The word Jam-ban-jelly happens to be the name of my native
village. It is situated in Kombo South on a cross-road between Brikama –
Sanyang in the East – West direction; and Jambur - Gunjur in
the North - South direction. The village has developed from a single compound 1910
to about two hundred compounds today comprising different ethnic groups.
The name Jambanjelly is derived from mandinka words which are
interpreted differently. One version is that the etymology is Jambo beh jaeleh, meaning shrubs are there .The other version is
that the etymology is Jambang? (hany) jaeli, which means is it here? (no) it is there, but they
all agree that the name was given by the hunters. According to the first
version the hunters used to describe the location as bushy, whilst the second
version stated that a hunter forgot something and was directing another hunter
who asked is it here (no) there.
The village is believed to be founded around 1910 by one
Karamo Darboe, a hunter from Gunjur who used to visit the place during hunting
expeditions. In one of his expeditions he found a temporal shelter built by one
Jankene Gibba from Karony in Cassamance who came with his people as seasonal
migrants for harvesting palm products which are taken back at the end of the
dry season. The following dry season Karamo Darboe (the hunter) came early and
builds a house at the spot of the temporal shelter built by Jankene. When
Jankene later came with his family and found Karamo and his family, he also
builds his house very close to the location of his temporal shelter. That’s why
even today the two compounds are separated by a narrow lane. Jankene Gibba being
a non-Muslim later moved away to a place called Deya in the swamps for his animistic
rituals but his son Sam Gibba (Fasamae) stayed behind. Deya became an important
animistic ritual site, though its popularity has waned now.
The two families were later joined by Fabba Jammeh and his
family, who followed Karamo Darboe, from Gunjur. The two families from Gunjur
had inter-married and that bond is still strong. At present both the Alkali and
the imam are Jammehs but their mothers are from Darboe kunda.
After the Jammehs followed the Bojang (mandinka) from Sukuta,
Mambuna Bojang, a deposed chief of Sukuta who thought that Sukuta was not safe
for him. He settled at the big tree (tabo Koto) some distance away from the
initial settlers. Mambuna Bojang later returned to Sukuta but left behind l his
younger brothers of the same mother: Bakadou Bojang and Abdourahman Bojang
known as Nsalawo Bojang and the compound came to be identified as Mambuna Kunda
in his honour.
The Barrows came after the Bojangs but later went back to Gunjur
and then returned for the second time. The
Bojangs (jola) from Foni followed the Barrows; the first jola was Sulayman
Bojang. His family still heads the Jola kunda ward up till today. They were
followed by Kebba Badjie, then Arafang Nyassi, my Grand Father, and then Lamin
Badjie. After that the sequential settling of families gave way to influx of
settlers.
VILLAGE LEADERSHIP
I.
AKALOSHIP
After Karamo Darboe the founder, his
son became the first Alkalo of Jamanjelly. Here is the rundown of the
Alkaloship.
1.
Malang
Halima Darboe (Son of Karamo Darboe)
2.
Fabba
Jammeh
3.
Jerreh mata
Jammeh (son of Fabba Jammeh )
4.
Karanta
Darboe (son of karamo Darboe)
5.
Abdourahman
Bojang (Ba Nsalaw Bojang- brother
to Mambuna Bojang)
6.
Kebba
Jawo Darboe (son of Karamo Darboe)
7.
Serreff
Daboe (serreff sutun-
brother to Karanta Darboe)
8.
Nuha
Jammeh ( Grand son of Karamo Darboe and son
of Fabba Jammeh)
ii. IMAMSHIP
Here is the rundown of the Imamship:
1. Madi Barrow (Kan Barrow)
2. Alhagie Mamudou Ceesay
3. Bakary Darboe
4. Lalo Darboe
5. Karamo Jammeh ( grand son of Karamo Darboe, and son of Fabba Jammeh)
This is a good write up and keep it up Bro
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