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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
 Posted - 12 Jan 2006 : 21:20:48
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I am very interested to know more about the different tribes in Gambia and their different characteristics and ways of life.
How many different tribes are in The Gambia?
I was once sat around a table with hotel staff chatting and every person was from a different group. All chatting and laughing and getting on fine. I love that!
I have met alot of Mandinka and Woolof. I would like to learn more about Jola and Fula.
Do different tribes live in different villages? or do they mix? Or are they in different parts of Gambia?
Tell me about the stereo types....
Who are the best dancers?
The best lovers?!
The funniest?
The most religious?
The best business men?
The best cooks?
The most honest?
The most faithful?
The best educated?
What jobs do different tribes excel at? eg silversmith? weaver? cattle man?
Anything else you think I should know?
As an outsider..I think Woolof SEEM the most western. They are tall, good dancers and like nice clothes etc....
They remind me very much of west indians in England....
Mandinka people seem smaller and less materialistic.....very kind and friendly.
Of course this is just my experience and is a stereo type too!
Let me know what you all think.
In England we have jokes about English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh based on our stereo types........ Let me know about yours!
I dont mean any offence by this. I just like to find out more about Gambia...dig below the surface.
Thanks!
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Momodou
Denmark
11641 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jan 2006 : 22:00:26
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quote:
Originally posted by gambiabev
I am very interested to know more about the different tribes in Gambia and their different characteristics and ways of life.
How many different tribes are in The Gambia?
Gambiabev, Try and get the following three books from The Gambia either through your friends or the next time you visit the country:
1. Social and Political Structurs in the Precolonial Periods (Ethnic Groups of The Senegambia Region) by Patience Sonko-Godwin
2. Leaders of the Senegambian region: Reactions to European infiltration 19th - 20th century by Patience Sonko-Godwin
3. Stories of Senegambia by Dr. Florence Mahoney
It is very rare to find one single language group in any settlement in the Gambia nowadays and most of us speak two or more local languages. Most Gambians will admit having a relative in other language groups too. So in my opinion, you can't classify Gambians in groups as you are trying to do here. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jan 2006 : 22:16:25
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Thats interesting, thanks..I will try to get hold of the books.
Pirang and Kolior that I visit are both MAINLY Mandinka.....that is why i am interested to find out more about other groups....
Thanks |
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kiwi
Sweden
661 Posts |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2006 : 20:57:16
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Gambiabev I find your questions racist, and I'd like to know why you are trying to use racial classfication on Gambians for? Again if you check history your forefathers already used this system when buying my ancestors. I think it would be in your own interest to go on an anti-racism course because the questions you ask stink of racism to me! Even if this is not your intention this is how its coming across. It's just like me asking these questions about white people with blue, green or brown eyes or blonde, brunnette, brown or black hair or frickles or those who go brown in the sun or those who just go red. What is the intent behind all these questions? I wonder...
Peace
Sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2006 : 21:18:06
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I am interested to find out more about the characterisitcs of different groups in Gambia. It is interesting to me to understand the different make up of the country.
It is like asking what is the difference between the welsh, scottish and irish, rather than just physical characteristics I am interested in the psyche....
There is no harm in questions if the intent is not to use the information to harm. I dont intend to offend either. Sorry if I do.
Years ago I was a sociology student and that stays with me. I like to look under the skin, beneath the surface and get a true picture of a society and its people. |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2006 : 22:05:33
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So Bev let's play this game
Who are the best dancers?
The best lovers?!
The funniest?
The most religious?
The best business men?
The best cooks?
The most honest?
The most faithful?
The best educated?
A Cockney, Geordie or Scouser?
Peace
Sister Omega
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Peace
Sister Omega |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2006 : 22:14:41
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Perhaps your answer to where have all the people gone is here in your reply? You are angry and agressive. i think you are racist..against white people. Perhaps you would be happy for this to become a black only site?
Oh about 'the whites....'
Irish are thick
Scotts are mean
Welsh are good singers
Scousers have best humour etc......
We can laugh at ourselves...you seem to have a sense of humour by pass!!!
I was actually wanting to find our about more subtle differences than this so that I understand people more......
I want to learn more and understand people better.... that is all. Nothing sinister or political!!!!!!!! |
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sankahjang
USA
78 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2006 : 22:28:17
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| Bev remember how you say it matters more than what you say.PEACE! |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2006 : 23:25:25
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For the record Bev Bantabaa in Cyberspace has been going for years. It didn't start when you began posting on it. I would suggest you pull your big ego in. Bev if I wanted to go on an all Black site I would I have no problem mixing with my own race as you seem to have.
We are encouraged on the Bantabaa in Cyberspace to show tolerance to others here. But there are sometimes limits to the amount of tolerance one has especially when being asked such silly questions. As humour is subjective matter what might be funny to one person might not necessarily be funny to someone else. Now if your question was said in jest then maybe it would of been better if you posted it in the culture Humour column. Than posting up for general discussion.
As For the game I would say Irish are the funniest then the Scousers,
Scousers are good singers and so are the Scottish they are also the best at business. Cockneys are good husslers and Geordies are hard workers or unemployed. Welsh are the best farmers.
As for lovers the African man wins everytime so there is no need in my book to sample any others, unless they were born in these regions of course!
Peace
Sister Omega
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Peace
Sister Omega |
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Tairema
24 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2006 : 14:09:27
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gambiabev, I must agree with Sis Omega as your line of questioning is prejudice although I do not think your intentions were as bad as she puts them out to be. People are people, were ever in the world and whatever their roots. Emtions are the same everywhere: every continent, country, province, city and town knows jealousy, admiration, love, hate, achievement and disappointment etc. The same goed for skills like dancing, cooking etc. This is what makes us human. You put down people if you want to cath then in a phrasebox.
If you were a good sociology student you would know that by just observing and asking questions without giving a range of answers to choose from you would be pleasantly surprised by what you'll find. I think one of t he biggest problems in the world today is that people want to classify other people based on their origin and / or religion. It is not about skincolour or personal beliefs, it is about humanity and being the best human being you can be. That way we will all start looking at the similairites instead of only the differences between people. We are all prepped by the media to focus on skincolour put the only real difference in the world is rich and poor. Once everybody would realise that things could begin to change for the better, Inshallah. I wish you wisdom and an open heart and mind. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2006 : 16:36:21
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Rich/poor is an artifical difference too. We are all human under the skin.A rich person can be a nice, decent person just as a poor one can be nasty and immoral.
I take people as I find them. I TRY hard to be blind to ALL the 'isms'.
Class structure in societies keeps people in their place. The best route out of this preordained place is EDUCATION. Capitalism works in a democracy IF people have genuine equality of opportunity regardless of what they are born to. SO I would suggest working for a more equal and democractic society with more educational opportunities.
BUT 20 years ago I would have said overturn the system and go for socialism....along the lines Marcs suggested. BUT many countries have overturned this, as it limits individual freedom, especially about religion.
I DONT like the American harsh capitalist system that so individualistic. I think it would be a mistake for Gambia to follow that...
Capitalism with social responsibilty for the group...... Gambia doesnt want to lose all those good qualities in its society just for chasing the dollar.
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Formby
United Kingdom
246 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2006 : 18:05:33
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| African men the best lovers? Sounds like a racist generalisation to me. |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2006 : 19:22:52
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No just a personal preference.
Peace Sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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Formby
United Kingdom
246 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2006 : 19:37:20
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| Peace is as peace does |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2006 : 21:11:33
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| It is my observation that sister omega can be racist eg Positive about black and anti white, without any thought for the offence it may cause! |
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