This record will soon be published.HISTORY OF KELEFA SANNEH

Kelefa Sanneh’s father was Simbiring Sanneh and his mother Sankananki. She was known for her generosity to everyone. The ruler predicted that Kelefa Sanneh would become a great man, therefore, he sought to eliminate him. Kelefa’s mother had an incident when she extended kindness to a guest who ate her food and later died. It was alleged that Sankananki poisoned the guest.  She was summoned to the ruler’s house, where she admitted to have provided him food but the meal was not poisoned. Kelefa had a griot named Jali Madi Wuleng who was accustomed to complimenting him as he grew older. One day he praised Kelefa and requested that he performed an act that would reveal something about him. Kelefa and Jali Madi journeyed together to the most popular well known as Nyampenjaay and there he barred all the women from fetching water.  When the women from the ruler’s house arrived, he did similar and they resisted.  He fired a shot over their heads and they ran home to inform the ruler.  Kelefa Sanneh was called to the ruler’s house and he was apprehended and taken to Malamba at Bajeba. While enslaved at Bajeba, he requested and was allowed granted the opportunity to purchase his freedom.  Afterward, he asked for a gun and gunpowder and he then went out and seized many cattle, and transported them to Malamba in exchange for his freedom. He was released after paying for his freedom and returned home. On his way home, he met his griot, and they traveled home together.  When they arrived, he stated to the ruler that he was now a free man, and he intended to attack other places to seize their wealth.  His words alarmed the ruler, who enlisted the help of his sorcerers to control this situation.  They casted a spell on Kelefa to compel him to vacate the region.  This coincided with the information from Niumi requesting Kelefa’s support in their war against Jokadu.  Kelefa left to support Niumi’s ruler.

References to entities made in the recording

Culture:  Mandinka

Language:  Mandinka and translated into Wollof

Persons: Simbiring Sanneh, Sankananki, Kelefa Sanneh, Jali Madi Wuleng, Malamba

Relationships:

Kelefa Sanneh’s parent were Simbiring Sanneh and Sankananki

Jali Madi Wuleng was Kelefa’s griot

Malamba was the ruler at Bajeba

Places:  Bajeba, Niumi and Jokadu

Movements: None

Actions:

Kelefa Sanneh blocked the women from fetching water and he was arrested

Kelefa Sanneh was arrested and taken to Malamba at Bajeba and became his slave

Kelefa Sanneh bought his freedom from Malamba

Kelefa’s behavior threatened the ruler and he summoned his sorcerers to spell a cast on him

Time references:

During the Kabu Kingdom

Additional information:

The story was narrated by Jali Bamba Susso

Published by NCAC - National Digital Archive of The Gambia, initiated by University of Hamburg, Asia-Africa-Institute, Germany, funded by Gerda Henkel Foundation, Germany