CONTINUATION OF THE HISTORY OF FODAY KABA DUMBUYA

Summary

When Foday Kaba Dumbuya left Pinyai he attacked Alfa Molloh in Pakau. They fought for a long period and Musa Molloh was asked by his brother Yeroyel to go out and seek support.While he was leaving, his father cried because he thought his successor would be killed by Foday Kaba. Musa Molloh’s becoming a king was prophesied by Sheik Omar Foutee. So, Musa Molloh reluctantly left with Yero Takko and they were followed by Foday Kaba’s men, Ma Essa, Demba Hajara, Malang Namalang, Yunkamanding, Ansumana Dusuba and Kuru Sonko Sanneh. They passed through Jala Manyan, Jannah, Karasiya up to the river called Jii Nyawuleng, right at the border of Pakau and Fulladou. Musa Molloh crossed the river but Foday Kaba’s men drowned and Musa Molloh bragged that a Jahanka horse shall never capture him.   Musa Molloh continued through Kolda to Sobbulde, where he met the marabout there named Cherno Jallow. This Marabout is Cherno Baba, Cherno Omar and Cherno Janteh’s father. The marabout told Musa Molloh that his father had escaped the war. Musa Molloh mobilized the communities of Sofaniama, Pating, Mamakunda, Pakane, Mambuwan, Sama, Kusara, Kongara and Manchamina to go to Kerewan in Pakau. On Musa’s way to Pakau he heard drumming at Tamponfara, a town close to Ndorno and he was told it was his father in that community. Foday Kaba told his men that Alfa Molloh had escaped in the night, because the snake he saw passing by was him. So, he continued with his men to Kerewan in Pakau and told them that Musa Molloh and his father were in Hamdallaye and Ndorno. Foday Kaba later went to Chara where he was attacked by Musa Molloh and the war did not go down well with Foday.  So, he left for Foni region. Foday Kaba was fighting a Holy war, so he was mainly attacking non-Muslims. He went to attack Bignona, but the whole town was deserted and he continued to Sinjang. Foday conquered them and settled in Madina. While in Madina, white men told him to seize the holy war and they would reward him heavily. They also advised him to start farming. Historically, Foday Kaba is known to be Gambian from Kerewan Dumbokono, located between Bansang and Karantaba.  Foday Kaba was named after Foday Suwarou Susso the grandchild of Foday Musa. His mother’s name was Hawa Gassama from Bundou at Diideh.   He started his war by conquering Dobong, where he killed their female warrior Palipar and destroyed many other Non-Muslim communities. Sora Musa was a king in Manding while Sunjata and his griot Bala Fasega Kuyateh were at Nema with Faring Burama Tunkara.   During that period Susu Sumanguru was the king in Susu, and he killed numerous rulers in Manding, some through spiritual means and others through physical combats. This triggered Sunjata to launch an attack on Sumanguru Kanteh.  His mother got sick and died while in Nema and he requested her burial. However, he was also requested to pay for her burial site, which he did angrily. Sunjata left for Dakajalang with his griot and asked him to call a horse and he did.  Horses appeared once, twice and the fourth horse that appeared was called Sambang.  He rode on Sambang and invited his warriors, Kurung Karang Kama Fofana, Sankara Madiba Konteh, Tabaxa Jondinkeya, Sora Musa, Jung Janke and Ngana Trawalleh. When Sankara Madiba Konteh arrived, he was told to wait for Tiramakang, but he refused and wanted to attack them.

References to entities made in the recording

Culture:  Fula and Jahanka

Language:  Mandinka translated into Wolof

Persons: Foday Kaba Dumbuya, Alfa Molloh, Musa Molloh, Yeroyel, Yero Takko, Sheik Omar Foutee, Cherno Jallow, Cherno Baba, Cherno Omar, Cherno Janteh,Ma Essa, Demba Hajara, Malang Namalang, Yunkamanding, Ansumana Dusuba, Kuru Sonko Sanneh, Sora Musa, Palipar, Foday Suwarou Susso, Foday Musa, Kiliya Musa, Noya Musa, Wanjaxa Musa, Bera senuma, Sankan Senuma and Madi kanu senuma, Sumanguru Kanteh, Faring Burama Tunkara, Sunjata Keita, Sogolong Konteh, Kurung Karang Kama Fofana, Sankara Madiba Konteh, Tabaxa Jondinkeya, Sora Musa, Jung Janke and Ngana Trawalleh, Bala Fasega Kuyateh.

Relationships:  Foday Kaba Dumbuya’s father was Foday Bakary Dumbuya and his mother was Hawa Gassama

Musa Molloh and Yeroyel were sons of Alfa Molloh

Cherno Jallow was the father of Cherno Baba, Cherno Omar and Cherno Janteh

Sunjata’s mother was Sogolong Konteh

Sunjata’s griot was Balaba Sega Kuyateh

The descendants of Sora Musa include surnames, Dumbuya, Danjo, Mbowe, Jammeh and Gaye

Places: Pinyai, Kerewan, Pakau, Jannah, Jala Manyari,Karasiya, Jii Nyawuleng, Fulladou, Kerewan Dumbokono, Bansang, Karantaba, Madina, Binjona, Sinjang, Kolda, Sobbulde, Tamponfara, Chara, Ndorno, Hamdallaye, Bonna, Bondali, Samba Tako, Chiwtu Kunda, Chakunda, Koro, Sumakunda, Badari, Song Kunda, Kantora, Foni, Sofaniama, Pating, Mamakunda, Pakane, Mambuwan, Sama, Kusara, Kongara, Manchamina, Bundou Diideh , Manding, Susu, Nema

Movements: Foday Kaba Dumbuya departed Kerewan Dumbokono and settled in Madina

Alfa Molloh left Pakau Kerewan and settled in Ndorno

Musa Molloh went to settle in Hamdallaye

Sunjata departed Nema for Dakajalang

Actions: Foday Kaba Dumbuya conquered many Non-Muslim communities including, Dobong Kunda, and killed their female warrior Palipar.  

He conquered Chakunda, Koro, Sumakunda, Badari up to Song Kunda in Kantora and Kabentu

Alfa Molloh turned into a big snake and escaped the war in Pakau Kerewan 

Musa Molloh crossed Jii Nyawuleng, and Foday Kaba’s men who followed him drowned in the river.

Musa Molloh attacked Foday Kaba at Chara defeated him and he left for Foni

Time references: Before colonial era

Additional information: Many surnames emerged from Susso including Dumbuya, Danjo, Mbowe, Jammeh, and Gaye

Sora Musa had other praise names, Foday Musa, Kiliya Musa, Noya Musa, Wanjaxa Musa, Bera Senuma, Sankang Senuma, and Madikanu Senuma.

Alternative names: Foday, Kaba, Dumbuya, Dumbouya, Susso, Susso, Alpha Molo, Diaye, Ndiae, N'Diaye, Njie, Njai, Mansour

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