Unit 1: Dr. Bala Saho

Videos
Community Images
Pedagogical Activities

Metadata

TitleConversation with Bala Saho
InterviewerFallou Ngom
SubjectMandinka Ajami Literacy, Ajami in Historical Work, Ajami in Health, Mandinka Ajami in Daily Life in The Gambia. 
ContentDr. Bala Saho is Associate Professor of History at the University of Oklahoma. He was born in Badibu Salikeñe in the North Bank Region of The Gambia. He attended both Quranic and English schools in The Gambia. Like many Gambians, he used to attend the English school in the morning and the Quranic school in the evening. Later, he was sent to the Quranic school of Suwaarekunda in Kerewaan to continue his Islamic education. Then, he moved to Banjul, the capital of the country, to attend high school. After he graduated from high school, he worked in the Oral History Division (now called the Center for Arts and Culture) for a number of years before pursuing his studies in the United States. Professor Saho acquired Mandinka literacy skills during his Quranic education. In this video, he discusses many aspects of Mandinka Ajami literacy in The Gambia, including the use of Ajami in public health, in people’s daily lives, and its significance in documenting Gambian history. Dr. Saho also reflects on the importance of oral history and tradition in recording local knowledge, and about the role of proverbs in teaching and educating the youth. He also discusses the enduring role of colonialism that has often adversely affected knowledge production in Africa. Dr. Salo highlights the critical importance of Ajami as a grassroots form of literacy that has for a long time operated parallel to Western-based institutions. 
LanguageMandinka
ScriptMandinka Ajami
LocationBrusubi, Serrekunda, The Gambia
Pedagogical content/applicationIncludes relevant linguistic, stylistic and cultural skills as identified in our assessment guidebook/ ACTFL guidelines
Access condition and copyrightThese materials are subject to copyright and are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 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).
ContributorsFallou Ngom, Bala Saho, Ablaye Diakite, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Mamadou Aw Ndiaye, Ousmane Cisse, Alison Parker, and Frank Antonelli. 
Required citation informationFallou Ngom (PI), Bala Saho, Ablaye Diakite, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Mamadou Aw Ndiaye, Ousmane Cisse, and other contributors. 2022. “Conversation with Bala Saho.” https://sites.bu.edu/ria/mandinka/mandinka-unit-1/

Videos

English Interview with Subtitles

Community Images

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  • Mandinka safeerikuloo miiroo kaŋ, Gunjuur, Kombo (jaameŋo ñaatiliŋo la): Seruŋ koo samaa foloota Miŋ karoo 28; Seruŋ samaa foloota Miŋ karoo 21; ñinaŋ samaa Miŋ karoo 28, Araba luŋo. || A Mandinka Ajami note on a wall in Gunjur, Kombo (opposite the main mosque): The rainy season started two years ago on May 28; last year it started on May 21; this year on May 28, on a Wednesday.

  • Gambiyaa la Kodi-buŋ-baa, Dalasi kiliŋ kayitoo. || Central Bank of The Gambia, 1 Dalasi bill. Courtesy of Mustapha Kurfi.

  • Bala Saho la koridaa miŋ be Burusubi, Seerekundaa, Gambiyaa. || Bala Saho’s house located in Brusubi, Serrekunda, The Gambia.

  • Gambiyaa bankoo la Karaŋ-buŋ-baa, kitaaboolu-karaŋ-dulaa, Kaanifiŋ. || The University of The Gambia, main Library, Kanifing.

  • Muhammadu Ja jaameŋo Bakaaw katadanfu-buŋo daala. || Muhammad Jah Mosque by the Bakau Stadium.

  • Bertil Herding Sila-baa, Banjuuluu, Gambiyaa. || Bertil Herding Highway, Banjul, The Gambia.

  • Bertil Herding Sila-baa, Banjuulu, Gambiyaa. || Bertil Herding Highway, Banjul, The Gambia.

  • Landiŋ Caam be ataaya miŋo la kisi-kisiroo tumoo minna Bala la suwoo kono. Burusubi, Seerekundaa. || Landing Cham drinking tea during the fieldwork in Bala’s home, Brusubi, Serrekunda.

  • Bertil Herding Sila-baa, Banjuuluu, Gambiyaa. || Bertil Herding Highway, Banjul, The Gambia.

  • Bertil Herding Sila-baa, Banjuuluu, Gambiyaa. || Bertil Herding Highway, Banjul, The Gambia.

Pedagogical Activities

Glossary
Notes
Exercises
Mandinka Keyboard

Glossary

  1. Aadoolu: Cultures, customs, traditions (singular laadoo)
  2. Ataaya miŋo: Drinking tea
  3. Ataaya, ataayoo: Hot green tea from China which is popular in West Africa
  4. Baa ndiŋo or baariŋo: Young, young goat
  5. Bii: Today
  6. Boyi: To fall, rain
  7. Buŋo: Building, house
  8. Daa: Mouth, entrance
  9. Diyaata: Tasty, sweet, delicious, easy
  10. Fo: To say, tell
  11. Gambiyaa la Kodi-buŋ-baa: Central Bank of The Gambia
  12. Jaatoo: Bitter tomato, when used in medicine
  13. Jumaalu: Plural form of who, which  (singular jumaa)
  14. Ka a ñininkaa: To ask someone
  15. Ka a sene: To plant something, grow, cultivate, plough something
  16. Ka a yitandi, yiitandi: To show something, highlight, inform, exhibit something
  17. Ka a ke: To place, do, happen, spend time
  18. Ka loo: To stand, build, erect
  19. Kaawakuyaata: Astonishing, mysterious, weird
  20. Kaŋo: Neck, voice, language, pledge
  21. Karandirilaa: Teacher, tutor, trainer
  22. Kibaari-taamansee: Billboard, advertisement sign, information sign  
  23. Kibaaridiilaa: Journalist, communicator, lecturer, reporter
  24. Kisi-kisiroo, kisikisiroo: Research, investigation, inquiry
  25. Kodi, kodoo: Currency, money, silver
  26. Kompiyutoo safeerilaŋo, oridinatooru safeerilaŋo: Computer keyboard
  27. Kooma: Behind, back, rear
  28. Koridaalu: Houses, buildings, households, compounds (singular koridaa)
  29. Kummaayaata: Important, pivotal, necessary, prominent
  30. Kuntii, kuntiyo: Leader, authority, head, chief
  31. Kuwo: Thing, affair, business
  32. Looriŋ: Standing, built, erected
  33. Manoo: Paved road, tarred road, tar
  34. Moo: Human being
  35. Mooroo: Religious leader, diviner, healer
  36. Moto koyoolu: White cars
  37. Motoo, wotoo: Car, truck, motor bike
  38. Motoolu taañaa: Movement of the cars, traffic
  39. Musoolu: Women, wives (singular musu or musoo)
  40. Naataaloo: Image, photograph, picture
  41. Nafaa: Importance, benefit, advantage, value
  42. Ñimiroo: Chewing (from the verb ñimi, to chew)
  43. Saatee: Town, village, city, area
  44. Safeeri-kuloolu: Letters of alphabets and scripts
  45. Safeeroolu: Writings, texts (singular safeeroo)
  46. Saloo keeñaa: Manner or way of praying, how to pray
  47. Saloo: Prayer
  48. Samaa: Rain
  49. Senelaa: Farmer
  50. Sila-baa: Major road, highway, main road
  51. Sila-fatoo: Roadside
  52. Sila, siloo: Road, street, way, rule, direction, path
  53. Siloo laañaa: Road condition
  54. Suwo: Home
  55. Taamansee, taamanseeroo: Mark, sign, symbol, description, sample, clue
  56. Tili, tiloo: The sun, day
  57. Too: Name
  58. Tuccoo: Crackling, smashing, breaking
  59. Yiri-juwoo: Tree trunk

Notes

  1. Kunta Kinteh or Kunta Kinte: Name of a Gambian slave that Alex Haley claimed as his ancestor in his popular 1976 novel, Roots: The Saga of an American Family.
  2. Kuwo do sutuyaata daa la, wo maŋ ñanna fo la: “There are some things closer to the mouth that should not be said,” a proverb that teaches loyalty and the importance of keeping secrets.
  3. Niŋ tuccoo diyaata i ye, i ka jaatoo le sene: “If you like the crackling [of seeds in your mouth], you must grow bitter tomatoes,” a proverb that teaches work ethic for success in life. It suggests that if one desires a good life, one must work hard to be able to afford it. The crackling of the bitter tomato seeds is a metaphor for the good life that one desires, and the growing of the fruits represents the hard work a successful life requires.
  4. Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara: First president of The Gambia, who served from 1970 to 1996.
  5. Taba jamboo warata baariŋo la ñimiroo ti le: “The leaf of a kapok tree is too big for a little goat’s mouth.” This proverb emphasizes the importance of keeping secrets from immature or young people. The kapok tree leaf represents the secret and the little goat represents the immature or young person.
  6. Yahya Jammeh: Former president of The Gambia, who served from 1994 to 2017.

Exercises:

Comprehension || Writing || Listening / Speaking and Conversation || Cultural Competence

Comprehension: Video

Comprehension: Image

Writing

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For exercises 1-6 below, open the Mandinka Ajami keyboard, type text, and copy-paste it into the box.
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Listening / Speaking and Conversation

  • Podkastoo niŋ Widewoo: Podkastoo ke ñiŋ widewoo kaccaa-kuma-kaŋoolu kunna, waraŋ i ye widewoo sutuŋoolu ke minulu be widewoo la kaccaa-kuma-kaŋoolu koyindi la.

Cultural Competence

  • Teyaataroo safee aniŋ Mandinka safeeri-kuloolu la muŋ be aada kummaayaariŋo yitandi la.