By Suntou Bolonba Touray
To understand the world of the Kankuran one has to appreciate the dogmas of the Mandingo cult that many have abandon, the cult of Hurr. Kankuranyaa is depicted in a facet of the spirit world and the human. Just like amongst the Wollof, Serre, Jola and Fulbe, many native pre-Islamic or Christian practises have died away or are slowly disappearing, hence many will be wondering, why is Ifanbodiyaa relevant today?I wrote a short story on Jamba Jabally one year ago. It is similar to your narrative on Ifanbondi..
However, Fanbondi is still classified as a secret male domain. I am not afraid of the repercussions in explaining it all, however, till another occasion. You ably explained the mannerism of the craft, the mystery and reactions of the natives to its news. But why was Ifanbondi even necessary? We all know that answer, to word off evil spirits.
Kankurans though have a Jobo (guide, intermediary) between themselves and the people. The Jobo speaks for the Kankuran, the intention of both the Kankuran and Ifanbondi is rooted in abstruse mysteries and self-mortification. In essence, the world of the human and that of the spirits. Ancient worlds implant discord into creation (jealousy, envy, evil eyes, betrayals, rivalry, mutual enmity, fights , both in the physical and metaphysical sense etc etc).
Even as Muslims or Christians we are, this discord is chit chatted in our every day dealings. The expectations of evil Witchs to conduct their Craft on unsuspecting children is so terrifying, the Ifanbondi is commissioned to restrict and threaten the evil advocates. The safety of the newly circumcised is not left to the agency of God the Most High alone, but regulated by the inter-mediators of our humanly world, the Ifanbondis.
Whilst Kankurans discipline youths, and even grown ups, they cannot enter into the realms of the deep spirits. Also the Kankuran are social entertainers, whilst the Ifanbondis are not. The Kankuran can sing and dance, the Ifanbondi cannot even be identified let alone entertain the people.
Finally, as the sayings goes, familiarity breeds contempt, that logic is utilised by the elders in sensitively disguising or keeping the identity of the Infanbondi a top secret. The Ifanbondi is usually someone from a different neighbourhood, but it can also be a native.
Today, instead of using the agency of Ifanbondis, the marabous took their place and different forms of Sufi arts and magic replaces them..The Ngri Ngriro is a different story, it is utilise when the situation became tense and the fear is that, the evil doers are on the look out. The mystery there is the sound, a very strange sound that cause terror just like when the presence of Ifanbondi is announced.
Thanks
A brief exchange with Malick Kah who wrote a poem on Ifnabondi
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Now coming to the doctrines of masquerades in past Gambian societies, their importance surpasses the limited roles in Circumcisions and entertainment. In fact, unexplained ailments of children usually involves the agency of Ifanbondes.. For instance if child get suddenly sick and all traditional medicament proof futile, usually, the suspicions swaggers to Witches..
ReplyDeleteAnd the common term such as (Kun Fanunteh) someone with seven sense or extra ordinary visions are invoke to help fight the all-powerful, night travellers (Witchs). Ifanbondis plays a part in helping restore calmness in such situations because they are the antidotes of Wicthes...They can fight them spirit to spirits...
You rightly noted that, superstitions exist in every society, including the industrial West and human nature tend to create solutions to unexplained scenarios.. The forefathers design their communities such that, strange happenings are explain to make sense to the common people. Ifanbondis identity are known to elders who arrange for its appearances, however, not every lose Tongue elder is made aware of the personality and Identity of Ifanbondis, because the whole narrative of (Kewulo) Male affairs determine what makes a man. Some men can reveal any cardinal secret with the slightest excitement with a Lady.. They will mouth off as soon they intend to boast a bit. Hence, Kankuran Yaa, Ifanbondi culture is also a source of inculcating a habit of patriotic secrecy symbolic of real men.
However, my assertions that, Human being cannot turn into anything neither can they fly is a reality. The idea that, Witches fly from country to country or village to village is a myth. I will explain:
Today, some people venerate certain Marabous even classifying them Walew or Wale (friend of God) because of certain strange things they are able to do. Those strange behaviour of telling people intimatee secrets, being the source of people's problem solving, etc are all embedded in the past traditional Chief Priest abilities. And Witch Craft is also an art. Just like the Ifanbondi is alleged to involves the agency of spirits meaning Jinns, the Witch Craft also involve this same agency, the Marabou today involve this agency, the Voodoo expert involves similar agencies..
What is the difference here then? According to those experts in the field, there are good spirits and evil ones. Those who intend to harm people involve the evil demons to act as agents of destruction, ie socking the blood of living person, causing mental illness, marital disharmony, lose of job, impotency etc etc.
Whilst the good Jinn helps in fighting evil jinns, hence the human element is that of the invoker of good or evil. The proof here is, test any so-called grand Marabous with wanting a job or wish to make someone lose his job. With the right payment he will tell you he can do either of the two. What will he use? Evidently, not the word of God.
Ifanbondis therefore use a well kept plan of coordinating with trusted helpers to scare evil advocates at Night, but sometimes, he appears in broad day light. This is to ward off the plans of the Wicthes and bad people.
Esaleen, this is a wide topic with regional variation. Kankurans are the people friendly, they can dance well, sing well and sometimes expose their face a bit, but Infanbondi cannot do any such under no circumstances. There roles are many.
Our ancestors utilised what they thought was appropriate in maintaining peace and harmony in their societies, although the written laws of Islam and Christianity motivated them to change some of the practises, however, Islam did not change everything, neither was that necessary. Since Islam regulates the spiritual but leave the material aspect to local customs except in trade dealings involving usury. Thanks
Suntou