Hello and a warm welcome to another edition of ‘towns and villages’, your thrilling history corner that gives you an insight of the historical tales of the settlements that compose The Gambia. Before we proceed, we wish all our esteemed readers a blessed holy month of Ramadan; we pray that Almighty Allah continues to shower his blessings on us and humanity at large.

We also wish to seize this opportunity to apologize to our readers for the long absence of this column.  This was because the anchorman was occupied with pressing academic assignments which he needed time to complete. Nonetheless, we are happy to resume the column and from now on we can guarantee that ‘towns and village’ would constantly be coming your way.  

We do appreciate very much those of you who have been calling, texting and emailing us to give comments, suggestions or make enquires. We are also grateful to critiques. Your contributions helped a great deal in reassigning our approach and improving the column. In this second phase of the column, you would realize the impact of such contributions.

In the first edition of the second phase of ‘towns and villages’ we bring to the spotlight the tales of a community that stands popular in the land of Kombo. This community has been accredited with being home of one of the most ancient shrines in Kombo. It also stands out as a symbol of the war fought between the migrated people of Kaabu who would later be known as Kombonkos’ and the indigenous inhabitants of the land-Bainunkas’. Please read on to uncover the rite of passage of this community.

The foundation
In this bulletin, we are referring to the community of Brufut as the symbol of the Kombo-Bainunka war because the community was established by the very people who orchestrated the war and it also serves as one of the relics manifesting the total defeat of the Bainunkas’ by the migrants from Kaabu and their dominance of a land later referred to as ‘Kombo'.

Sources revealed that the community of Brufut owes it’s name to a Manding phrase “Bori yee futa’, which can literally be translated as ‘run to reach’. Some refer to the community as ‘Brufee’ which is a prostituted word from the original phrase. The community got this name from their relatives who were at the time settled in Brikama and diverse places across the land of Kombo. These relatives in directing people to the community often note in their Manding parlance that the settlement is not far away and you can run to reach there. Brufut then was located on the periphery of what can be described as central or main land Kombo.

Age has taken its toll on our sources and the absence of a written record on the historical rite of passage of the settlement at community level has made the remembering and authentication of dates and time impossible.  It is however believed that the community of Brufut is some 700 years but before it added its name to the sheet of settlements of The Gambia, heavyweight communities in Kombo,notably Bakau, Brikama, Sanyang, Kafuta among others were already homes.

The founding of the community of Brufut, sources revealed started from the Kingdom of Kaabu where one Sankalang Mamadi migrated from and moved west words in search of the treasures f life. This journey brought him to the Gambia valley and he settled at a community today known as Jabang. During that era, Kabang and majority of the shanty settlements littering the land of Kombo were occupied by the Bainunkas’. It was at this settlement that Sankalang Mamadi passed onto the land of the silent migrants leaving behind an offspring called Sankalang Mawdo.

Their settlement in the midst of Bainunkas’ was both challenging and confrontational. The Bainunkas were unwilling o accommodate them and often gave them hard times in the fulfillment of the daily realities of life. Sankalang Mawdo was however determined to establish a home and he would stop at nothing to accomplish that goal. Away from the settlement of Jabang, a faction of the Bojangs under the leadership of Mamadi Kanta lived at Kumu Danfa.

This settlement lies on the outskirts of Busumballa and Kambur. Mamadi Kanteh however demised also leaving behind his son Madi Sira Manka, who later picked hunting as his trade. Separated by distance, Madi Sira Manka and Sankalang Mawdo share close ancestral roots, similar ambitions and speak the same language; yet unaware of each other’s existence.

This distance was however bridged when on one fateful day, Sira Manka set out for his usual hunting trips; and his route took him to the house of Sankalang Mawdo. After the usual traditional greetings and hospitality, the two realized that they have a common ancestry as Madi Sira Manka’s father migrated from Mali and Sankalang Mawdo’s father migrated from the Kingdom of Kaabu. Sankalang further explained his ordeal with the Bainunkas to his new associate and the two staged a conspiracy against the Bainunkas.

They decided to wage a war against the Bainunkas. After a careful study of the situation, the duo went back to Kaabu to physically and spiritually prepare themselves for the offensive. When they were returning to take on the Bainunkas, the Jaata, Jabang and other Kaabunkas joined them with the notion of fighting the Bainunkas and removing the hardship they placed on their kinship.

Sources asserted it was as a result of this war that the land got the name ‘Kombo’ as the Kaabunkas were fighting to remove the hardship and hatred faced by their people in the hands of the Bainunkas. This when put into Manding parlance means ‘Koun Bo’ -removing hatred.  After the offensive, the Bainunkas were defeated and the migrants from Kaabu spearheaded by the Manneh and Bojang spread their tentacles across the land.

The combatants went back to their individual settlements and after a few years, their need to establish a common settlement was felt. The Bojang and Manneh after disagreeing to agree reached a common denominator and it was agreed that they should individually move out in search of a place for this new settlement and whereever they meet should be built as the foundation pillar of this common settlement. Thus the point of convergence became the settlement of Brufut.

Sources further unveiled that that the community had abandoned its first settlement because of an inferno which brushed the community ash. The present location of the community is however over two centuries old. Brufut therefore it can be historically argued symbolizes the victory of Kombo over the bainunkas’ after a major military onslaught.

Aborigines and expansion
As earlier stated, the community of Brufut was established after the triumph of the migrants from Kaabu over the Bainunkas who were at the time the indigenous inhabitants. Since the community emerged out of a consensus to establish a common settlement for the purpose of common lineage, it is certain that the community from foundation was inhabited by large polygamous families.

According to sources, the settlement of Brufut started with four main ‘Kabilos’, namely Manneh, Bojang, Sanyang and Jawara alias (Kansala). The Mannehs and Bojangs were the original founders of the community as they were the ones who were in the vanguard in the war against the Bainunka and up till today, these two Kabilos control the lion share of the community. The Sanyang alias (Subaa) was said to be less than a Kabilo but was a very large family.

The family was brought to the community by the Soninke king of Busumbala to protect the Sanementereng shrine so that it would not be destroyed by the Mannehs who were at the time Muslims. Henceforth, the major occupation of the family was to protect the shrine on behalf of the king of Busumballa.

The Jawara or Kansala Kabilo was founded by Sari Kansala. He was said to be a businessman trading in gold and gun powder. During the war, the founders of Brufut entered into a trading agreement with him to be supplying gun powder to the combatants, a job he did not default. When the war ended, Brufut founded, his house became a home.

As the four Kabilos transformed the virgin forest into an environment conducive for human habitation, people began migrating from left, right and centre to come and join the founders in enjoying the treasures of a new home and today the community of Brufut consists of hundreds of families and the community is one of the biggest in the Kombo North Political District.

The alkaloship
Prior to the introduction of alkalosis, Brufut operated the traditional African political system wherein the eldest of the community serves as the custodian of the land, and every member of the community is answerable to him. The people of Brufut referred to this system as ‘Blunda’. The head of the Blunda served as the principal decision maker in the community, and he in consultation with the elders of the community settled disputes for the community.

The Blunda system was abandoned and alkaloshp introduced after imperialist intrusion into the community and the land in general. Tradition demands that the seat of Alikalo of a community be in the house of the founders. Wherein the founders are many and there exist mutual understanding among the people, rotation is usually ideal. Such is the case in Brufut, the alkaloship is traditionally between the Manneh and Sanyang and along the line, the Bojang is given chance when situation necessitates. From generation to generation, the founders transfer authority to each other based on age.

African tradition
Just like any other indigenous community, the settlement of Brufut did not do without the practice of indigenous culture and tradition. According to our sources, the community operationalized the African philosophy that puts emphases on age; elders were given due respect by the youngsters and this gesture was reciprocated. Age grades were the order of the day and their existed a strong bond of unity.

The community was also said to be inhabited by both Muslims and Soninkes. The Manneh and Bojang who were the major founders were said to be Muslims and their practice was in accordance with the principles of Islam. Sanyang on the other hand, a family planted by the King of Busumbala to protect the Senementereng shrine were Soninke and practices that are in conformity with African traditional religion and philosophy were executes at the shrine.

Sanementereng
The Sanementereng crocodile pool is probably one of the most sacred places in the country; many people flock to the sight in prayers to their lords to overcome their plight. However, our encounter with the elders of Brufut did not reveal much about this traditional shrine. However, what is certain is that the shrine was owned by Mansa Suling Jaata, one of the Soninke Kings of Busumbala who uses the place to seek for the protection of the holy spirits and deities. Sources asserted that during the reign of Mansa Sulung Jaata, a human being or a black bull is annually sacrificed to the shrine.