UK-Jarra
Association on Friday launched its video cultural documentary dubbed ‘I am
Jarranka’ at the Gambia Tourism Hospitality Institution (GTHI) in Kanifing.
The
launching brought together community leaders from several villages in Jarra,
including some great griots, and Gambia’s king of kora, Jaliba Kuyateh.
Speaking
on the occasion, Ansumana Kinteh, chairperson of UK-Jarra Association Gambia
chapter, said the idea of the documentary emanated from “some forward-looking
sons and daughters of Jarra” in the UK and it was conceived was to reconnect
with “the very rich cultural heritage of Jarra”.
He
said the committee that worked on the documentary was headed by one Mustapha
Sanneh in 2016 and they had embarked on a holistic cultural revival tour of
every nook and cranny of Jarra in order to rejuvenate the centuries-old
traditions of the district that are on the brink of extinction.
“We
connected a collection of artefacts of immense cultural value, these include
faratoo, lotto, kuloo and mirango and are now proudly on display at a museum in
the UK,” he said, adding that the rationale was to help preserve the norms and
values for posterity.
Mr
Kinteh explained that the Jarra-UK Association started in 2015 when Jarrankas
of all walks of life in the UK felt the need to forge closer ties and unity
amongst themselves.
He
went on to say that the association has been supporting the community in the
areas of health and education.
The
association, he continued, gives support not only in The Gambia, but also in
the UK. “The association first gave out
donations to the homeless in Readings, UK, in the form of clothing and food,”
he said.
“Since
inception, we have made giant stride in the areas of health by donating two
40ft containers loaded with medical items worth hundreds of thousands of dalasi
to all medical facilities in Jarra.”
Kinteh
said they association is currently building a multi-million dalasi science lab
in Soma village as a pilot project; it will be replicated in the villages of
Jappineh and Bureng.
He
said the intention of the science lab project is to produce the best in the
sciences.
“We
are poised to launch a scholarship package for the best and deserving students
in order for them to move easily on to the next level, i.e. from high school to
the university,” he explained.
The
King of Kora, Jaliba Kuyateh, who is also the cultural ambassador UK-Jarra
Association, commended the association “for showing love and giving back to
their community”.
He
said the cultural documentary produced by the association would help the young
ones to know and to preserve the norms and cultures of Jarra for posterity.
