‘Jamoral’ Festival in Progress

The Daily Observer (Banjul)

23 May 2011

editorial

We wish to thank families, friends and relatives of the Bojang, Manga and Badjan families and all those who have turned out in their thousands to grace the Jamoral Festival currently underway in Bujinga under the auspices of Aja Asombe Bojang, mother of the Gambian leader. The high influx of people from The Gambia and neighbouring Senegal to grace the festival and the fact that the three families agreed to stage this year’s event in The Gambia is no doubt an indication that people have realised and acknowledged the immense contribution of President Jammeh towards cultural revalorization in the country. We therefore applaud him for standing by families and supporting them to successfully organise the festival.

The significance of the Jamoral Festival cannot be overemphasised. Such festivals in which indigenous African people converge to display their cultural values, traditional rituals and the various ways of life of our people in the past do not only resurrect the spirit of brotherhood among our people, but also prevent the passage of our unknown past to the grave for understanding by the younger generation. What even makes the Jamoral Festival exceptional is that apart from the cultural displays, it is convened to celebrate and cement clan and family ties; especially those of the three outstanding families of Bojang, Manga and Badjan, a move which will restore the sense of pride and belonging among members of the kinship. Just as the President himself stated at the occasion, ‘In Africa, the family and lineage are the anchors we rest on in times of turbulence and need. It is a sort of a safety net, a social security outfit which assures us of support and security. This is why any effort that is geared towards uniting African families through re-unions such as this one should be applauded. The family is the most basic unit of the African society’.

We all know that culture is the guiding force of every group and society. It is the driving force of all the actions that its members individually and collectively make. It dictates to its members their worldview, values, norms, likes/dislikes, and approaches to dealing with other people. Essentially culture is the dominant dictating force in people’s lives. Unfortunately for Africa, certain aspects of African culture that are so unique and beautiful are viewed as uncivilized and ignorant by some people. Festivals like the Jamoral can no doubt in the long run serve as fundamental pillars in uniting the African continent as it helps to breed and sustain peace and unity within the most basic yet fundamental unit of society -the family.

As the festival progresses, we wish all participants a successful festival.

AllAfrica – All the Time