Gambian Music and Culture

Music plays an important part of Gambian culture; “The drum” made of carved wood and goat skin seems a simple instrument, but drumming in is not limited to musical entertainment like some of the music from the Americas or Europe, it has a serious application in many societies across the continent.

A native speaker of a language can often perceive a text or texts in the music. This effect also forms the basis of drum languages (talking drums)in days gone by drumming was used as a way of communicating. News would travel from village to villages by drumming.


Many of the Western African tribes are well known for their use of drumming in daily activities or special events. The drums are the main tool used to inform members of their respective tribes when something major occurs within the tribe. Drums can inform members of death, funerals, meetings, or upcoming celebration. In the past it was used as a warning of immanent attack.


The drum is the sign of life; its beat is the heartbeat of the community. Such is the power of the drum to evoke emotions, to touch the souls of those who hear its rhythms. The beating of the drum is an opportunity to give one another a sense of belonging and of solidarity. It is a time to connect with each other, to be part of that collective rhythm of the life in which young and old, rich and poor, men and women are all invited to contribute to the society.


Wrestling:
The beat of the drum is used to evoke the emotion of the contester and create an excitement in the arena Modern traditional wrestling has evolved as a modified version of the real combat techniques. Traditionally, all the boys in a village were taught how to wrestle. The ones that showed skill and promise were held in high regard as a man regardless of class, it is one of the oldest traditional sports in Gambia and wrestling festivals are a common occurrence. Leg locks are permitted but there are no patterned arm or head locks, or complicated points system.


The object of the game is simply to throw one's opponent to the ground. The first wrestler down in the bout loses the contest. The most common style of grappling is shown among the Mandinka, Fulas and Jolas. It involves each opponent grabbing each other's trunks at the start of the bout. After some strategic manoeuvrings each one would attempt to throw the other to the ground. Serers on the other hand prefer to go straight for the legs and render their opponent off balance.


Traditional music
Is mostly functional in nature, there are for example, many different kinds of work songs, some of the drumming that goes on in the middle of the day even helps women and men of the tribe get daily chores done quicker as the drums allow them to follow a rhythm while they work, Ceremonial or religious music accompanies childbirth, marriage, hunting, and even political activities.


Cremonial music
Will often be accompanied by the Balafone and the Kora which has a harp like sound and is made from the Calabash. The player uses only the thumb and index finger of both hands to pluck the strings in polyrhythmic patterns. Depending on the tribe which combination of instruments are used.


A male griots, or praise singers are traditionally heard at weddings and infant naming ceremonies, born into the profession most often act as a solo or duo instrumentalist. They attend the ceremonies to bring good luck by accompany praise songs and historical recitations. In some areas it may form part of a larger group including a Kora, a calabash, flute and/or a Tamo Drums.


The griots or “Jali” society was as a historian, advisor, arbitrator, praise singer and storyteller. Essentially, these musicians were walking history books, preserving their ancient stories and traditions through song. Their inherited tradition was passed down through generations. They were said to have deep connections to spiritual, social, or political powers as music is associated as such. Speech is also said to have power as it can recreate history. The talking drums(Tamo) are some of the oldest instruments used by west African griots and their history can be traced back to ancient Ghana Empire. Many have developed a highly sophisticated genre of griot music centering on the talking drum.

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Tribal History

The Gambia is made up of Eight different Tribes, which originate from the surrounding Countries: The River Gambia being the main epicentre means most of the different tribes originate either north, east or south of the river.

Mandinka
In the 14th century, the (Manding) Mali Empire of Mali - established by Mandinka, Sundiata Keita, leader of the Malinké people - encompassed the areas from the edge of the Sahara to the forests of the south in what is now Liberia and Sierra Leone. From East to West, it covered all the regions between Takedda beyond the Niger Buckle covering Senegambia on the Atlantic Ocean.

This vast empire controlled nearly all the trans-Saharan trade, and contact with the rulers of the Arab states to the north led the Mali rulers to embrace Islam with great enthusiasm. Though the rise of the Mali empire was swift its decline was slow. By the beginning of the 15th century, the empire had lost its hegemony over the affairs of the Western Sudan and had been reduced into the small area of Kangaba, where it had first originated.

By the middle of the 15th century a group of Mandingos drifted into the area of the Gambia River basin and with them came Islam. The Mandinksa make up the majority of the population being the largest tribe to settle in the Gambia, the majority of which live in the provinces, upper and central river division.

Wollof
Are an ethnic group found in North Senegal, Mauritania and The Gambia, making up about 15% of the population, yet Wolof language and culture have a disproportionate influence because of their prevalence in the capital Banjul, where 50% of the population are Wolof.

Jola
Are the next largest community living in the Gambia, their people are believed to have pre-dated Mande and Fula peoples to the riverine coast of Senegambia, and may have migrated into Casamance before the 13th century. Though the origin of the Jolas is still unknown, it is now confirmed by both oral and written history that they are the people who have been longest resident in the Gambia and among the indigenous people of the Senegambian region. Jola in Mandinka means to “pay your dues” Traditionally the women tend the fields and grow crops while men tap Palm Wine and Palm Oil

Sarahuli
Are Mandé people who descend from the Belfour and are closely related to the Imraguen of Mauritania. They were the founders of the ancient empire of Ghana c. 750-1240 CE) The settlers in Gambia are a minority group who live mainly in the up river division. Traditionally their people are traders, they are renowned as being successful business people, many are property owners and diamond dealers.

Fula
Are traditionally a nomadic, pastoralist, trading people, herding cattle, goats and sheep across the vast dry hinterlands of their domain, keeping somewhat separate from the local agricultural populations. Their tribe can be found as far north as Mauritania, all over West and central Africa and as far east as Sudan.

The Fula people form a minority in every country they live, but in Guinea they represent a plurality of the population (40%) In the Gambia they are often found as local trades. Commonly the corner shop will be known as the “Fula shop”.

Aku
Originated from Freetown, Sierra Leone, some still live in the area of George town where they had been resettled after the days of slavery as there was no way of knowing where they had originally been taken from. The Aku language which is still spoken in West Africa developed from the early West African Pidgin English.

Some scholars also argue that African slaves took this language to the New World where it helped give rise to the English-based creoles that developed there, including the Gullah language in coastal South Carolina and Georgia, Bahamian Dialect, Jamaican Creole, Belizean Kriol, Guyanese Creole, Sranan Tongo .

Manjago
Are an ethnic group in Guinea-Bissau. Which have migrated to south Gambia They are known as Manjaku by the Manjacks themselves, Ndiago by the Wolofs, Manjaco by the Portuguese, and Manjaque by the French. Each of these terms means "I tell you" Their trade by tradition is typically Palm Wine and Palm Oil tappers.

Serere:
Are the third largest ethnic group in Senegal, also present in Mauritania and The North bank of Gambia they are predominantly Fishermen by trade and their principal sport played is wrestling.

Enjoy your Gambia Holidays!
Our members are involved in Gambian restaurants, tours, excursions, eco-tourism, car rentals, and shops within the vibrant Gambia Tourism Industry.
Please visit our website www.ttag.gm