Monday 10 August 2009

Gambian family names: Some of the meanings

http://www.gambia.dk/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3673&whichpage=1

In the above link, we have tried to discuss and explain the meanings of our Senegambian or broad west African family names. correct or add meanings of your family name if you know it. It is only through written knowledge that our future generations can comfortably access our the past. oral conversation are getting more and more distorted and unrealiable. Our grannies are now full of life, they don't have time for history lessons.
Modernity and its trapping have penetrated them as well. I am very please that, our capable Serre brother Tamsier have provided us more meaning to common Gambian family names with Serre or even Wollof roots.
Please think about the linguistic meaning of your family name. It may have been explained to you as child or in the recent past. Some take the prasing of their family name to be it's meaning. Njie is a family name but Jata njie or in some Mandingo community Njiekunu is a combination of Njie and it's praise.
Darbo is praise as Jula, but are they the only Julas... Jula is only a praise.
don't be shy, educate us... I hope Tukulore family names like Chongan are explain to us. They sound so unique, one is curious to know what it means.

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