Que pensez-vous de la culture soninké ? A-t-elle un avenir ?

[Mamadou Lamine]

Hello to all,

Isn't the major problem of the diaspora the transmission of sooninké culture.

I am one of these children born in Europe.
Our parents never really teached us our language and only the basic of the costums.
We didn't know better so we didn't ask much about it. We grew up, went to school and all our basic needs were met but when it came to culture ...

Our parents worked hard, treated us well now and then scrapped money together to send one or two of the many children to see the capital, the village and meet the extended family. But what is a 16 year old kid going to learn in 3 weeks vacation ?

I have always been jealous of my chinese, arab, pakistani friends of whom most seemed to have parents that teached them the language whether individually or in weekend schools, even going as far as forbidding them to talk french at home !! Most also frequently went to vacation to the country of origin and were pushed to pursue higher education.

Me ? I have a little anecdote. When i was 16 years old I was so happy because i had my first little holiday job. All my other sooninké friends were hanging and hustling but me I was going to earn my money legally and then go see my home country once again and all paid by myself since my parents couldn't afford to send us every two years so I was proud I was going to pay for the trip myself.
Well I worked the whole month of july and wanted to take the plane to the capital in August. My father came at the end of the month and told me that I needed to give him most of my salary because he needed to sent money to finish the house in the village and for the basic needs of his 2nd wife and her children in the home village. Needless to say I ended up with the hustlers and no good boys in what we called "encore un été a la cité".

Till this day I don't get how so many of these sooninké migrants move away from their home country to live in Europe, work hard, teach your children right from wrong, basics of islamic religion but don't really bother with transmitting the sooninké language and culture and then be surprised when their children go and marry white or arab women, don't want to know about sooninké culture anymore, ...

Well i understand that from 0 to 21 years old priority went to eating, housing, clothing, school. But then don't expect us to become full members of sooninké society you just didn't care enough to prepare us for it. And if you think I'm too harsh I'm asking why can the pakistanis, the turks, and other people do what we can't ?


ps. Sorry I haven't got much time so I've been very direct.

[nas]

Hello to all,

Isn't the major problem of the diaspora the transmission of sooninké culture.

I am one of these children born in Europe.
Our parents never really teached us our language and only the basic of the costums.
We didn't know better so we didn't ask much about it. We grew up, went to school and all our basic needs were met but when it came to culture ...

Our parents worked hard, treated us well now and then scrapped money together to send one or two of the many children to see the capital, the village and meet the extended family. But what is a 16 year old kid going to learn in 3 weeks vacation ?

I have always been jealous of my chinese, arab, pakistani friends of whom most seemed to have parents that teached them the language whether individually or in weekend schools, even going as far as forbidding them to talk french at home !! Most also frequently went to vacation to the country of origin and were pushed to pursue higher education.

Me ? I have a little anecdote. When i was 16 years old I was so happy because i had my first little holiday job. All my other sooninké friends were hanging and hustling but me I was going to earn my money legally and then go see my home country once again and all paid by myself since my parents couldn't afford to send us every two years so I was proud I was going to pay for the trip myself.
Well I worked the whole month of july and wanted to take the plane to the capital in August. My father came at the end of the month and told me that I needed to give him most of my salary because he needed to sent money to finish the house in the village and for the basic needs of his 2nd wife and her children in the home village. Needless to say I ended up with the hustlers and no good boys in what we called "encore un été a la cité".

Till this day I don't get how so many of these sooninké migrants move away from their home country to live in Europe, work hard, teach your children right from wrong, basics of islamic religion but don't really bother with transmitting the sooninké language and culture and then be surprised when their children go and marry white or arab women, don't want to know about sooninké culture anymore, ...

Well i understand that from 0 to 21 years old priority went to eating, housing, clothing, school. But then don't expect us to become full members of sooninké society you just didn't care enough to prepare us for it. And if you think I'm too harsh I'm asking why can the pakistanis, the turks, and other people do what we can't ?


ps. Sorry I haven't got much time so I've been very direct.

Mon chère Lamine , c'est tout a ton honneur , honneur d’être pour ses père et mère , honneur d'accepter sa culture au final de s'accepter soie même et surtout tu a su faire les bon choix au bon moment pour ne pas tomber dans la délinquance , je te comprend moi aussi je suis née ici .

Ses vrai que la plupart des parents non pas put , ou pas su transmettre oralement notre belle culture car oui elle fut belle et enjolivent e même si aujourd'hui il , il ne reste que des ruine prêt a tomber.
Soyons claire et surtout parlons sens langue de bois certain parents ne fut pas encourager a faire des enfants pour obtenir une certaine compensation financière ( allocation familiale ). A partir de là ce pause une question morale esse pour de l'argent que nous devons faire des enfants . Si la chose qui ta motiver a faire des enfants ses l'argent ses sur au final tu ne peut leur donner une éducation .

La comparaison avec les autres culture fait en sorte de voir cet réalité bien tragique que ce soie chez les arabes , les indiens , les peuls ,les wolofs etc.. personne ne renie ce qu'il est , ce qui le forge et le structure . L'apostasie semble être un sport nationale chez le soninké ce renier , renier ce que je suis pour au final choisir par moi même une culture autre que celle de mes parents quelle ignominie .

Moi a titre personnelle je trouve logique la fin de notre culture . Sens aucun respect pour nous même , on ce dénigre , s’infériorise les uns les autre . On refuse d’admettre que le nom ne fait pas l'homme mais ses bien les actes . Le mensonge nous ravage on l'accepte , trop peur de la combattre au final cela veut dire qu'on l'accepte et ensuite avec autan d'hypocrisie on ce dirige vers la maison de dieu sens fois ni lois ; alors oui on ne peut être que maudis , maudis car tu refuse la vérité et la logique du monde pour ta propre logique .

[sajokuumba Kamara]

"And if you think I'm too harsh I'm asking why can the pakistanis, the turks, and other people do what we can't" ?

The simplest and truest answer to your important question, in my mind, is: A Community with a deep sense of the value of its culture particularly if this culture is seen as the best possible response to Life and living or a God sent one.

When Life is reduced to Islam and making money, then there isn't a lot to be taught outside of these two. This, in my view, is the reductionist culture of the post Wagadu Sooninkaaxu-money and Islam. So, if parents send their children to school and they are given the fundamentals of Islam, they think they have fulfilled their obligations as parents. This closes the matter for the desire to make money is already in your blood. This is what has been happening in the Diaspora. This is my view. Let us not quarrel with it.

In the village, it is not much different. Here, too, you are forced to live within your caste and then seek personal wealth and follow Islam. The culture is a lot broader because you now have the music, the dance, the appropriate way of dressing for various occasions, the foods, in short, the way of living that we call Sooninkaaxu.

I joined this particular forum among all the others I have been quietly following for sometime, because I think it is at the core of all of our concerns-the culture that we can call Sooninkaaxu.

Like you and Nas and Idipro, et al, I too, am a Diaspora Sooninke. I can state here that there are some Sooninko in the Gambia who will not consider me as part of the Sooninke world. Among those who grew up among the Sooninko of Jimira and Fulladu of the Gambia, I am as much of a stranger as someone from South Africa, or Papua New Guinea or Australia. This notwithstanding, I am interested in the Culture because of what my father-LajieMama Kamara- taught me.

He taught me about Goodness. He taught me about Excellence. He taught me fearlessness as the basis of Hooraxu-Nobility. This nobility is not about birth, or about blood, or about caste. This Hooraxu is what brings you, the individual, in the presence of the Divine Company Gods and makes you shine among humans. He taught me not to exploit others, that is, to be fair in all my transactions with my fellow human beings no matter who they are. He also taught me not to be lazy. This is tied to Goodness and Excellence. He taught me to put every ounce of energy that I could muster and apply myself fully to whatever I was doing so that whosoever sees it will know that this is the handiwork of a Kagoro. He taught me to be independent within the social network so long as it is not regressive or conservative for Life is dynamic or oppressive.

I could go on but the above paragraph sums up eloquently how Sooninkaaxu and Kagoraaxu were defined to me by my father. As I see it, culture is first Spirit whose energy is translated into the concrete details of Life and living-the how part of Life. The Spirit of the culture is alive and vibrant, always adapting to the realities of the moment and the demands and challenges of the day.

Do we value our Sooninkaaxu? If so, what does it mean outside of customs and ancient traditions? Can Sooninkaaxu be responsive to the demands and challenges of Life and living? If yes, then, there has to be a community of vibrant people who maintain and enrich the culture by the very way that they respond to the challenges and demands of Life. Why should a Kome-slave- uphold a culture that is largely exploiting him or her? Why should a naxamala uphold a culture that will not allow him or her to excel to the highest pinnacle of society if he or she has the capability, the education, the moral character to be there? Can the modern Sooninkaaxu be based on a meritocracy? Can Goodness and Excellence be the cement mortar that hold us together?

Let us not run away from ourselves. We have something very important to contribute to the human race again. However, we can do this only in community. The Sooninke Revolution will invariably start in the Diaspora first as this is the sector that can rise above the deadly caste system. I am a meritocrat and not an aristocrat by philosophy. Let us not quarrel about this one either. Let us see the limitations of the caste system and rise above it.

Let us take this seriously. What does the Sooninke culture mean? To answer this question, we have to know what culture is, in its broad terms. Then we can study what Sooninkaaxu is and then, may be if we have the energy, do something about it in community.

[nas]

"And if you think I'm too harsh I'm asking why can the pakistanis, the turks, and other people do what we can't" ?

The simplest and truest answer to your important question, in my mind, is: A Community with a deep sense of the value of its culture particularly if this culture is seen as the best possible response to Life and living or a God sent one.

When Life is reduced to Islam and making money, then there isn't a lot to be taught outside of these two. This, in my view, is the reductionist culture of the post Wagadu Sooninkaaxu-money and Islam. So, if parents send their children to school and they are given the fundamentals of Islam, they think they have fulfilled their obligations as parents. This closes the matter for the desire to make money is already in your blood. This is what has been happening in the Diaspora. This is my view. Let us not quarrel with it.

In the village, it is not much different. Here, too, you are forced to live within your caste and then seek personal wealth and follow Islam. The culture is a lot broader because you now have the music, the dance, the appropriate way of dressing for various occasions, the foods, in short, the way of living that we call Sooninkaaxu.

I joined this particular forum among all the others I have been quietly following for sometime, because I think it is at the core of all of our concerns-the culture that we can call Sooninkaaxu.

Like you and Nas and Idipro, et al, I too, am a Diaspora Sooninke. I can state here that there are some Sooninko in the Gambia who will not consider me as part of the Sooninke world. Among those who grew up among the Sooninko of Jimira and Fulladu of the Gambia, I am as much of a stranger as someone from South Africa, or Papua New Guinea or Australia. This notwithstanding, I am interested in the Culture because of what my father-LajieMama Kamara- taught me.

He taught me about Goodness. He taught me about Excellence. He taught me fearlessness as the basis of Hooraxu-Nobility. This nobility is not about birth, or about blood, or about caste. This Hooraxu is what brings you, the individual, in the presence of the Divine Company Gods and makes you shine among humans. He taught me not to exploit others, that is, to be fair in all my transactions with my fellow human beings no matter who they are. He also taught me not to be lazy. This is tied to Goodness and Excellence. He taught me to put every ounce of energy that I could muster and apply myself fully to whatever I was doing so that whosoever sees it will know that this is the handiwork of a Kagoro. He taught me to be independent within the social network so long as it is not regressive or conservative for Life is dynamic or oppressive.

I could go on but the above paragraph sums up eloquently how Sooninkaaxu and Kagoraaxu were defined to me by my father. As I see it, culture is first Spirit whose energy is translated into the concrete details of Life and living-the how part of Life. The Spirit of the culture is alive and vibrant, always adapting to the realities of the moment and the demands and challenges of the day.

Do we value our Sooninkaaxu? If so, what does it mean outside of customs and ancient traditions? Can Sooninkaaxu be responsive to the demands and challenges of Life and living? If yes, then, there has to be a community of vibrant people who maintain and enrich the culture by the very way that they respond to the challenges and demands of Life. Why should a Kome-slave- uphold a culture that is largely exploiting him or her? Why should a naxamala uphold a culture that will not allow him or her to excel to the highest pinnacle of society if he or she has the capability, the education, the moral character to be there? Can the modern Sooninkaaxu be based on a meritocracy? Can Goodness and Excellence be the cement mortar that hold us together?

Let us not run away from ourselves. We have something very important to contribute to the human race again. However, we can do this only in community. The Sooninke Revolution will invariably start in the Diaspora first as this is the sector that can rise above the deadly caste system. I am a meritocrat and not an aristocrat by philosophy. Let us not quarrel about this one either. Let us see the limitations of the caste system and rise above it.

Let us take this seriously. What does the Sooninke culture mean? To answer this question, we have to know what culture is, in its broad terms. Then we can study what Sooninkaaxu is and then, may be if we have the energy, do something about it in community.

Traduction réaliser grâce a l'outil Google traduction .
"Et si vous pensez que je suis trop dur, je suis peut se demander pourquoi les Pakistanais, des Turcs, et d'autres personnes faire ce que nous ne pouvons pas"?

La réponse la plus vraie et plus simple à votre question importante, dans mon esprit, c'est: Une communauté avec un sens profond de la valeur de sa culture en particulier si cette culture est considérée comme la meilleure réponse possible à la vie et de séjour ou un Dieu envoya un.

Quand la vie se réduit à l'islam et faire de l'argent, alors il n'y a pas beaucoup à être enseignée en dehors de ces deux. Ceci, à mon avis, c'est la culture réductionniste de l'Wagadu après Sooninkaaxu d'argent et de l'islam. Donc, si les parents envoient leurs enfants à l'école et ils sont donnés les fondements de l'islam, ils pensent qu'ils ont rempli leurs obligations en tant que parents. Cela ferme la question de la volonté de faire de l'argent est déjà dans votre sang. C'est ce qui s'est passé dans la Diaspora. Ceci est mon avis. Laissez-nous querellons pas avec elle.

Dans le village, il n'est pas très différente. Ici aussi, vous êtes obligés de vivre au sein de votre caste et ensuite chercher fortune personnelle et suivez l'islam. La culture est beaucoup plus large, car vous avez maintenant la musique, la danse, la façon appropriée de s'habiller pour diverses occasions, les aliments, en bref, la manière de vivre que nous appelons Sooninkaaxu.

J'ai rejoint ce forum particulier parmi tous les autres, j'ai été tranquillement la suite pendant un certain temps, car je pense qu'elle est au cœur de toutes nos préoccupations, la culture que nous pouvons appeler Sooninkaaxu.

Comme vous et Nas et Idipro, et al, moi aussi, je suis un Sooninke diaspora. Je peux affirmer ici qu'il ya quelques Sooninko en Gambie qui ne me considérer comme faisant partie du monde Sooninke. Parmi ceux qui ont grandi parmi les Sooninko des Jimira et Fulladu de la Gambie, je suis aussi d'un étranger comme quelqu'un d'Afrique du Sud, ou la Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée ou en Australie. Ce nonobstant, je suis intéressé par la culture à cause de ce que mon père m'a-LajieMama Kamara-enseigné.

Il m'a appris la bonté. Il m'a beaucoup appris sur l'excellence. Il m'a enseigné l'intrépidité que la base de Hooraxu-Noblesse. Cette noblesse n'est pas sur la naissance, ou sur le sang, ou la caste. Cette Hooraxu est ce que vous apporte, l'individu, en présence des dieux Compagnie Divine et vous fait briller parmi les humains. Il m'a appris à ne pas exploiter les autres, c'est d'être juste dans toutes mes transactions avec mes frères humains, peu importe qui ils sont. Il m'a également appris à ne pas être paresseux. Cela est lié à la bonté et l'excellence. Il m'a appris à mettre chaque once d'énergie que je pouvais rassembler et moi-même s'appliquent pleinement à ce que je faisais donc que quiconque voit il saura que ce n'est l'œuvre d'un Kagoro. Il m'a appris à être autonome dans le réseau social tant qu'il n'est pas régressif ou conservatrice pour la vie est dynamique ou oppressive.

Je pourrais continuer mais le paragraphe ci-dessus résume éloquemment combien Sooninkaaxu et Kagoraaxu ont été définis par mon père. Comme je le vois, la culture est l'Esprit premier dont l'énergie est traduite dans les détails concrets de la vie et la vie-la partie la manière dont la vie. L'Esprit de la culture est vivante et vibrante, toujours s'adapter aux réalités du moment et les exigences et les défis de la journée.

Ne nous apprécions nos Sooninkaaxu? Si oui, qu'est-ce que cela veut dire en dehors des coutumes et des traditions anciennes? Peut Sooninkaaxu répondre aux exigences et aux défis de la vie et la vie? Si oui, alors, il doit y avoir une communauté de gens dynamiques qui entretiennent et enrichissent la culture par la façon même qu'ils répondent aux défis et aux exigences de la vie. Pourquoi un Kome-esclave défendre une culture qui est largement exploiter lui ou elle? Pourquoi un naxamala défendre une culture qui ne sera pas lui permettre d'exceller au plus haut sommet de la société si il ou elle a la capacité, l'éducation, le caractère moral d'être là? Peut-modernes Sooninkaaxu être fondée sur une méritocratie? Peut-Bonté et l'excellence sont le mortier de ciment qui nous unissent?

Ne nous laissons pas fuir nous-mêmes. Nous avons quelque chose de très important pour contribuer à la race humaine. Cependant, nous pouvons faire cela uniquement dans la communauté. La Révolution Sooninke invariablement lancer dans la Diaspora d'abord comme cela est le secteur qui peut s'élever au-dessus du système des castes mortelle. Je suis un méritocrate et non pas un aristocrate de la philosophie. Ne nous laissons pas querelle à ce sujet non plus. Voyons les limites du système de castes et de s'élever au-dessus.

Laissez-nous prendre cela au sérieux. Qu'est-ce que la culture Sooninke dire? Pour répondre à cette question, nous devons savoir ce qu'est la culture, dans ses termes généraux. Ensuite, nous pouvons étudier ce qui se Sooninkaaxu et puis, peut-être si nous avons l'énergie, faire quelque chose dans la communauté.

[sajokuumba Kamara]

Mon Frere Nasa,

Merci pour la traductiion.

[nas]

"And if you think I'm too harsh I'm asking why can the pakistanis, the turks, and other people do what we can't" ?

The simplest and truest answer to your important question, in my mind, is: A Community with a deep sense of the value of its culture particularly if this culture is seen as the best possible response to Life and living or a God sent one.

When Life is reduced to Islam and making money, then there isn't a lot to be taught outside of these two. This, in my view, is the reductionist culture of the post Wagadu Sooninkaaxu-money and Islam. So, if parents send their children to school and they are given the fundamentals of Islam, they think they have fulfilled their obligations as parents. This closes the matter for the desire to make money is already in your blood. This is what has been happening in the Diaspora. This is my view. Let us not quarrel with it.

In the village, it is not much different. Here, too, you are forced to live within your caste and then seek personal wealth and follow Islam. The culture is a lot broader because you now have the music, the dance, the appropriate way of dressing for various occasions, the foods, in short, the way of living that we call Sooninkaaxu.

I joined this particular forum among all the others I have been quietly following for sometime, because I think it is at the core of all of our concerns-the culture that we can call Sooninkaaxu.

Like you and Nas and Idipro, et al, I too, am a Diaspora Sooninke. I can state here that there are some Sooninko in the Gambia who will not consider me as part of the Sooninke world. Among those who grew up among the Sooninko of Jimira and Fulladu of the Gambia, I am as much of a stranger as someone from South Africa, or Papua New Guinea or Australia. This notwithstanding, I am interested in the Culture because of what my father-LajieMama Kamara- taught me.

He taught me about Goodness. He taught me about Excellence. He taught me fearlessness as the basis of Hooraxu-Nobility. This nobility is not about birth, or about blood, or about caste. This Hooraxu is what brings you, the individual, in the presence of the Divine Company Gods and makes you shine among humans. He taught me not to exploit others, that is, to be fair in all my transactions with my fellow human beings no matter who they are. He also taught me not to be lazy. This is tied to Goodness and Excellence. He taught me to put every ounce of energy that I could muster and apply myself fully to whatever I was doing so that whosoever sees it will know that this is the handiwork of a Kagoro. He taught me to be independent within the social network so long as it is not regressive or conservative for Life is dynamic or oppressive.

I could go on but the above paragraph sums up eloquently how Sooninkaaxu and Kagoraaxu were defined to me by my father. As I see it, culture is first Spirit whose energy is translated into the concrete details of Life and living-the how part of Life. The Spirit of the culture is alive and vibrant, always adapting to the realities of the moment and the demands and challenges of the day.

Do we value our Sooninkaaxu? If so, what does it mean outside of customs and ancient traditions? Can Sooninkaaxu be responsive to the demands and challenges of Life and living? If yes, then, there has to be a community of vibrant people who maintain and enrich the culture by the very way that they respond to the challenges and demands of Life. Why should a Kome-slave- uphold a culture that is largely exploiting him or her? Why should a naxamala uphold a culture that will not allow him or her to excel to the highest pinnacle of society if he or she has the capability, the education, the moral character to be there? Can the modern Sooninkaaxu be based on a meritocracy? Can Goodness and Excellence be the cement mortar that hold us together?

Let us not run away from ourselves. We have something very important to contribute to the human race again. However, we can do this only in community. The Sooninke Revolution will invariably start in the Diaspora first as this is the sector that can rise above the deadly caste system. I am a meritocrat and not an aristocrat by philosophy. Let us not quarrel about this one either. Let us see the limitations of the caste system and rise above it.

Let us take this seriously. What does the Sooninke culture mean? To answer this question, we have to know what culture is, in its broad terms. Then we can study what Sooninkaaxu is and then, may be if we have the energy, do something about it in community.

La vie ce réduit telle a l'islam et a faire de l'argent ?non je pense plutôt que cet une belle illusion .L'islam est un guide pour les hommes un far dans cette mer si sombre , un voile devant ce mal , une lumière dans cet obscurité si chaque individu de notre culture aurai adhéré a la fois concrètement et sens ambiguïté a l'islam , notre culture auraient très certainement conquis une grande partie du monde . Toutes les grandes valeurs morales et éthique vienne des livre sacré , ne ta t-il pas trouver orphelin et ta accueillie , oui accueilli dans la bonté et la droiture il la donner un non a toute chose et toute chose qui permette la subsistance dans ce monde éphémère et tous sont soumis a lui . Quel hypocrisie de la part de certain philosophes ou certain individus qui pense que l'homme a atteint un certain stade de maturité qui lui permet de définir lui même ses propre règles , faux car toutes ses règles vienne du tous miséricordieux .
La vie des soninké ne ce résume pas a l'islam et a faire de l'argent mais plutôt a la perdition totale de l'islam cet a dire des valeurs humaine et morale qui forge chaque individu , qui forge et structure chaque groupe d'individu , chaque société , de chaque culture , de chaque pays , pour qu'il puisse vivre dans une harmonie profonde . Non Monsieur nous avons oublier l'islam car l'homme et sont arrogance a décider que les coutumes et les traditions prendrons et prenne le dessus sur les valeurs divine et universelle quelle absurdité , dieu ne pardonnera point cela ses pour cela que ses notre fin , celle de l'immoralité et du non respect pour la folie des cœurs et des âmes , mais dieu net certainement pas inattentif a ce que l'on fait.

Votre père vous a appris la bonté et l'excellence ses toute a son honneur , la noblesse du nom n'existe pas ses juste un mensonge de plus dans cet folie humaine , seul celle du cœur et des actes est propice a désigner le noble .
Mais aurons nous un jours le courage d'en discuter de façon solennelle sens ambiguïté , aurons nous le courage d’être de réel serviteur de dieu de crié haut et fort cet folie , de ne plus fermé les yeux mais de ce lever avec courage et défier les partisan de l’obscurantisme . Hélas le courage nous manque car celui qui connait la vérité préférera suivre le menteur de peur d'avoir des problème ou d'avoir certain commentaire le régressent .
Qui aura le courage de dire solennellement j'accepte de donner mon enfant a cet homme malgré que sa caste est différente de la mienne. Oui le courage nous manque , nous préférons le mensonge car il est plus facile de mentir et de ce mentir a soie même .
Prenons donc exemple sur ce jeune guerrier qui alla sauver sa belle , donner comme offrande au serpent a sept tète le jeune Traoré alla mettre a bas la bête pour sauver sa princesse . essayons de retrouver nos valeurs mais pour moi ce net que utopie .

Le monde est dangereux a vivre ! non pas tant a cause de ce qui font le mal, mais a causse de ceux qui regarde et laisse faire .

[sajokuumba Kamara]

La vie ce réduit telle a l'islam et a faire de l'argent ?non je pense plutôt que cet une belle illusion .L'islam est un guide pour les hommes un far dans cette mer si sombre , un voile devant ce mal , une lumière dans cet obscurité si chaque individu de notre culture aurai adhéré a la fois concrètement et sens ambiguïté a l'islam , notre culture auraient très certainement conquis une grande partie du monde . Toutes les grandes valeurs morales et éthique vienne des livre sacré , ne ta t-il pas trouver orphelin et ta accueillie , oui accueilli dans la bonté et la droiture il la donner un non a toute chose et toute chose qui permette la subsistance dans ce monde éphémère et tous sont soumis a lui . Quel hypocrisie de la part de certain philosophes ou certain individus qui pense que l'homme a atteint un certain stade de maturité qui lui permet de définir lui même ses propre règles , faux car toutes ses règles vienne du tous miséricordieux .
La vie des soninké ne ce résume pas a l'islam et a faire de l'argent mais plutôt a la perdition totale de l'islam cet a dire des valeurs humaine et morale qui forge chaque individu , qui forge et structure chaque groupe d'individu , chaque société , de chaque culture , de chaque pays , pour qu'il puisse vivre dans une harmonie profonde . Non Monsieur nous avons oublier l'islam car l'homme et sont arrogance a décider que les coutumes et les traditions prendrons et prenne le dessus sur les valeurs divine et universelle quelle absurdité , dieu ne pardonnera point cela ses pour cela que ses notre fin , celle de l'immoralité et du non respect pour la folie des cœurs et des âmes , mais dieu net certainement pas inattentif a ce que l'on fait.

Votre père vous a appris la bonté et l'excellence ses toute a son honneur , la noblesse du nom n'existe pas ses juste un mensonge de plus dans cet folie humaine , seul celle du cœur et des actes est propice a désigner le noble .
Mais aurons nous un jours le courage d'en discuter de façon solennelle sens ambiguïté , aurons nous le courage d’être de réel serviteur de dieu de crié haut et fort cet folie , de ne plus fermé les yeux mais de ce lever avec courage et défier les partisan de l’obscurantisme . Hélas le courage nous manque car celui qui connait la vérité préférera suivre le menteur de peur d'avoir des problème ou d'avoir certain commentaire le régressent .
Qui aura le courage de dire solennellement j'accepte de donner mon enfant a cet homme malgré que sa caste est différente de la mienne. Oui le courage nous manque , nous préférons le mensonge car il est plus facile de mentir et de ce mentir a soie même .

"Prenons donc exemple sur ce jeune guerrier qui alla sauver sa belle , donner comme offrande au serpent a sept tète le jeune Traoré alla mettre a bas la bête pour sauver sa princesse . essayons de retrouver nos valeurs mais pour moi ce net que utopie ."

Mon Frere Nas, this is where you confuse me deeply. If we are to take the example of Mamadi and Sia Yattabare, I think your whole thesis in this particular response and indeed from the beginning falls to the ground despite your spirited defense of God and Islam.

Mamadi slew the seven-headed serpent out of LOVE not out of devotion to some custom or to some tradition or for that matter to some religion and its god or gods and priests and priestesses. Love of Sia meant more to him than custom, tradition and religion. Chalk one for Love and courage. I think this is an extremely important lesson for all Sooninko if we are to understand the movement of culture that is alive, meaning dynamic. The lesson we draw is that when custom, tradition, and religion have served their purposes and Humankind has to take the necessary steps to a higher culture and a higher understanding of Life and living, then, it is advisable for those who see this necessity to do what is required to usher in the new. The old has to die or seamlessly blend into the new.

Now this courage of Mamadi's and that of Sia's has been followed by the Sooninko who converted to Islam. They deserted their own religion and adopted the one from Arabia despite opposition from the die-hard traditionalists and conservatives.

Now may I question, in the spirit of this dialogue, why the Sooninko converted to Islam rather than do what the hanifs did in Arabia that produced Mohammed, as the prophet of Allah? The hanifs could have converted to Judaism or to Christianity en masse. But only a few did, among which was one relative of Khaddiya who felt that the new religion of Islam felt short of her expectations and so out of frustration, she converted to Christianity. The hanifs sought their own way and they were rewarded with Mohammed and Islam that you have so far so eloquently defended. It did not come about by following the existing old religions. It came about because there were seekers after a new guidance of god.

Now in my mind, this religion too has served its useful purposes for humanity and that we Sooninko should start now to seek a direct line to the Unknowable Kamanen for a new Divine Guidance. This will be in the spirit of Sooninkaaxu in my mind, in the spirit of Mamadi and Sia, in the spirit of the Sooninko converted to Islam and Christianity.

Again, this is a dialogue. All approaches and meaningful contributions and challenges have to be intelligently addressed. If we can learn this dialogue, may be, as stated earlier, we may all come upon this Intelligence that will lead us to understand and create a higher culture, a higher society, and indeed, a higher civilization.

The two tenets of Sooninkaaxu quoted earlier-Islam and money-are well known main pillars of Sooninke culture for centuries now, Nas. It may be a cliche or a stereotype, but in general, we cannot divorce ourselves or for that matter our culture from these two tenets. Your critique is well taken, but it goes more to state the lack of proper education than anything else. For over a thousand years, the Sooninko have fielded Muslims to the Islamic course. Yet, over ninety percent of Sooninko are illiterate during most of that time. Until the modern era, mass education was not a pillar of Sooninke society. How can we expect then to understand and participate fully in the development of Islam and continually regenerate our culture when one has to first learn a foreign language, totally different from one's own, to know the dictates of the religion? Again, I maintain that religion is always at the core of most cultures. The well educated in the tradition of Islam can contribute to the discussion on the laws and the hadiths. However, that is falling into interpretations and differing opinions which do lend themselves to huge confusion. To have a direct understanding, you need a direct connection which is not available at the moment. Because few Sooninko are literate in their own language, even a written translation of the Quran in Sooninke will be of little use but to the few, any discussion on culture that will include all has to be oral.

Are we beginning to see the outlines of the demise of the culture? A cardinal pillar is in a foreign language that only few have managed to master.

You have made a spirited defense of Islam, which is admirable. You have put enormous stress upon following the laws of god. May I quietly posit something new in this. Please take no offense. Just reflect on it. Or should I state, could I pose a question or two here?

Where there is LAW, divine or secular, will you discover LOVE there? Isn't the law the absence of LOVE? Please think on this.

My Brothers and Sisters, these are not idle questions. One comes with fear in its wake, a sense of insecurity, hypocrisy, cleverness, the judge, the law enforcers, criminality, prison, sin and hell. The other, I would like you to reflect on in terms of two lovers. Is the foundation of their love based on LAW? Or is it above and beyond the law?

Nas, you and many others posit a Sooninkaaxu ever tied to Islam. I posit a Sooninkaaxu based on awakening to an Intelligence and Wisdom that are ever new and fresh.

This Intelligence and Wisdom are never static; they are always dynamic, changing according to the circumstances and our needs and challenges of Life. This is the principal pillar of my Sooninkaaxu. Through this, I can come upon the living spirit of the culture and allow it to help me address the challenges and demands of Life and living.

We, too, (Sooninko) are custodians of something Divine. Discover it. It is available. And it is the mother and father of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. This is the challenge.

[nas]

La vie ce réduit telle a l'islam et a faire de l'argent ?non je pense plutôt que cet une belle illusion .L'islam est un guide pour les hommes un far dans cette mer si sombre , un voile devant ce mal , une lumière dans cet obscurité si chaque individu de notre culture aurai adhéré a la fois concrètement et sens ambiguïté a l'islam , notre culture auraient très certainement conquis une grande partie du monde . Toutes les grandes valeurs morales et éthique vienne des livre sacré , ne ta t-il pas trouver orphelin et ta accueillie , oui accueilli dans la bonté et la droiture il la donner un non a toute chose et toute chose qui permette la subsistance dans ce monde éphémère et tous sont soumis a lui . Quel hypocrisie de la part de certain philosophes ou certain individus qui pense que l'homme a atteint un certain stade de maturité qui lui permet de définir lui même ses propre règles , faux car toutes ses règles vienne du tous miséricordieux .
La vie des soninké ne ce résume pas a l'islam et a faire de l'argent mais plutôt a la perdition totale de l'islam cet a dire des valeurs humaine et morale qui forge chaque individu , qui forge et structure chaque groupe d'individu , chaque société , de chaque culture , de chaque pays , pour qu'il puisse vivre dans une harmonie profonde . Non Monsieur nous avons oublier l'islam car l'homme et sont arrogance a décider que les coutumes et les traditions prendrons et prenne le dessus sur les valeurs divine et universelle quelle absurdité , dieu ne pardonnera point cela ses pour cela que ses notre fin , celle de l'immoralité et du non respect pour la folie des cœurs et des âmes , mais dieu net certainement pas inattentif a ce que l'on fait.

Votre père vous a appris la bonté et l'excellence ses toute a son honneur , la noblesse du nom n'existe pas ses juste un mensonge de plus dans cet folie humaine , seul celle du cœur et des actes est propice a désigner le noble .
Mais aurons nous un jours le courage d'en discuter de façon solennelle sens ambiguïté , aurons nous le courage d’être de réel serviteur de dieu de crié haut et fort cet folie , de ne plus fermé les yeux mais de ce lever avec courage et défier les partisan de l’obscurantisme . Hélas le courage nous manque car celui qui connait la vérité préférera suivre le menteur de peur d'avoir des problème ou d'avoir certain commentaire le régressent .
Qui aura le courage de dire solennellement j'accepte de donner mon enfant a cet homme malgré que sa caste est différente de la mienne. Oui le courage nous manque , nous préférons le mensonge car il est plus facile de mentir et de ce mentir a soie même .

"Prenons donc exemple sur ce jeune guerrier qui alla sauver sa belle , donner comme offrande au serpent a sept tète le jeune Traoré alla mettre a bas la bête pour sauver sa princesse . essayons de retrouver nos valeurs mais pour moi ce net que utopie ."

Mon Frere Nas, this is where you confuse me deeply. If we are to take the example of Mamadi and Sia Yattabare, I think your whole thesis in this particular response and indeed from the beginning falls to the ground despite your spirited defense of God and Islam.

Mamadi slew the seven-headed serpent out of LOVE not out of devotion to some custom or to some tradition or for that matter to some religion and its god or gods and priests and priestesses. Love of Sia meant more to him than custom, tradition and religion. Chalk one for Love and courage. I think this is an extremely important lesson for all Sooninko if we are to understand the movement of culture that is alive, meaning dynamic. The lesson we draw is that when custom, tradition, and religion have served their purposes and Humankind has to take the necessary steps to a higher culture and a higher understanding of Life and living, then, it is advisable for those who see this necessity to do what is required to usher in the new. The old has to die or seamlessly blend into the new.

Now this courage of Mamadi's and that of Sia's has been followed by the Sooninko who converted to Islam. They deserted their own religion and adopted the one from Arabia despite opposition from the die-hard traditionalists and conservatives.

Now may I question, in the spirit of this dialogue, why the Sooninko converted to Islam rather than do what the hanifs did in Arabia that produced Mohammed, as the prophet of Allah? The hanifs could have converted to Judaism or to Christianity en masse. But only a few did, among which was one relative of Khaddiya who felt that the new religion of Islam felt short of her expectations and so out of frustration, she converted to Christianity. The hanifs sought their own way and they were rewarded with Mohammed and Islam that you have so far so eloquently defended. It did not come about by following the existing old religions. It came about because there were seekers after a new guidance of god.

Now in my mind, this religion too has served its useful purposes for humanity and that we Sooninko should start now to seek a direct line to the Unknowable Kamanen for a new Divine Guidance. This will be in the spirit of Sooninkaaxu in my mind, in the spirit of Mamadi and Sia, in the spirit of the Sooninko converted to Islam and Christianity.

Again, this is a dialogue. All approaches and meaningful contributions and challenges have to be intelligently addressed. If we can learn this dialogue, may be, as stated earlier, we may all come upon this Intelligence that will lead us to understand and create a higher culture, a higher society, and indeed, a higher civilization.

The two tenets of Sooninkaaxu quoted earlier-Islam and money-are well known main pillars of Sooninke culture for centuries now, Nas. It may be a cliche or a stereotype, but in general, we cannot divorce ourselves or for that matter our culture from these two tenets. Your critique is well taken, but it goes more to state the lack of proper education than anything else. For over a thousand years, the Sooninko have fielded Muslims to the Islamic course. Yet, over ninety percent of Sooninko are illiterate during most of that time. Until the modern era, mass education was not a pillar of Sooninke society. How can we expect then to understand and participate fully in the development of Islam and continually regenerate our culture when one has to first learn a foreign language, totally different from one's own, to know the dictates of the religion? Again, I maintain that religion is always at the core of most cultures. The well educated in the tradition of Islam can contribute to the discussion on the laws and the hadiths. However, that is falling into interpretations and differing opinions which do lend themselves to huge confusion. To have a direct understanding, you need a direct connection which is not available at the moment. Because few Sooninko are literate in their own language, even a written translation of the Quran in Sooninke will be of little use but to the few, any discussion on culture that will include all has to be oral.

Are we beginning to see the outlines of the demise of the culture? A cardinal pillar is in a foreign language that only few have managed to master.

You have made a spirited defense of Islam, which is admirable. You have put enormous stress upon following the laws of god. May I quietly posit something new in this. Please take no offense. Just reflect on it. Or should I state, could I pose a question or two here?

Where there is LAW, divine or secular, will you discover LOVE there? Isn't the law the absence of LOVE? Please think on this.

My Brothers and Sisters, these are not idle questions. One comes with fear in its wake, a sense of insecurity, hypocrisy, cleverness, the judge, the law enforcers, criminality, prison, sin and hell. The other, I would like you to reflect on in terms of two lovers. Is the foundation of their love based on LAW? Or is it above and beyond the law?

Nas, you and many others posit a Sooninkaaxu ever tied to Islam. I posit a Sooninkaaxu based on awakening to an Intelligence and Wisdom that are ever new and fresh.

This Intelligence and Wisdom are never static; they are always dynamic, changing according to the circumstances and our needs and challenges of Life. This is the principal pillar of my Sooninkaaxu. Through this, I can come upon the living spirit of the culture and allow it to help me address the challenges and demands of Life and living.

We, too, (Sooninko) are custodians of something Divine. Discover it. It is available. And it is the mother and father of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. This is the challenge.

Traduction du dialogue grasse a l'outil google traduction .

Mon frere Nas, c'est là que vous me confondez profondément. Si nous prenons l'exemple de Mamadi et Sia Yattabare, je pense que votre thèse entière dans cette réponse particulière et en fait depuis le début tombe au sol, malgré votre défense fougueuse de Dieu et l'Islam.

Mamadi tua le serpent à sept têtes hors de l'AMOUR ne pas sortir de la dévotion à une coutume ou à une tradition ou d'ailleurs à certains religion et son dieu ou des dieux et des prêtres et des prêtresses. Amour de Sia signifiait plus pour lui que coutume, tradition et la religion. Une craie pour l'amour et de courage. Je pense que c'est une leçon extrêmement importante pour tous les Sooninko si nous voulons comprendre le mouvement de la culture qui est vivant, ce qui signifie dynamique. La leçon que nous tirons est que lorsque la coutume, la tradition et la religion ont servi leurs fins et l'humanité doit prendre les mesures nécessaires pour une culture supérieure et une plus grande compréhension de la vie et la vie, alors, il est conseillé pour ceux qui voient cette nécessité de faire ce qui est nécessaire pour inaugurer la nouvelle. Le vieux a de mourir ou de fusionner de façon homogène dans la nouvelle.

Maintenant, ce courage de Mamadi et celle de Sia a été suivie par la Sooninko qui s'est converti à l'islam. Elles ont déserté leur propre religion et adopté celui d'Arabie, malgré l'opposition des traditionalistes purs et durs et les conservateurs.

Maintenant je me demande peut, dans l'esprit de ce dialogue, pourquoi l'Sooninko converti à l'islam plutôt que de faire ce que l'hanifs n'a en Arabie qui a produit Mahomet, comme le prophète d'Allah? Le hanifs pourrait avoir convertis au judaïsme ou au christianisme en masse. Mais seuls quelques-uns n'ont, entre ce qui était un parent du Khaddiya qui estimaient que la nouvelle religion de l'Islam senti courte de ses attentes et ainsi de la frustration, elle se convertit au christianisme. Le hanifs cherché leur propre voie et ils ont été récompensés par Mahomet et l'Islam que vous avez jusqu'à présent défendu avec tant d'éloquence. Il ne s'est pas faite en suivant les vieilles religions existantes. Il est venu à propos, car il y avait des demandeurs d'après une nouvelle orientation de Dieu.

Maintenant, dans mon esprit, cette religion a trop servi ses fins utiles pour l'humanité et que nous Sooninko doit commencer dès maintenant à chercher une ligne directe vers l'Inconnaissable Kamanen pour une nouvelle orientation divine. Ce sera dans l'esprit de Sooninkaaxu dans mon esprit, dans l'esprit de Mamadi et Sia, dans l'esprit de la Sooninko converti à l'islam et le christianisme.

Encore une fois, c'est un dialogue. Toutes les approches et les contributions significatives et des défis doivent être abordés de façon intelligente. Si nous pouvons apprendre de ce dialogue, peut être, comme indiqué précédemment, nous pouvons tous venir sur cette Intelligence qui nous conduira à comprendre et à créer une culture plus élevée, une haute société, et en effet, une civilisation supérieure.

Les deux dogmes de Sooninkaaxu cité précédemment-Islam et l'argent sont bien connus principaux piliers de la culture Sooninke depuis des siècles, Nas. C'est peut-être un cliché ou un stéréotype, mais en général, nous ne pouvons pas nous le divorce ou d'ailleurs notre culture à partir de ces deux principes. Votre critique est bien pris, mais il va plus à l'état de l'absence de bonne éducation qu'autre chose. Depuis plus d'un millier d'années, le Sooninko ont dépêché les musulmans au cours islamiques. Pourtant, plus de quatre-pour cent de Sooninko sont analphabètes durant la majeure partie de cette époque. Jusqu'à l'époque moderne, l'éducation de masse n'a pas été un pilier de la société Sooninke. Comment peut-on s'attendre alors à comprendre et à participer pleinement au développement de l'islam et régénérer continuellement notre culture quand on a d'abord apprendre une langue étrangère, totalement différent du sien, à savoir les préceptes de la religion? Encore une fois, je maintiens que la religion est toujours au cœur de la plupart des cultures. Le bien éduqués dans la tradition de l'Islam peuvent contribuer à la discussion sur les lois et les hadiths. Cependant, ce n'est tomber dans des interprétations et des opinions divergentes qui ne se prêtent pas à confusion énorme. Pour avoir une compréhension directe, vous avez besoin d'une connexion directe qui n'est pas disponible pour le moment. Parce que quelques Sooninko sont alphabétisés dans leur propre langue, même une traduction écrite du Coran dans Sooninke sera de peu d'utilité mais pour quelques-uns, toute discussion sur la culture qui comprendra tous doit être orale.

Sommes-nous commencer à voir les contours de la disparition de la culture? Un pilier cardinal est dans une langue étrangère que seuls quelques uns ont réussi à maîtriser.

Vous avez fait une défense fougueuse de l'islam, qui est admirable. Vous avez mis un stress énorme sur la suite des lois de Dieu. Puis-je poser tranquillement quelque chose de nouveau dans ce domaine. S'il vous plaît prenez pas d'infraction. Juste réfléchir. Ou devrais-je l'Etat, pourrais-je poser une question ou deux ici?

Là où il ya LOI, divin ou profane, vous découvrirez l'amour là-bas? N'est-ce pas la loi l'absence d'amour? S'il vous plaît pensez à ce sujet.

Mes frères et sœurs, ces questions ne sont pas inactifs. On vient avec la peur dans son sillage, un sentiment d'insécurité, d'hypocrisie, de l'intelligence, le juge, l'application des lois, la criminalité, la prison, le péché et l'enfer. L'autre, je voudrais vous interroger sur le plan des deux amants. Est le fondement de leur amour fondé sur la loi? Ou est-ce au-delà de la loi?

Nas, vous et beaucoup d'autres postulent une Sooninkaaxu jamais lié à l'Islam. Je pose une Sooninkaaxu basée sur l'éveil à une intelligence et la sagesse qui sont toujours nouvelle et fraîche.

Cette intelligence et la sagesse ne sont jamais statiques, ils sont toujours dynamiques, qui changent selon les circonstances et à nos besoins et défis de la vie. C'est le pilier principal de mon Sooninkaaxu. Grâce à cela, je peux venir sur l'esprit vivant de la culture et de lui permettre de m'aider à relever les défis et exigences de la vie et la vie.

Nous aussi, nous (Sooninko) sont les gardiens de quelque chose de divin. Découvrez-le. Il est disponible. Et c'est la mère et le père de l'islam, le christianisme et le judaïsme. Tel est le défi.

[sajokuumba Kamara]

Nous aussi, nous (Sooninko) sont les gardiens de quelque chose de divin. Découvrez-le. Il est disponible. Et c'est la mère et le père de l'islam, le christianisme et le judaïsme. Tel est le défi.

I would like us to continue this dialogue on Soninke Culture. It is of grave importance because the Soninke Diaspora is now an extensive one. Time was, this Diaspora was an all African affair, except for small colonies of students studying in the Islamic world, principally in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Even in the African context, it was not an easy matter.

There is a tendency for Soninko to settle among other peoples. Even the vaunted Wagadu was not originally settled by the Soninko. Wagadu's settlers before the advent of the Soninko were the Kagoros or Kagolo. (I would like to posit that between the two, there is no difference. The Kagoros came from the same country as the Soninko. The culture is the same-religion, social structure, the matriarchal system of transfer of power, age grouping, etc., etc...) They were to settle among the off-spring of Maghan Kamara in Mande after the demise of the Ghana Empire. One could say that they were co-founders of the Mande Empire as contingents of Soninko accompanied Maghan Konate (to be latter called Sundiate Keita) to Mande to take on Sumanwuru Kante. The point I am making here is that they are many more Mandingo of Soninke descent than there are currently Soninko. There are more Janneh Mandingo than Janneh Soninko; there are more Touray Mandingo than there are Touray Soninko; there are more Dabo Mandingo than there are Dabo Soninko; there are more Cisse Mandingo than there are Cisse Soninko; there are more Berete Mandingo than there are Berete Soninko; there are more Gomma Mandingo than there are Gomma Soninko; there are more Sakho-Sawo Mandingo than there are Sakho-Sawo Soninko; there are more Barrow Mandingo than there are Barrow Soninko; there are more Jakitey-Kaba Mandingo than there are Jakitey-Kabba Soninko....The list goes on. There are now Cissoko Wolof, Kebe Wolof, etc,...not to mention the number of those who are now thoroughly blended among the Bamana of Mali and the Hal Poular of Senegal and Mauretania.

This goes to state that it is easy for people to lose their original identity and the culture that defines this identity. The Soninko in the European Diaspora are no different or rather will prove no different unless a strenuous effort is in place to impart the culture in the young ones at an early age. The success of this will definitely depend on the degree to which Soninke Culture is successfully harmonized with European culture, whatever that may be. As we have seen, it is much easier to adopt to an existing dominant culture than to adhere to your own or even create a new hybrid one.

Our problem in this forum is to come to a basic understanding of Soninke Culture. The challenge that was posed to delineate the elements or components of culture that could serve as a template for further dialogue has not being picked up. It would be more helpful if we approach it this way as there is no over-arching spiritual or philosophical belief holding the Soninko together today. One could state that the majority of Soninko adhere to the Islamic religion. This could be a unifying factor in a rather abstract way but it does not define Soninkaaxu in my mind. Islam did not originate from among the Soninko. It was adopted. What is it sitting on? This may be the key to understanding Soninkaaxu.

Now I will give concrete examples.

In France, there are three words or terms that define the logos, the ethos, and the pathos of French culture. These three terms are Liberte-Fraternite-Egalite. These three terms are what the storming of the Bastille has bequeathed the French. All French citizens have a legal right to liberty, fraternity and equality within the context of the law. Equally among the Soninko, we have the following which I shall try to render in Soninke:

Xaagan nta non; [There is no Ear][A Soninke has no FEAR]

Baxalan nta non; [There is no starter of trouble][A Soninke is a Just Human
Being]

Lenburentaaxu nta non. [There is no laziness][A Soninke is not lazy]

Although the Soninke statements are in the negative, I have taken the liberty to try to communicate the sense of it other than a literal translation. As we can discern, the Ancient Soninke Culture is founded on fearlessness as that is the only condition in which one can be free. Here freedom and liberty are predicated on fearlessness for only the fearless man can be free to enjoy liberty and be creative.

The second axiom is equally profound for it connotes a deep sense of justice. Never be a willful imposer of your ugly self on others by being the starter of quarrels and trouble. This axiom is founded on the first one as a free person does not start trouble with others. He is never the instigator of mayhem among people. This points to the right relationships with family, friends, and neighbors.

The third axiom teaches us industry, the work ethic. It teaches us to take direct responsibility of our lives and our communities. Before Islam, one can wager that there were no beggars among the Soninko. This is true for nearly, if not all, of Afrika before Islam and Christianity. There were no beggars because all were taught to be industrious from an early age and family took care of family members, and the clan took care of the member families of the clan and the tribe came to the assistance of the clan which is in trouble, which could have been a rare occurrence.

The language was homogeneous before the fall of Ghana and latter Wagadu. Since the settlement of Soninko in Mande and their subsequent dispersal, various settlements have evolved their own dialects. Luckily for them, they are intelligible. Since the advent of Islam, the language has witnessed centuries of islamization which has robbed it of its earlier creativeness, as it is incorporating words and terms from Arabic rather than coining them. This for me has been the downside of the Soninke adoption of Islam. A once creative people have turned into a borrowing people. Even the meditation practices of the maraboutic class, are copies of lineages copied from their fellow Sufis from North Afrika and Asia.

The danger is even more profound than what has been stated above. Language is the formulator of consciousness. Your conscious is its content and most of this content is in words. When you borrow more than you create, you will be lessening your intellectual prowess as you are making no demands on your intellect and mind. After over a thousand years of reading and writing in Arabic, there is no great literature, Islamic or otherwise, written in Soninke to my knowledge. Persia, present day Iran, was also conquered by the Arabs. They adopted the Arabic script and they fielded many great saints who poured out their soul in some of the finest poetry written by humans. Is there a need to mention Rumi, Saade, Atar, Hafez...? Many other Asian cultures adopted Islam and its canonical language-Arab. But they also wrote extensively in their own languages using the Arabic script. This was not to happen among the Soninke to my knowledge. However, there seems to be hope that this will end soon. Some of us are studying the language to pass on what knowledge we have come upon. This process, more than anything else, might lead to the literary unification and standardization of the language.

Isn't it sad to think that the Soninko left Khem with knowledge of writing and they lost it. Then they came upon it again via the Arabs and yet, after a thousand years, there is yet to be a standard written literary form of it much more great treatises written in it. This is one of our current challenges as we dialogue on Soninke Culture.

I will stop here until further notice. Hopefully, others will contribute towards this dialogue and present aspects of Soninke Culture that they are familiar with so that we can present an overview of the culture. From this, we can find out what to make of it and how to live it in the Diaspora, no matter where we find oneself.

Jammu do Keeri.

[nas]

Nous aussi, nous (Sooninko) sont les gardiens de quelque chose de divin. Découvrez-le. Il est disponible. Et c'est la mère et le père de l'islam, le christianisme et le judaïsme. Tel est le défi.

I would like us to continue this dialogue on Soninke Culture. It is of grave importance because the Soninke Diaspora is now an extensive one. Time was, this Diaspora was an all African affair, except for small colonies of students studying in the Islamic world, principally in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Even in the African context, it was not an easy matter.

There is a tendency for Soninko to settle among other peoples. Even the vaunted Wagadu was not originally settled by the Soninko. Wagadu's settlers before the advent of the Soninko were the Kagoros or Kagolo. (I would like to posit that between the two, there is no difference. The Kagoros came from the same country as the Soninko. The culture is the same-religion, social structure, the matriarchal system of transfer of power, age grouping, etc., etc...) They were to settle among the off-spring of Maghan Kamara in Mande after the demise of the Ghana Empire. One could say that they were co-founders of the Mande Empire as contingents of Soninko accompanied Maghan Konate (to be latter called Sundiate Keita) to Mande to take on Sumanwuru Kante. The point I am making here is that they are many more Mandingo of Soninke descent than there are currently Soninko. There are more Janneh Mandingo than Janneh Soninko; there are more Touray Mandingo than there are Touray Soninko; there are more Dabo Mandingo than there are Dabo Soninko; there are more Cisse Mandingo than there are Cisse Soninko; there are more Berete Mandingo than there are Berete Soninko; there are more Gomma Mandingo than there are Gomma Soninko; there are more Sakho-Sawo Mandingo than there are Sakho-Sawo Soninko; there are more Barrow Mandingo than there are Barrow Soninko; there are more Jakitey-Kaba Mandingo than there are Jakitey-Kabba Soninko....The list goes on. There are now Cissoko Wolof, Kebe Wolof, etc,...not to mention the number of those who are now thoroughly blended among the Bamana of Mali and the Hal Poular of Senegal and Mauretania.

This goes to state that it is easy for people to lose their original identity and the culture that defines this identity. The Soninko in the European Diaspora are no different or rather will prove no different unless a strenuous effort is in place to impart the culture in the young ones at an early age. The success of this will definitely depend on the degree to which Soninke Culture is successfully harmonized with European culture, whatever that may be. As we have seen, it is much easier to adopt to an existing dominant culture than to adhere to your own or even create a new hybrid one.

Our problem in this forum is to come to a basic understanding of Soninke Culture. The challenge that was posed to delineate the elements or components of culture that could serve as a template for further dialogue has not being picked up. It would be more helpful if we approach it this way as there is no over-arching spiritual or philosophical belief holding the Soninko together today. One could state that the majority of Soninko adhere to the Islamic religion. This could be a unifying factor in a rather abstract way but it does not define Soninkaaxu in my mind. Islam did not originate from among the Soninko. It was adopted. What is it sitting on? This may be the key to understanding Soninkaaxu.

Now I will give concrete examples.

In France, there are three words or terms that define the logos, the ethos, and the pathos of French culture. These three terms are Liberte-Fraternite-Egalite. These three terms are what the storming of the Bastille has bequeathed the French. All French citizens have a legal right to liberty, fraternity and equality within the context of the law. Equally among the Soninko, we have the following which I shall try to render in Soninke:

Xaagan nta non; [There is no Ear][A Soninke has no FEAR]

Baxalan nta non; [There is no starter of trouble][A Soninke is a Just Human
Being]

Lenburentaaxu nta non. [There is no laziness][A Soninke is not lazy]

Although the Soninke statements are in the negative, I have taken the liberty to try to communicate the sense of it other than a literal translation. As we can discern, the Ancient Soninke Culture is founded on fearlessness as that is the only condition in which one can be free. Here freedom and liberty are predicated on fearlessness for only the fearless man can be free to enjoy liberty and be creative.

The second axiom is equally profound for it connotes a deep sense of justice. Never be a willful imposer of your ugly self on others by being the starter of quarrels and trouble. This axiom is founded on the first one as a free person does not start trouble with others. He is never the instigator of mayhem among people. This points to the right relationships with family, friends, and neighbors.

The third axiom teaches us industry, the work ethic. It teaches us to take direct responsibility of our lives and our communities. Before Islam, one can wager that there were no beggars among the Soninko. This is true for nearly, if not all, of Afrika before Islam and Christianity. There were no beggars because all were taught to be industrious from an early age and family took care of family members, and the clan took care of the member families of the clan and the tribe came to the assistance of the clan which is in trouble, which could have been a rare occurrence.

The language was homogeneous before the fall of Ghana and latter Wagadu. Since the settlement of Soninko in Mande and their subsequent dispersal, various settlements have evolved their own dialects. Luckily for them, they are intelligible. Since the advent of Islam, the language has witnessed centuries of islamization which has robbed it of its earlier creativeness, as it is incorporating words and terms from Arabic rather than coining them. This for me has been the downside of the Soninke adoption of Islam. A once creative people have turned into a borrowing people. Even the meditation practices of the maraboutic class, are copies of lineages copied from their fellow Sufis from North Afrika and Asia.

The danger is even more profound than what has been stated above. Language is the formulator of consciousness. Your conscious is its content and most of this content is in words. When you borrow more than you create, you will be lessening your intellectual prowess as you are making no demands on your intellect and mind. After over a thousand years of reading and writing in Arabic, there is no great literature, Islamic or otherwise, written in Soninke to my knowledge. Persia, present day Iran, was also conquered by the Arabs. They adopted the Arabic script and they fielded many great saints who poured out their soul in some of the finest poetry written by humans. Is there a need to mention Rumi, Saade, Atar, Hafez...? Many other Asian cultures adopted Islam and its canonical language-Arab. But they also wrote extensively in their own languages using the Arabic script. This was not to happen among the Soninke to my knowledge. However, there seems to be hope that this will end soon. Some of us are studying the language to pass on what knowledge we have come upon. This process, more than anything else, might lead to the literary unification and standardization of the language.

Isn't it sad to think that the Soninko left Khem with knowledge of writing and they lost it. Then they came upon it again via the Arabs and yet, after a thousand years, there is yet to be a standard written literary form of it much more great treatises written in it. This is one of our current challenges as we dialogue on Soninke Culture.

I will stop here until further notice. Hopefully, others will contribute towards this dialogue and present aspects of Soninke Culture that they are familiar with so that we can present an overview of the culture. From this, we can find out what to make of it and how to live it in the Diaspora, no matter where we find oneself.

Jammu do Keeri.

Vous continuer a persévéré sur cet voie , celle du dénigrement de l'islam en la rendant responsable de la régression de la culture soninké .
Je ne le répèterais jamais assez l'islam est presente sur cet terre depuit que l'homme a fouler sont pied sur celle-ci .Un guide pour les hommes une bénédictions pour les pieux .Si le chemin de l'évolution est obstrué ses que la culture soninké et les individus qui la compose non pas put ou non pas sue répondre de façon correcte et réaliste au défi de l'évolution du monde , au défis de l'évolution des individus car nous restons attacher a certaine valeur moyenâgeuse qui empêche l'évolution de la penser et du cœur .

Moi je dirai plutôt heureusement que l'islam réussie a continuer a toucher les cœurs car le mal et le mensonge ronge notre société .Aller voir un marabout est devenu monnaie courante dans notre société .Ne pas accepter son semblable et le dénigré , ne pas accepter la vérité car l’éloquence du menteur est plus présente .
L'islam nous a sauver et continu a nous sauver .Le soninké fut humble encenser , respecter mais aujourd'hui le mal nous ronge mais l’islam réduit ce mal par la volonté de dieu . Ses l'homme qui est responsable de sa propre folie et non l'islam .