Woolf, 2017)

The recent surge and rise of right wing politics in Europe and America speaks to such cultural identities in part. All such political movements have a strong stance against immigration, the dilution of European or American culture is often referenced alongside jobs and violence. But at the core is the issue of identity that “too much immigration” is seen to threaten.

Suppressing any group identity is akin to colonialism and domination, and eventually colonialism faces resistance without fail. The call to Gambianize us and forget our tribes is taking on a similar trajectory. One group will emerge dominant without fail and that sense of superiority will eventually be challenged.

So I ask again, what is really meant by a Gambian Identity? And it has nothing to do with patriotism. One can embrace one’s culture and its attendant variables while fostering harmony and peaceful coexistence with everyone else. If every Gambians identity is highlighted and propelled onto the national stage, the members of that group feel valued and a part of a bigger ideal, an ideal they will always be ready to defend and uphold. That is the key to fostering brotherhood and celebrating diversity; not the opposite approach of suppressing individual identities and trying to force one ‘national’ outlook for all. Since we cannot import any new cultures to define who we are, one of the current ones will emerge dominant; by design or by accident and with time that dominance will be challenged. Let's celebrate each other.

To end; here is a challenge for those who keep peddling the narrative of ‘tribalism’ taking over our country; give examples or instance of such tribalism you speak of. My bet is, all the answers collected will fall under two categories;

• ·         It is personal; speaks more to individual experiences of bigotry than a collective effort by any group at suppressing others or denying them their due citizenship rights.
• ·         The second category will be an affirmation of my theory, a theory I will reveal after the answers are collected'.

So challenge your friends and people you know who believe such propositions to be true. Unless there is an alternative description to the word "tribalism", you’ll find the answers shocking to say the least.

Works Cited

Woolf, C. (2017, October 20). The Roots of Catalonia’s Differences with the rest of Spain. Retrieved November 11, 2017, from www.pri.org: https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-10-20/roots-catalonia-s-differences-rest-spain