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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
 Posted - 20 Apr 2006 : 19:46:13
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Definately not Nigerian..I've seen the photgraphic evidence on
gambianow.com |
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Jack
Belgium
384 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2006 : 19:46:27
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Well Bev I'm gonna be honest with you.
There exist something like a dictionary...  english-wolof-english.
Practical, but still very difficult to learn the languag. There exist also a grammar. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2006 : 19:48:57
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Yes I went to Timbooktoo and bought a guide to Mandinka nd one to Wolof. To me wolof is much harder because it isnot phonetic. Mandinka is more like italian or Spanish...when you see it written you can attempt to speak it.
I dont have a good ear for languages, it was always my weakest subject at school. I am shy of making mistakes. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2006 : 19:51:04
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I'm off to tell a friend all about my Gambia trip. Taking the photos to show her. See I do have a life off of Bantaba!
Speak to you all later! |
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lizzielou
United Kingdom
36 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2006 : 20:52:16
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Bamba, men may have the difficulty of turning from temptation but I truly beleive that women have ready made rose tinted glasses attacjed to their eyes. I admit, I am a romantic and if I was lucky enough to have a man that was so crazy about me that he never strayed from the marriage bed into another woman's bed I would count my blessings.
I still beleive in marriage vows, pity my last three husbands didn't hahahahahaha!!!!PEACE AND LOVE |
Elizabeth Bojang Ellis |
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ganbi
United Kingdom
20 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2006 : 00:13:04
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quote:
yes Gambev, Muslim and African culture are two very different things. i'm talking about African culture here and i don't think virginity is a big deal. i think the concept of virginity is another thing in western culture designed to control women. as a Gambian girl, Gambian women talk about personal things in front of me alllll the time. the thing is, in the 9 years i spent in Gambia,and in my time here in america, i just never heard the word "Ndow" or hear something say negative things about a girl having sex before marriage. really i haven't.
Kassma from your comment above I honestly don't think you are a Gambian. If you are then you don't know anything about Gambian culture about virginity. This is the most important issue in a girl's life before she gets married. I think you are confusing the facts. ironically, it is the west that infiltrated our culture to the point that these values are fading but still go to villages and good families these are fundamental values that is still observed. please ask your elders. Don't you know that this can cost a woman her marriage and that of her mother's if she is not found to be a virgin on the first night that she is given to her husband. It is the biggest disgrace that can happen to a family.
I think you stayed too long in America that you don't seem to know these important values. I recommend that you watch a drama by senegalese drama group titled "Hanju et Dateh" when you next visit the Gambia. You should make statements about Gambian culture that you are not familiar with because you will offend many people.
Chi Jama. |
Edited by - ganbi on 21 Apr 2006 00:15:02 |
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kassma
334 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2006 : 08:22:08
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quote:
Originally posted by ganbi
Kassma from your comment above I honestly don't think you are a Gambian. If you are then you don't know anything about Gambian culture about virginity. This is the most important issue in a girl's life before she gets married. I think you are confusing the facts. ironically, it is the west that infiltrated our culture to the point that these values are fading but still go to villages and good families these are fundamental values that is still observed. please ask your elders. Don't you know that this can cost a woman her marriage and that of her mother's if she is not found to be a virgin on the first night that she is given to her husband. It is the biggest disgrace that can happen to a family.
I think you stayed too long in America that you don't seem to know these important values. I recommend that you watch a drama by senegalese drama group titled "Hanju et Dateh" when you next visit the Gambia. You should make statements about Gambian culture that you are not familiar with because you will offend many people.
Chi Jama.
why would i lie about being a Gambian? so okay, really i'm togolese then and don't have anything else to do but sit here on Bantaba and make comments about somebody elses culture and country. give me a break |
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kassma
334 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2006 : 08:29:29
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quote:
Originally posted by ganbi
Kassma from your comment above I honestly don't think you are a Gambian. If you are then you don't know anything about Gambian culture about virginity. This is the most important issue in a girl's life before she gets married. I think you are confusing the facts. ironically, it is the west that infiltrated our culture to the point that these values are fading but still go to villages and good families these are fundamental values that is still observed. please ask your elders. Don't you know that this can cost a woman her marriage and that of her mother's if she is not found to be a virgin on the first night that she is given to her husband. It is the biggest disgrace that can happen to a family.
I think you stayed too long in America that you don't seem to know these important values. I recommend that you watch a drama by senegalese drama group titled "Hanju et Dateh" when you next visit the Gambia. You should make statements about Gambian culture that you are not familiar with because you will offend many people.
Chi Jama.
second of all, not all Gambians have the same traditions. i didn't live in a village when i was in Gambia and i'm certainly not speaking for villagers. in fact, i think before arabs came with islam and whites came with christianity, both religions demand women to be chast and virgins, things like virginity being so important for a woman did not exist and probably not so harsh as it supposedly is now. what i mentioned here is what i know of Gambia for the nine years i lived there. although i have stayed in america for a long time, facts are facts, memories are still memories, so im not making up anything i wrote. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2006 : 09:14:50
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ganbi I agree. A girl I know that was getting married was closely chaparoned and wasnt allowed to be alone with the boy involved.
I had heard that in the village after the wedding night they look for blood on the sheet as evidence she was a virgin...is this true?
If so..in a small village it would be a disaster for a girl NOT to be a virgin when she marries. |
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Babylon
Sweden
691 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2006 : 09:28:51
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But Ganbi, arenīt religious traditions and african culture two seperate things |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2006 : 09:37:27
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| Definatley.....that is why I find Gambia so interesting. It is sort of 'mix and match' a bit of African culture and a bit of Muslim culture. In Uk we mix Christian and Pagan in same way. Religion is very clever at hijacking existing beliefs and traditions and incorporating them into the religious practice. |
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bamba
Sweden
401 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2006 : 09:46:07
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Posted - 21 Apr 2006 : 09:00:34
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Kassma, the flower power in the 60s emanating from your Ameirca devasted, call it, the "virgin culture" world wide. There were many virgin girls in Gambia's urban areas in the 50s, u were not born then. Rural girls in Gambia maintained the virgin culture right into the 70s. It's worth mentioning that some Asian cultures, the martriachal ones, still maintain there virgin cultures.
Besides, black Africa's history of contact with other races has robbed her off her cultural contents.
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Bamba
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Edited by - bamba on 21 Apr 2006 09:12:55
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Bamba |
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twinkly
United Kingdom
190 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2006 : 10:33:12
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quote:
Originally posted by gambiabev
ganbi I agree. A girl I know that was getting married was closely chaparoned and wasnt allowed to be alone with the boy involved.
I had heard that in the village after the wedding night they look for blood on the sheet as evidence she was a virgin...is this true?
If so..in a small village it would be a disaster for a girl NOT to be a virgin when she marries.
Just had a discussion about this last night, what a coincinence....
Yes, Gambiabev,I've been told the same thing, and especially for the brides mum(?)it is a big event.I'm sure it is still a big deal for any decent family.They even have a special person who will take the sheet the next day to see the evidence.
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2006 : 12:29:21
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quote:
Originally posted by gambiabev
Yes I went to Timbooktoo and bought a guide to Mandinka nd one to Wolof. To me wolof is much harder because it isnot phonetic. Mandinka is more like italian or Spanish...when you see it written you can attempt to speak it.I dont have a good ear for languages, it was always my weakest subject at school. I am shy of making mistakes.
Don't feel too shy. My French is a shame for mankind, but if necessary, I speak French. Very funny: I can speak French much better when I am angry (which doesn't mean I only use four-letter-words then) - maybe my anger is stronger than my shyness  .
But I would really like to learn Mandinka systematically. There are no courses in my region, and several attempts to learn it from my husband failed. His German is so good, and we are too lazy to consequently speak Mandinka... The pronunciation is quite easy for a German, and vice versa. Many Gambians are really good at German; in most cases they are much better than the people from Southern Europe.
Maybe we could have a little Mandinka course at the Bantaba, if one of the Gambian members would be so kind to be the teacher? I don't know how this could work, but what do you think about the idea? |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2006 : 12:31:32
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| I would LOVE it....... But my brain is shrinking as i get older...I find it harder to remember new stuff! |
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