THE FLAG
Page.12
MAGAZINE
WELCOME TO
THE GAMBIA
The peculiar shape and size of the country
are the result of territorial compromises
made during the 19th century by Great
Britain, which controlled the lower Gambia
River, and France, which ruled the
neighbouring colony of Senegal. Periodic
talks in the 20th century to unite The
Gambia and Senegal led to the short-lived
Senegambia confederation (1982–89).
Ethnic groups
Gambia, The: girl carrying fruit [Credit:
Robin Laurance—Impact Photos/
Heritage-Images]
The river basin was a focal point for
migrating groups of people escaping the
turmoil of western Sudanic wars dating
from the 12th century. The Diola (Jola)
are the people longest resident in the
The Gambia is Africa’s smallest non-island country; they are now located mostly in
western Gambia. The largest group is the
country; it is also one of Africa’s most
densely populated countries. A few towns Malinke, comprising about two-fifths of
are located upriver, but most Gambians live the population. The Wolof, who are the
dominant group in Senegal, also
in rural villages. The major ethnic groups
are similar to those in Senegal and consist predominate in Banjul. The Fulani
settled the extreme upriver areas, and
of the majority Malinke and also include
their kingdom, Fuladu, became a major
Wolof, Fulani (Fulbe), Diola (Jola), and
Soninke peoples. The Gambian economy is power in the late 19th century. The
heavily dependent on peanut (groundnut) Soninke, an admixture of Malinke and
Fulani, are also concentrated in the
production and export.
upriver areas.
The country is known for the beaches
along its small Atlantic coastline and for
being home to Jufureh (Juffure), the
reputed ancestral village of Kunta Kinte,
the main character in Alex Haley’s wellknown novel Roots. The capital, Banjul.
(called Bathurst until 1973).
Dance and music, traditionally tied
to village activities, are still
important today. Regular shows are
held, especially at harvest time and
during the dry season when there is
less agricultural work to be done.
The musical performances of
traditional West African
troubadour-historians known as
griots (Wolof gewels) not only
provide entertainment but also serve
to preserve cultural traditions, oral
genealogies, and historical narratives.
Praise songs are also part of the
griot’s repertoire. The griots of The
Gambia, many of whom play the
kora, were made famous by Alex
Haley’s Roots (1976).
Gambians—especially those in
Banjul and upcountry towns—wear
both traditional West African
clothing as well as European-style
English is the official language, but the
dress. Gambian women often sport
most frequently spoken languages are
elaborate head wraps and flowing
generally of the Atlantic branch of the
caftans on the streets of the capital
Niger-Congo family. Mandinka and
Wolof constitute the lingua francas of the and in rural villages. Men typically
wear traditional shirts and Western
country, and other languages spoken
include Pulaar (Fulbe), Serer, Diola, and pants, but on Fridays and Muslim
Soninke. Some Muslim clerics are literate holidays they wear traditional dress.
in Arabic
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