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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Apr 2006 : 22:56:49
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I have never heard of the origins of the name Gambia. There are versions regarding Banjul but not about gambia that i know of. Can some one help.
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“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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kiwi
Sweden
661 Posts |
Posted - 26 Apr 2006 : 23:39:42
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| I have seen several statements claiming that Gambia comes from the local word Ba-Dimma, meaning river, and is a portuguese corruption of it. Could it be true? What local language is Ba-Dimma, in that case? |
kiwi |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 00:01:52
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Ba is mandinka for River. Dimma is also mandink meaning the "child of". May be when you put them together you get something close to a tributary. May be the river is a tributary of the atlantic ocean beacuse they are connected diretly. Ba may also mean mother or a goat.
But these words are not close to the word Gambia. If you put the words together, Ba-Dimma, you get Family. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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justice
United Kingdom
44 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 06:27:59
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MASTER KONDORONG HOW ABOUT THESE
BAA FOR GOAT
BA FOR SEA
N'BA FOR MOTHER
DIMMA OR DEEMA FOR SWEET,PLEASENT
NDINMA FOR MY CHILD, ARE DINMA "FOR CHILD OF"
MY BELIVE AND TRANSLATION FOR BA-DIMMA COULD BE SWEET SEA ( DIRECT TRANSLATION )OR PLEASENT SEA (I HAVE HAD FISHERMEN SAYING " BE BA DEYATA" WHEN EVER THERE IS A GOOD CATCH. ALSO COULD BOLONG FAYNYO MEAN TRIBUTARY HELP ME OUT ON THESE (IF SPLET RIGHT FAYNYO MEANING TAIL IN MANDIKA) |
Edited by - justice on 27 Apr 2006 06:30:17 |
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kiwi
Sweden
661 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 12:30:55
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| Some other sources say that Gambia River´s name comes from the Portuguese word cambio, meaning exchange, or trade, and later the country got it´s name from the river. There is a similarity in pronunciation. |
kiwi |
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ganbi
United Kingdom
20 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 13:11:56
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| Kiwi01 this seems a reasonable meaning for Gambia as I have observed that mandikas call the country Cambia instead of Gambia and they seem to have other words from the portuguese such as "calero" meaning cooking pot. |
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kiwi
Sweden
661 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 13:36:42
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| That´s interesting, ganbi, it sounds very locigal to me. Fascinating though the several meanings of the word ba-dimma, which also are logical, as I am interested in words and languages. |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 20:10:37
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You are all right. Kiwi, there is alot in our local languages that have portiguese origins. Cambio is also very similar to Cambia as is locally called in Mandinka. There are forex bureaus called Cambio Weschel. Weschel is very similar to wollf word for WETCHIT which means change.
I think the relevance of Cambio in portuguese may be right. Rememebr they were in the area by 1452.
Justice you are right in all your examples. Ba means many things like river, goat, mother etc. but i think the river might be more relevant here. Our river as been the sources of attraction for commerce.
Would it then be safe to conclude that Gambia is portuguese from the word Cambio? |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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salimina
253 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 20:16:29
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| some said the name originated from the Kambi-The kambi clan.Like KAMBI-YA meaning kambi`s home |
Edited by salimina |
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 20:56:44
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i dont think its safe to conclude so early. i think what we call the River Gambia has different names along its course. different names in Guinea, Senegal and in The Gambia.
also i think different ethnic groups have different names for it? thats a good way to start. what i mean is that the portugese could likely have met non-mandinka people and hence the Ba-Dimma could mean something is Serer or jola etc. perhaps some members of the bantaba can help, its not necessarily a mandinka word
furthermore the portugese where the not the first to come, the River Gambia was known to the Carthagians atleast thats what i was taught at school. i think his name was Hanno, the Carthagian. (something BC)
this is the link with Ba-Dimma. it could be written like this but pronounced differently.
http://www.statoids.com/ugm.html |
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kiwi
Sweden
661 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 23:57:50
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| I think you are right, njucks. Hanno of Cartaghe visited "great mandingo civilization" 470 BC. |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 28 Apr 2006 : 01:16:07
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It is very interesting what is coming up. Kami-Ya is also more similar than all the above. There are people especially in Kiang that have the last name Kambi and lately in Brikama but were originally from Kiang.
I believe this issue should have been very clear to all by now. Our history is still shrouded in mystery. I am personally interested in the origins of the name. May be we might send an email to oral history division of the Museum and Antiquities. Hopefully they might have already done some work on this. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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kiwi
Sweden
661 Posts |
Posted - 28 Apr 2006 : 11:38:56
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| I sent a mail yesterday to The Nordic African Institute on the issue. I am not sure they can help, but hopefully they do. |
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kiwi
Sweden
661 Posts |
Posted - 28 Apr 2006 : 16:12:20
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I got a reply from a librarian from the above mentioned institution. When consulting a reference book "Historical Dictionary of the Gambia", Scarecrow Press, she found that it´s not clear what the origin of the name is.
As late as in the middle of the 18th century the name of the river and the land around it was spelled Gambra. Gamba was a variant. When a local man man was asked of the countrys name by a´n early portugues visitor, he answered "Kambia-yaa" meaning Kambi´s land. |
kiwi |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 28 Apr 2006 : 18:42:33
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Did they meet the man in Kiang. That is the only place where the name Kambi is. There are a few others called Kambai somewhere in Sami but very small.
Could the Kambi or the Kambai have been very properous in earlier times that they controlled trade and happen to be around when the portuguese came and hence KAMBI-YAA ( meaning Kambi's home or land or territory). Certainly there numbers are almost non existent beyond one family grouping. I know of only one Kambai in the Gambia and some handful Kambis |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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kiwi
Sweden
661 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2006 : 19:36:22
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| Like you, Kondorong, I am interested in names and their origin. I used to wonder why there were spanish sounding names in the Gambia, like Camara and Gomez. Now I realize they must have portuguese origin, right? But how are they adopted, through marriage or are they "taken"? I personally know one Gomez and one Camara in Manjai Kunda. And what does Manjai Kunda mean? Manjai´s place? |
kiwi |
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