Unit 6: Boubacar Diatta

Videos
Community Images
Pedagogical Activities

Metadata

TitleConversation with Boubacar Diatta
InterviewerIbrahima Yaffa
SubjectMandinka Ajami poetry, performing Ajami poems, commemoration of mother’s care and dedication
ContentBoubacar Diatta was born and raised in Pakaawu-Kerewaan where he began his Quranic studies. Later, he moved to Jaara-Barookundaa in The Gambia where he completed his advanced Islamic education. He did not learn Mandinka Ajami formally, but through reading the Mandinka Ajami writings of the elders while he was attending Quranic school. Since then he has specialized in Mandinka Ajami poetry singing by imitating old poetry singers. He now serves as a Quranic teacher and a well-known Mandinka Ajami writer, poet, and singer in his area. He has been invited to perform at religious ceremonies in many countries, including Spain, The Gambia, Mali, and Guinea Bissau. In this interview, Mr. Diatta talks about the poems he has written, and performs a poem that he wrote a few days after the death of his mother, commemorating her wisdom, dedication, and care. He talks about the deeply emotional impact that this poem makes on the listeners.
LanguageMandinka
ScriptMandinka Ajami
LocationZiguinchor, Senegal
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, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Ibrahima Ngom, Mamadou Aw Ndiaye, Ousmane Cisse, Ablaye Diakite, Alison Parker, and Frank Antonelli.
Required citation informationFallou Ngom (PI), Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Ibrahima Ngom, Mamadou Aw Ndiaye, Ousmane Cisse, Ablaye Diakite, and other contributors. 2022. “Conversation with Boubacar Diatta.” https://sites.bu.edu/ria/mandinka/mandinka-unit-6/

Videos

Mandinka with English Subtitles

Mandinka with Latin Script Subtitles

Community Images

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  • Dookuwo kuntiyo, Fallu Ngom, niŋ Ibraahima Yaafaa be Yaamatooñ, Sikicoor, Senekaali, i be taa la dookuwo la Covid saasaa tumoo. || Project leader, Fallou Ngom, and Ibrahima Yaffa in Yamatogne, Ziguinchor, Senegal, going to work during the Covid pandemic.

  • Hotel Nema Kadior kisi-kisilaalu jiita daamiŋ Sikicoor, Senekaali. || Hotel Nema Kadior where the fieldwork team stayed in Ziguinchor, Senegal.

  • Dookuwo kuntiyo, Fallu Ngom, be Buubakar Jaata, Mandinka kaŋ suukuulaalaa niŋ safeeri tiyo, ñininkaa kaŋ Hotel Nema Kadior to Sikicoor, Senekaali. || Project leader, Fallou Ngom, interviewing Boubacar Diatta, a Mandinka poetry singer and manuscript owner, at Hotel Nema Kadior in Ziguinchor, Senegal.

  • Binta Jaata, Mandinka kaŋ suukuulaalaa Buubakar Jaata diŋ musoo, Kerewaani, Kaasamaasi, Senekaali. || Binta Diatta, a Mandinka poetry singer and Boubacar Diatta’s daughter in Kerewane, Casamance, Senegal.

  • Musoolu be tabiroo la Kajoor, Sikicoor, dookuwo kuntiyo, Falu Ngom, wuluuta daamiŋ. || Women preparing food in Kadior, Ziguinchor where the team leader, Fallou Ngom, was born.

  • Dookuwo kuntiyo, Fallu Ngom, niŋ Nnaa Manjaakoo, a baamaa teerimaa benta Sikicoor. || Project leader, Fallou Ngom met Mama Manjako, his mother’s friend in Ziguinchor.

  • Kerewaani saatee la jaameŋo. || The mosque of Kerewane village.

  • Ka bo bulu maraa la ka taa bulu baa la, Ibraahima Yaafa (kisi-kisilaalu la alifaa baa); teemankoo, Maalaŋ Saane, Mandinka kaŋ suukuulaalaa baa Sikicoor, aniŋ Ibraahima Ngom, kisi-kisilaalu la nataali-kee-laa, Hotel Nema Kadior to, Sikicoor, Senekaali. || From left to right, Ibrahima Yaffa (senior facilitator of the fieldwork team); in the middle, Malang Sané (a famous Mandinka poetry singer in Ziguinchor), and Ibrahima Ngom (the photographer of the fieldwork team) at Hotel Nema Kadior, Ziguinchor, Senegal.

  • Yaamadu Kamara, Mandinka kaŋ safeerilaa aniŋ Mandinka kaŋ safeeri tiyo. || Yamadou Camara, a Mandinka writer and manuscript owner.

  • Marsaasum Baa i ka miŋ fanaŋ kili Sunguruguru, Kaasamaasi Baa-buloo. || The Marsassoum River also called Soungrougrou, a tributary of the Casamance River.

  • Kisi-kisilaalu la alifaa baa, Ibraahima Yaafa, aniŋ taamalaa doolu be Marsaasum Baa tee kaŋ baakoo kono kabiriŋ i be taa la Kerewaani. || The senior facilitator of the fieldwork, Ibrahima Yaffa, and other travelers crossing the Marsassoum River by ferry on the way to Kerewane.

  • Kerewaani saatee siloo kaŋ, aniŋ tabuloo miŋ ka a yitandi Amerik bankoo ka moolu maakoyi i ka kaju kuloolu waafi ñaamiŋ. || On the way to the village of Kerewane, with a sign showing how America is helping people commercialize cashew nuts.

Pedagogical Activities

Glossary
Notes
Exercises
Mandinka Keyboard

Glossary

  1. Adamadiŋ, haadama diŋo: Literally “child of Adam,” human being
  2. Araamisoo: Thursday, from Arabic al-khamīs
  3. Baa: River, sea
  4. Baloo: Body
  5. Banta: Ended, finished, died (synonyms faata and faatuta)
  6. Batu: To wait, adore, worship (Ala batu, to worship God)
  7. Bula maraa: Left-hand, left-hand side
  8. Bulu, buloo: Hand, arm, branch, tributary
  9. Fanoo keta: Dawn, daybreak
  10. Futata: Arrived, reached a destination (from ka futa)
  11. Jaameŋo: Mosque
  12. Jaaraloo, jaararloo: Healing, treatment, curing, therapy
  13. Juma luŋo, Arjumoo: Friday (from Arabic jumʿa)
  14. Ka a baayi, baay: To stop, to cancel
  15. Ka a jiibee, juubee: To see, inspect, observe, look after, pay a visit to someone
  16. Ka a kisi-kisi: To research, investigate, inquire
  17. Ka a kumandi: To call, sound, invite, ring
  18. Ka a maakoyi: To help, assist
  19. Ka a samba: To take away, carry away, bring away
  20. Ka a waafi: To sell
  21. Ka baŋ: To end, finish, die (synonyms ka faa and ka faatu)
  22. Ka bori: To run, flee
  23. Ka futa: To arrive, reach a destination
  24. Ka karaŋ: To read, study
  25. Ka kumboo: To cry, weep, shed tears
  26. Ka lenka: To ring, shout, call out
  27. Kafuñoo: Friend, associate, companion
  28. Kaju Kuloo: Cashew nut
  29. Kaju, Kajuwoo: Cashew
  30. Kanuntee: Beloved one
  31. Kiitiyo: Court, decree, ruling
  32. Kisi-kisi: Investigation, research, inquiry
  33. Kisi-kisilaa, kisikisilaa: Researcher, investigator
  34. Kuntiyo: Leader, president
  35. Kuŋo: Head
  36. Lookuŋo: Week
  37. Mobayiloo, telefonoo: Cell phone (from English mobile phone)
  38. Mooroo: “Spiritual leader, teacher, sir,” a male honorific
  39. Muumee: All, whole, entire, entirety
  40. Naa: Mother (synonym baa, baamaa)
  41. Nataali-kee-laa: Photographer
  42. Nataali, nataaloo: Photograph, image
  43. Saasaa: Illness, sickness, disease
  44. Saayaa saŋo: Death date, death year
  45. Safeeri tiyoo: Manuscript owner, document owner
  46. Safeerilaa: Writer, author
  47. Somandaa: Morning time
  48. Suukuulaa: To chant religious songs or poems, compose religious poetry
  49. Suukuulaalaa: A religious poetry chanter, poet (plural suukuulaalaalu)
  50. Suukuwo: Religious chant, religious song, chanting
  51. Taamalaa: Traveler, walker, wanderer
  52. Tabiroo: Cooking
  53. Teema: Middle
  54. Teemankoo: The one in the middle
  55. Teerimaa: Best friend
  56. Timmata: Fulfilled, completed, perfected (from ka timma)
  57. Woosii: To complain, express a concern, plead, appeal
  58. Yaamaroo: Advice, wish, guidance

Notes

  1. Kambiyaa, Gambiyaa: “The Republic of The Gambia.” Because the Mandinka language does not have the consonant g, many Mandinka monolingual speakers with limited or no exposure to languages with the consonant g pronounce Gambia as Kambiyaa. Those exposed to languages with the consonant g such as Wolof, French, English, and others may pronounce it as Gambiyaa.
  2. Kammoo, gammoo: Similar to the note above, kammoo and gammoo are both used in Mandinka communities. It is used to refer to the celebration of the birthday of Prophet Muhammad.  Held in the evening, the event includes declamations of religious poetry and discussions about the life, virtues, and teachings of Prophet Muhammad by prominent local preachers.
  3. Sunguruguru: The Marsassoum River, which is also called Soungrougrou in the French-based spelling, is a tributary of the Casamance River in southern Senegal.
  4. Tili taŋ-naanoo: “The 40th day.” This refers to the ceremony of prayers for a deceased person held on the 40th day of their passing. In Senegambian Muslim communities, the ceremony includes recitations of the Quran, food served to the participants, and prayers for the departed.

Exercises:

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

Comprehension: Video

Comprehension: Image

Writing

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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.