Letters in Mandinka 1 (Mandinkakaŋ Leetaroolu 1)
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| Title | Letters in Mandinka 1 (Mandinkakaŋ Leetaroolu 1) |
| Author or Owner | Ibrahima Khalil Sagna (owner) |
| Subject | Personal Letters |
| Content | These are three personal letters to friends and relatives. The first letter appears to be written from Europe because the letter writer prays to receive the documents required to obtain work. The author sends greetings and some photos, notes that he has not found employment and therefore cannot yet send money, and makes reference to a secret or serious matter.
The second letter, apparently from an individual in Dakar, contains a lengthy list of items (such as kerosene, soap, clothing, and fabric) and money that he has sent home with someone. He gives specific instructions about how the items and money should be disbursed to pay debts he has incurred or as gifts. The third letter is similar to the second, in that the letter writer explains how money and items he is sending should be disbursed among family and community members and for what purpose. Designated purposes include purchase of milk for a baby, transportation costs, and money to advance the arrangement of a marriage. |
| Genre | Prose |
| Language | Mandinka |
| Script | Mandinka Ajami |
| Manuscript condition | The manuscript is in good condition |
| Type | Handwritten |
| Publisher | Unpublished |
| Provenance | Sedhiou, Senegal |
| Source Reference | British Library: https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP1042-29-3; Ngom, Fallou, Castro, Eleni, & Diakité, Ablaye. 2018. African Ajami Library: EAP 1042. Digital Preservation of Mandinka Ajami Materials of Casamance, Senegal: https://hdl.handle.net/2144/27112 |
| Access condition and copyright | These materials are subject to copyright and are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 License, which permits non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. For use, distribution or reproduction beyond these terms, contact Professor Fallou Ngom (fngom@bu.edu). |
| Contributors | Fallou, Ngom, Ablaye Diakite, Bala Saho, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Eric Schmidt, Rebecca Shereikis, Alison Parker, Alison Parker, Shawn Provencal, and Mark Lewis. |
| Required citation information | Fallou Ngom (PI), Ablaye Diakite, Bala Saho, Ousmane Cisse, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, and other contributors. 2022. “Letters in Mandinka 1.” https://sites.bu.edu/nehajami/the-four-languages/mandinka/mandinka-manuscripts/mandinkakan-leetaroolu-1/ |
Manuscript
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Transcription and Translations
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