The word culture means the belief, system, way of life customs, values and ideas, that are shared and accepted by people in a particular society. The world over people are most often preoccupied with a sense of belonging or relating to particular society and its way of life.

The Gambia is blessed with peaceful,hospitable and tolerant people. Culture plays an important role in our daily life. Its importance cannot be over emphasised. Culture is is in most cases viewed as the identity card of an individual. A person without the feeling of belongingness to any form of culture would be like a tree without roots in order to have a supportive life on this  planet earth.

A lot has been said and written about this rare biennial pan African festival, However,not withstanding,this week the erudit and indefatigable arts and culture anchorman decided to have an exchuative roots and branch examination of the 9th edition of the International Roots Festival scheduled from May 30th to  June 7 2008, activities of which kicked off in earnest  amidst high profile traditional cultural and other related pan African programmes.

The International roots festival is a  biennial cross cutting multicultural event organised by the Department of State for Tourism and Culture in collaboration with the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC), the Gambia Tourism Authority (GTA) and other stakeholders.

The festival is becoming the biggest black history, cultural and educational event on the African Continent that will further strengthen and consolidate the spirit of  unity amongst Africans and encourage cultural tourism and financial investment into Africa’s  future. The  event  is an International cultural, historical and educational event dedicated to the promotion of the ideals of pan Africanism.

The beautiful aspect of  the International roots homing festival is that, it is a commemoration of the forced enslavement and transportation of millions of Africans to the Americas and the Carribeans. It provides people of African descent the golden opportunity to return to the land of their ancestral past and reunite with their people in a truly Gambian fashion. This some what rare cross cutting traditional cultural festival is a unique global event for Africans in the diaspora to strengthen the Pan-African spirit and bonds of kindship as well as the rare unity that binds all Africans and African descent ,thus the International roots festival is dubbed by the Africans in the diaspora as going back to the roots.

As part of series of programmes lined up t for the event, beginning with the hosting of participants from the diaspora  to an official reception held on Friday May 30, at the Armed Forces  Joint Officers mess in Kotu. This was followed by an Investment forum held on Saturday, May 31, at the conference hall of Paradise Suites Hotel in Kololi in the morning and the official opening ceremony  at the July 22 Square in Banjul presided over by The Gambian leader, President Jammeh in the evening, which was also characterised by  massive traditional cultural Jamboree.

Sunday June 1, showcased the  Interfaith religious forum held at the conference hall of the Independence Stadium in Bakau and “Reggatta” traditional boat race at the sea  port of the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) in Banjul.

The participants and organising committee accompnied by delegation of jubilating crown filled with the festive atmostphere,  travelled to the historic town of Janjanbureh,the place which hosted the famous slave house, slave market,the freedom tree monument, and an administrative headquarters for the colonial masters, as well as a host of other related historic sites and monuments. The famous stones circles in Wassu was not left out on the itenary of the delegation, which was followed by what historians called pilgrimage to the birth place of Kunta kinteh in Lower Niumi, North Bank Region.

 Kanilai, the birth place of Gambian leader President Jammeh, is another important place to visit, where  series of activities such as Symposium on pan Africanism,Traditional fashion show,”Futtampaf’ ritual passage,wrestling contest, amongst other sidelined activities were scheduled to be exclusivelly  featured. From Kanilai, a brief stop  over would be made at the  famous Makasutu eco- traditional cultural forest park and also  farewell musical Jamboree to be held at the Terenga Beach Club  in Kololi.

President Jammeh, in his capacity as the Chief patronage of the 9th edition of the International roots home coming festival, as usual had delivered a powerful statement  in declaring the event officially opened.The Gambian leader’s words are a source of hope and inspiration for all Gambians,Africans and the African descendants in the diaspora.

He touched on The Gambia as a small country that will never be recolonised again by  any nation in the world. There is no iota of doubt that, the aboved stated quotation from the president, goes down  well with  the spirit and  letter for the essence of sovereignty  of any nation state  in the world, the Universal declaration of human rights and also the principles of International laws,treaties and conventions.

The president urged Gambians and Africans in particular to liberate themselves from all forms of mental slavery and other  illegal activities in the interest of the development of the country, Africa and the world at large.

He said the celebration was a sad episode of what happened in Africa, noting that significance of festival is not  only about attracting investors to The Gambia but to tell Africans and peope of the world that mankind will never be colonised twice.”We want to sent send this message that, The Gambia will never be enslaved again, Africa will never be enslaved again. we have to change our mentality towards western superiority, we have to be proud of ourselves. Africa is the craddle of human creation. Africans are the grand father of human creation,”president Jammeh told the jubilating and excited crown filled with atmosphere of festival celebration.

The Gambian leader touched on the need for Africans,especially Gambians to be assertive, honest and embrace a sense of unity.

According to the virtues quide book co authored by Dr Dan popov and John Kavelin,described assertiveness as a sense of being positive and confident. Assertiveness begins by being aware that, you are a worthy personcrated by God.You have your very own special gifts and only gift you have, is your  unique combination of qualities.

Honesty means being sincere,open, truthful and trustworthy. when people are honest,they can be reliable not to tell lies, cheat or steal.whilst honorable on the other hand means living with a sense of respect for what you believe is right. It is living up to the gifts that the creator placed within you. Honorable people are worthy of the respect of others and they set good examples..

Arts and Culture anchorman without hesitation whole heartly adopted the this powerful statement of The Gambian leader,president Jammeh. It is high time that, The Gambia get rid of all those idle minds bent on hidding behind names in oredr wretch, harvoc and enslave Gambians.It is true that the little Gambia cannot afford to be enslaved again, we by far passed the days of slavery. Slavery is very expensive for any civilised society, its a manifestation of injustice.

Your comments and contributions to this column is welcome either through 9996864 or sannajawara2002@yahoo.co.uk

Chi I. Ezekwueche and Dr Christ, a medical doctor and proprietor and Coordinator of the Macom Museum in Georgia, USA, described the ongoing International roots home coming festival as a real forum for pan-Africanism, a worthy  cause and an event that came at the right time in the history of blacks on earth.

‘The International roots festival is a real connecting point for Africans and African descendants throuhout the world. It served as a forum for pan Africanism and an opportune moment for reflecting on the horors of slavery and hardship our grand parent went through’,said Mrs Ezekwueche.  The Nigerian national based USA couple made these  remarks in a recent interview  with the Daily Observer, as activities marking the traditional cultural festival kicked off amidst high profile programmes lined up for the 9 days biennial historical event.

Speaking on  role of the Macom museum in Georgia,Mr and Mrs Ezekwueche,revealed that,the Museum was established purposely to educate every one about African American history, arts and culture and also  to promote a sense of rational understanding amongst people of the world. The couple did not hesitate to showcase their strong love and deep sense of appreciation for the Gambia as a small and peaceful country.

According to Mrs Ezekewueche, due to the strong love she and her husband had for the Gambia,the husband, a Medical Doctor Christ Ezekwueche,brought some medical items which, where donated to the department of state for Health and Social Welfare.The donations she noted is part of their contributions towards health sector of the Gambia,saying health is very vital towards achieving sustainable development of any country.

As the 9th edition of the Home Coming International Roots Festival is moving closer, it is important that visitors and tourists to the Gambia during and after this event should know more about some of the local but globally known items having in our country.

There are more than enough of valuable and durable items that tourists can buy in The Gambia for their personal use or as a gift to their friends and families left behind at their destination before journey to The Gambia. Among those things are craft materials local hand woven fabric, leather goods, jewelry, sand painting and basketry, tie-and dye and batiks, wood carvings among other. But one of the most popular at the craft markets among this handicrafts is wood carving which capture the attention of everyone at the entrance of any craft market in the Gambia.  

There are some major craft markets in the country where you can do your shopping without stress. Among such major places are Bakau, Fajara, BB, Senegambia, Brikama, Banjul craft markets respectively, all are very interesting markets if you can visit them. Learn everything you will like to know that pertain to any of the item at your sights without reluctance. Almost all of the popular hotels in the country have located places outside the main hotels for the sales of craft materials.

Of recent, Gambian carvers are receiving more applause from tourists mostly those that normally bring along with them different catalogues and engage the services of carver to carve items of their choice for them. On a visit to Bakau Craft Market at Cape Point, Abdoulie Jawara Jome, one of the old men, a carver as well as a seller, was instructed to take us round by Saine Singateh and Alieu Njie, Bakau Craft Market President and Vice President respectively.

Jome explained the advent and usefulness of most of their displayed art works to Tourisphere, examples are bowl called ‘Kela’ in Wollof and ‘Kunam’ in Mandinka languages. ‘Kela’ is a traditional bowl first carved by a tribe called Laobe many years ago before the advent of bowl. It was carved and well designed from a thick wood or mahogany tree. It is very strong.

Since art works is a simple way of expressing the innermost thoughts of the people and describing of action and view, among this is a ‘thinking man.’ It is like a shadow of a human being, it does not possessed eye, nose, mouth, ear or whatever that can identify the status it takes but it is envisage to be an old man sorting for a solution to a problem in a family.

Another robust carved is portrait of a hunter. They are special people with special knowledge. Hunters are the king of forest but back in the community we have someone called ‘Kekuroba’-wise man. This was carved with full concentration that reflects in the image. It really speaks about the authenticity of a wise man. Kekuroba, in a community, is the oldest and wisest, everyone believes that he have solution to every problem before him.

Well its knowledge is inherited from its forefather. Such old person is common in the provinces. They can talk and invoke spirit, they are traditional healers.

In this 9th edition of Home Coming International Roots Festival, you can learn more about those art works and buy different types of these craft materials for yourself and present them to your friends and love ones as well.  

African arts has gone far beyond expectation in recent years in the Gambia, tourists are the major patronize of this craft markets. Wood carving or art works is effusive of what is in mind. Their job always expresses what is in man’s mind.

Therefore, make your visit a memorable one in The Gambia and after, visit any of the craft market. Simple ways of expressing the innermost thoughts are through carved items.

Honourable Foday Jibani Manka,National Assembly Member for Janjangbureh has expressed delight for the inclusion of Janjangbureh in hosting the 9th Edition of the International Roots Festival schedule from the 2nd to 3rd June.

The theme for this years celebration is “celebrating unity through culture”.

In an interview with our Janjanbureh correspondent, Honourable Manka commended the Department of State for Tourism and Culture for the decision in including CRR in this historical, cultural and educational event, describing it as a positive move.

He said, already a Task Force Committee has been established comprising of various sub-committees such as accommodation, catering, fund raising, environmental sanitation and cultural and entertainment committees. He added that they are expecting over two hundred guests and all the mechanisms are in place. He also revealed that they have started sensitising the people of CRR and URR for their active participation to make this national event a success.

Programme of activities and events, he disclosed, will include the welcoming ceremony which will be characterised by cultural display, speeches, street carnivals and conducted tour of the heritage sites. “ After dinner, there will be series of cultural night programmes at Armitage School grounds and a possible boat trip to six junction for the guests to see the hippos.