DOI: 10.25592/uhhfdm.11703
title: An Interview About Bundu And The Spread of Islam in The Senegambia Region (NCAC_RDD_TAPE_0383A)

description: <strong>Summary</strong>

Bundu consisted of people from different walks of life, these included weavers, blacksmiths, and Marabouts who were mainly teaching and preaching Islam. People from Masina Jaha were called Jahankoolu.  Among them was the Jaiteh clan who was Muslim and other clans including Fofanna, Darbo and Dansoho who were traders.  Generally, the Jahankoolu were mainly Muslims and farmers. The Singateh clan became rulers in Netebulu with the support of the Sey clan. The ancestors of the Jahankoolu Suwaibou came from Jaha Masina and settled Bambugu Jaha.  He arrived along with great men while some members of his family remained at Jaha Masina.  His sons went to settle at Wulli Sutukoba. Saikou Alhagi Salim Suwareh and Foday Touray were great Muslim scholars with a large number of students.   Among their children were Mohamadu Fatuma and Omaru Tanda Touray.   When they traveled from Jaha and settled at Bambugu Jaha a dispute occurred with the Bambara ruler called Dusuba.  They then moved to Diddeh in Bundu and several journeyed to Bindangalang. After migrating to different places one family member went to study the Koran at Jenne.  After completing his studies, he went to Fouta Jallon and was welcomed there by their ruler Abdukhadir.  He settled in a place called Touba in Labe.   He lived in Touba teaching and preaching Islam and was also occupied with farming.  While he was there, the people from Tandaba attacked him and many of his people were captured. When the incident occurred, he wrote to the ruler about this and later left to Kanjori. Saihou Ibrayma Janneh, Foday Kasang and Foday Mohamadu Jawara were all in Kanjori. Subsequently, he left Kanjori where he was living for some time, and traveled to Jombo, for the purpose of studying with Umaru Touray. He then continued towards Jenne to study medicine. When he returned, he settled in a town called Taslima and later again moved to Kangkang.  He lived there for three years and then left to do trading at Kallato in Manding. Bademba was the ruler, and Alfa Muhamadou Woyanke, a prominent Islamic scholar, lived there.  He also preached Islam to the people of Timbo while residing there. He relocated to Labe with the help of a ruler named Modi Abdulay, where he taught and preach Islam. He journeyed to Wourry and settled in a town called Touba and was joined there by other Jahankoolu. After he was attacked there, he traveled to Binaney and resettled in a town called Touba Kuta.  He served as the Muslim Leader (Imam) there for seven years. Due to regular attacks from some rulers, he had to migrate, hence, his frequent movements from place to place. The people of Kakandeh and Touba were primarily from Jaha. He married Aysatu Camara and they had a son named Muhamadou Taslima.  When he died, he was laid to rest by the mosque and his son Muhamadou Taslima became the new leader (Kalipha).   He was succeeded by his son Karamohoba Madi, who later died at Dabola. Many leaders were present when the Europeans arrived; including, Muhamadou Kassum, Muhamadou Mustafa and Muhamadou Taslima Junior. He was succeeded by Karamoho Kutubo who had a large family of about six hundred people including his students.  He had a good relationship with Alfa Yaya the ruler of Labe. Captain Yusi constructed the first French post at Touba. He later died and was succeeded by Karamoho Arafaha eighty-nine years after Touba was settled.   He was a prominent Islamic scholar who went on a pilgrimage to Mecca.   Omaru Tanda Touray was also a great Islamic scholar who settled down in Diddeh Koto at Bundu.  The village gradually transform into a large town.   Mohamadu Fatuma settled in Kunting and began to teach and preach about Islam there.  He later left and resettled at Kanjoro close to Khasso.

<strong>References to entities made in the recording</strong>

<strong>Culture: Mandinka</strong>

<strong>Language: Mandinka</strong>

<strong>Persons:  </strong>Saikou Alhagi Salim Suwareh, Foday Touray, Mohamadu Fatuma and Omaru Tanda Touray.  Dusuba, Abdukhadir, Saihou Ibrayma Janneh, Foday Kasang and Foday Mohamadu Jawara, Umaru Touray, Bademba, Alfa Muhamadou Woyanke, Modi Abdulay, Aysatu Camara, Muhamadou Taslima, Karamohoba Madi, Muhamadou Kassum, Muhamadou Mustafa and Muhamadou Taslima Junior, Karamoho Kutubo, Captain Yusi, Karamoho Arafaha, Omaru Tanda Touray, Mohamadu Fatuma 

<strong>Places:  </strong>Bundu, Masina Jaha,Netebulu, Bambugu Jaha, Jaha Masina, Wulli Sutukoba, Diddeh in Bundu, Bindangalang, Touba in Labe, Tandaba, Kanjori, Jombo, Jenne, Taslima, Kallato in Manding, Timbo, Binaney, Touba Kuta, Kakandeh, Dabola, Labe, Diddeh Koto at Bundu, Kunting, Kanjoro

<strong>Movements:</strong>

The Jahankoolu traveled from Masina to Bambug Jaha and later dispersed to several places

<strong>Actions:</strong>

The Jahankoolu were attacked at Bambugu Jaha by the Bambara ruler Dusuba and they left.

<strong>Time references:</strong>

None

<strong>Additional information</strong>:  The Jahankoolu migrated to numerous places because of constant enemies’ attacks.

<sup><em>Alternative names: Diakite, Cherno, Kajali, Sirra, Kebba</em></sup><em><sup>, Sidibeh, </sup></em> <em><sup>Bakary, Bakari, Bakery</sup></em>
description: Published by NCAC - National Digital Archive of The Gambia, initiated by University of Hamburg, Asia-Africa-Institute, Germany, funded by Gerda Henkel Foundation, Germany