If You See… (Ni Yaa Je…)
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| Title | If you See… (Ni Yaa Je…) |
| Author or Owner | Arfaŋ Sitookoto Daabo also known as Aboubacar Dabo or Arfang Sitokoto Dabo (author), Arfang Seyni Cisse (owner) |
| Subject | Prayer, Fortune, Health, Travel, Prosperity, Itinerant Scholar |
| Content | This poem explains why the author became an itinerant scholar braving thirst and hunger, so that he could achieve wealth and renown in his youth before enjoying prosperity in his old age. The majority of the verses, however, consist of the author’s prayers for happiness, wealth, health, renown, popularity and material possessions. He beseeches God to guide him on his path, guard him from all pain or affliction, and protect him from his detractors. It includes a small discussion of Judgment Day, and his hopes that his life will be viewed as a whole, rather than in pieces. In it, he also responds to critics of Mandinka Ajami who thought that all prayers and religious writings should take place in Arabic, arguing that “God understands every word that is spoken.” The poem reveals the hopes and fears of those in the Casamance during this time period and highlights the role of prayer in achieving one’s goals in Mandinka communities. This document is a copy of a poem by Sitookoto Daabo (1857-1971), one of the most famous Mandinka Ajami poets in Senegambia. |
| Genre | Poetry |
| Language | Mandinka |
| Script | Mandinka Ajami |
| Manuscript condition | The manuscript is in good condition and legible |
| Type | Handwritten |
| Publisher | Unpublished |
| Provenance | Kolda, Senegal |
| Source Reference | British Library: https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP1042-12-1;
Ngom, Fallou, Castro, Eleni, & Diakité, Ablaye (2018). BU African Ajami Library: EAP 1042. Digital Preservation of Mandinka Ajami Materials of Casamance, Senegal: https://open.bu.edu/handle/2144/37356 |
| 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, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Bala Saho, Eric Schmidt, Ousmane Cisse, Martin Aucoin, Marie Binta Badji, Alison Parker, Frank Antonelli, Shawn Provencal, and Mark Lewis. |
| Required citation information | Fallou Ngom (PI), Ablaye Diakite, Bala Saho, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Ousmane Cisse, Martin Aucoin, and other contributors. 2022. “If You See…” https://sites.bu.edu/nehajami/the-four-languages/mandinka/mandinka-manuscripts/ni-yaa-je/ |
Manuscript
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Transcription and Translations
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Multimedia