Great women have achieved great things and it makes one think of the Margaret Yourcenars, the Florence Mahoneys, the Aminata Sow Faals and the Mariama Bas. They have inscribed their names on the golden stone of literary art and live through timeless time. Thats how one thinks of Mrs Mariama Khan-Sabally.Mrs Mariama Khan-Sabally is a God’s creation very hard to describe, for here is a lady that will for the first time, leave a mark in the history of Gambian literature. If you meet Mrs Mariama Khan-Sabally before reading her poems, you may honestly wonder if such a young friendly quiet lady, can produce strong poems quite unique and almost monstrous in beauty and richness. If you read her poems before meeting her, you will wonder which genius has intricated such bewildering work of art in which all colours are extraordinarily represented. Madam Mariama Khan-Sabally has finally compiled all her poems into a collection, that will please both the old and the young, the loving and caring, the mother as well the father, the child and the adolescent, the rich aristocrat and the poor, the teacher and the student, the reader and the writer, the angered and the sad, and most of all, the questioner of human nature.
“Mrs Mariama Khan-Sabally is a Gambian and had won many writing competitions. She published various works in newspaper and Magazines in the Gambia. Some of her poems have also been published in Canada, in the Naswaak Review, a Canadian journal of literary works.”
Born in Brikama Newtown in July 1977 to parents of both Senegalese and Gambian origins, Mariama made it through the same school system like every Gambian and sees herself at St Joseph High in Banjul in 1991. She eventually did her A’ levels at St Augustine’s High. In 1998, for a BA in International Development Studies and English at the St Mary’s University of Halifax, she graduated in 2001. She has since served in the Gambian Civil Service as Information/Press/Publicity officer with the Department of Information Services in Banjul, and presently she is Communication Officer at the Women’s Bureau. She has since been married to Mr Momodou Sabally and has beautiful boys: Omar and Muhammad. In 2006, Mariama Khan and her husband divorced.
Mariama’s talents as a poet were just remarked at the Extension program of the St Mary University when she started publishing on the papers. Her beautiful use of language and vocabulary made her poems precise and bulky in meaning. She has gone through a lot of struggle to publish her collection of poetry. Today, she has been rewarded her efforts. Her collection of poetry is entitled “Futa Toro.”
In “Futa Toro”, one swims through a complete artistic success, reflecting great love for children, a grateful feeling to all good things, love and care for people and nature and particularly, strong expressions on family – a proof of a loving mother and a dedicated wife. She is able to expose the deep feelings for human nature, an equivocal stand for women’s rights and a strong anger against injustice.Great love for children
Mariama is conscious of the frailty and the innocence in children as well as their vulnerability. In the “The Boy Lying at the Elf Station”, she expresses the womanly love and care for a lost child who lives hopeless of human care. Mariama’s use of words touches deep the human heart and bring the urge to want to care for those hopeless lonely children lying in the streets, whose fate is no fault of theirs; “Child Soldier” also addresses the unfortunate lost child, used by forces beyond his control, impervious to the dangers looming over him and drawing him nearer to self destruction. The poet calls to the child to come back.
The most touching perhaps, is the three poems specifically dedicated to her children. Yet in reading them, not only is one attached to those particular children but to all children of tender age. In “The Young Man Muhammad”, “The Muhammad I Know” and “Baby Mystery”, poems dedicated to Muhammad and Omar Bun Sabally, one discovers the motherly love and blatant observation of these lovely creatures of God. In “Mother care”, one feels the concern of the mother for the “little bud.”
Grateful & thankful
Gambians are proud and thankful to their Scorpions and Mariama has the talent of knitting beautiful words in gratitude to their courage. She has dedicated a special poem for them entitled “Scorpions”. In “Wonder at Work” and “Survival”, Mariama sings praises of good things and good people. The last poem must be meant for parents whose child now reaches the age to thank them for bringing him/her up and in appreciation, assuring them of making them proud parents.
Love and care
Mariama loves and cares for many things and this is reflected in her poems. She loves nature and either uses nature in imagery or defines its true beauty. “Canary Bird”, “Scared”, “Trapped” and “The Jungle” are poems centred on nature and creatures. The poet shows their frailty and the menace around them. For love and care for the Gambia, she dedicates “Juffureh”, “Prayer for the Gambia”, Saint Augustine’s High School” and “Scorpions”. She will not forget her husband, Momdou Sabally in “Virtuous Light”, a strong poem with every character of her husband’s name defining his qualities. It makes every man envy Mr Sabally. She must have dedicated “Motherly – Dad” to the same person where other beautiful qualities are expressed. She loves to defend Women ‘s rights and she will dedicate some of her poems to women. “Njobene Woman” is one good example. “Futa Toro” is a powerful opener poem of love for her origins as a “Toro lady”.
Strong messages
She leaves no stone unturned in her collection of poems as she rebukes certain attitudes such as skin bleaching (Challenge), infidelity (Clinton prayer), infatuation (The wrong ways of men), hypocrisy (Boss), Injustice (Nowhere to Hide) and personification (Professor).
In fact each of the above examples carry stronger messages than indicated. “Nowhere to Hide” expresses the injustices of war and the long suffering of the innocent. “Professor” must have been a bad experience when lecturers claiming to acquire a certain level of education, are incapable of behaving as is required of them or cannot reflect the level of education acquired. Many other poems express anger, sorrow, rejection and many more. Their messages are clear and it can take pages to explain everything on every poem.
Conclusion
The author/poet acknowledges the invaluable contributions of certain people namely her husband, Mr Momodou Sabally, who has been very supportive and who took time to read through the poems and edit them. She thanks Mr Ousmane Senghor of PADEF, Mr Baba Galleh Jallow, co-proprietor of the Independent Newspaper and Mr Saihou Bah, Principal of Bakau Upper Basic School. She expresses a special gratitude to all these people for their valuable and generous support. She dedicates this collection to her Boys with love: Abdul Wahab Jammeh, Omar Bun Sabally and Muhammad Sabally.
Mrs Mariama Khan-Sabally extends sincere gratitude to a special person, a renown artist of great talent, Mr Njogu Touray. Njogu is a selfless artist whose works are today decorating offices and homes of powerful people all over the world. He was born in 1960 and has participated in group and solo exhibitions in many countries: the Gambia, England, Italy, Senegal, the United States and Germany. In some of these countries, exhibitions were mounted in several cities. He has an art studio called the Sukura Art Studio in Serrekunda. Its to this illustrious artist that Mariama Khan confided the design of the front cover and the back page to which he dedicated all his time. One has to see the designs to know the beauty in them.
If literature is Art and Art is defined as our way of life, Mariama’s poetry is the mirror through which we will see our feelings. She however needs support from all lovers of literature.
She calls on everyone to come and attend, and to patronise the launching of Futa Toro, her first collection of poetry. Gambians owe it to her, to the Toro lady, Lily Khan-Sabally.
LAUNCHING OF FUTA TORO 18TH JULY, 2003A SMUAGB alumnus publishes
July 18, a significant date for Madiba Nelson Mandela as it marks his birthday anniversary, is also very significant in the literary history of the Gambia and particularly in the life of Mariama and her family. When Mr. Louis Sarr first asked Mariama to read a poem during a Saint Augustine’s High School speech day in 1998, he must have recognized those talents in her despite Mariama’s timid attitude. July 18 saw therefore the birth of “Futa Toro”, a collection of 96 poems which is NOT all she had to publish, but a well chosen collection. The ceremony, which took place at the Alliance Franco-Gambienne, gathered more than three hundred illustrious people from different works and occupations of life.
The launching of "Futa Toro", a collection of poems and first publication of Mrs Mariama Khan-Sabally (far right). Chairman: Professor Edris Makward, Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of The Gambia. On the High table from left to right: My humble self, Mr Momodou Sabally, Mr Dodou Kebbeh, Mr Yankuba Touray, Professor Makward and Mr Marcel Thomasi. Venue: Alliance Franco-Gambienne. On the High Table were:
1. The chairperson in the person of Professor Edris Makward, Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of the Gambia;
2. The Guest of Honour Honorable Yankuba Touray, S of S for Tourism and Culture who came to Launch the book on behalf of the President of the Gambia, who happens to be the Chief Patron of the Saint Mary’s University Alumni Gambia Branch;
3. Mr Doudou Kebbeh, the President of the Saint Mary’s University Alumni Gambia Branch (SMUAGB) and Deputy Clerk at the National Assembly, gave the welcome Address;
4. Mr. Marcel Thomasi, The Press Officer at the President’s office, gave an excellent review;
5. Mrs. Mariama Khan, the poetess and an alumnus of SMUAGB, is also the Communications Officer at the Women’s Bureau;
6. Mr Momodou Sabally, Economist at the Central Bank and Secretary General of SMUAGB, gave the vote of thanks.
7. The Master of Ceremonies, the PRO of SMUAGB and lecturer at the University of the Gambia, was my humble self.
I crossed the entrance of the Alliance Franco-Gambienne, when the flurry of activities and the beautiful decoration with the book in numbers overwhelmed me. ‘Futa Toro’, the hidden secrets of the being. I read through and I heard Mariama’s painful voice calling. I felt transported in a dream, and started soaring and floating into the poem. I heard Mariama reading the poem Futa Toro on page 1. I saw her recoil as if in fear. Or was it shock? Painful memories seem to haunt her:
At Njoben your wandering ghost lingered
I felt your strange caresses on my dreams
Your scroll page is lead
Rigid as a mountain
Dark as a dungeon
She remembers those hard moments before she came through in making “Futa Toro” a reality. As I felt the texture of the book, I understood what she meant. I understood the mixture of pain and joy she had. I experienced the accelerated heartbeat she felt at her first touch of the finished product of what is being displayed in front of me. It is the feeling of the baby just coming out of mother’s womb and breathing air for the first time only to have to cry for joy. It is far sweeter than the day one is informed of a promotion. More dignified than the day the king is crowned. It is the joy of marking, with an indelible golden ink, a thick line in the history of Humanity.
I felt cold in your embrace
Feared that embers of your fires
May roast me.
What is Futa Toro? Who is Futa Toro? Is it “The land of the Fulani Tuculours / khernates of the herds / natures elves / Knights of the scripture”? Or is it the literary space in which we are transported through a rich style and choice of words, with quite powerful themes?
I heard what moved Mariama’s “empty heart”.
The shrine of my ancestors
Know when I become
A Fulani born-again
I may speak your tongue
Praise the acrobat’s decorum
Dance your dances
Sing your songs
Learn your lessons
Honour your staff of occult wisdom.
As in all naming ceremonies, the parents must be thanked for a job well done: The birth of “Futa Toro” must have been tedious and painful. However, Mr. Doudou Kebbeh first had the honour of welcoming everyone for sacrificing their precious time to come and attend. He expressed the pride of the Alumni Association for supporting an alumnus. He welcomed the Honorable SOS for Tourism and Culture for deputizing for the President. Then Mr. Marcel Thomasi made the book review.
The most interesting part of the launching ceremony is the moments when everyone listens to a poem being read or commented on. Mr. Thomasi made an excellent observation that centered on the logical and thematic distribution of some well choosen poems and the whole book in particular. He saw similarities both in the message and in the tone of the poems. He particularly singled out the poet’s close observation of societal behavior especially idleness in The Draft Players. He equally pointed out the poet’s sensitivity to some inevitable phenomena such as death. He backed his point by reading Mr. Woo’s story and Rest in Peace. Other remarks he made were on the poet’s assertion of her origins (Futa Toro and Toro Hymns), her love for her country (Pilgrims) and especially her tender love for her immediate family, particularly her children and her husband.
There were two poems read by Ms Sainabou Jaye and Ms Sera Mboge. Ms Jaye works at the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies and she is the Treasurer of the Alumni Association. She read Scorpions. Ms Mboge works at the Nova Scotia-Gambia Association Bureau and she is the Assistant Secretary General of The Alumni Association. She read Njoben Woman. Mr. Momodou Sabally who is the loving husband of the poet gave a powerful vote of thanks.
Many Gambians have produced manuscripts and are faced with financial problems to publish their works. Among those with manuscripts and unable to publish are: Mr. James Abrahams (IEC), Mr. Alhagi Yorro Jallow and Mr Abdoulie Sey (The Independent Newspaper), Mr. Sheriff Bojang ( Daily Observer), Mr. Baba Cham ( Bed Student at the University of the Gambia), Mrs. Mathilda Johnson ( Librarian), Mr. Besenty Gomez (WAEC), Dr Henry Carol (International Lawyer), Mr Nana Grey-Johnson (Cultural Officer, American Embassy), Mr Musa Jallow (Writer) and Ms Rokhey Samba (Poet). The list is long…
There should also be an establishment of an association of Gambian Writers (if it does not exist) or the creation of a Gambian writers’ club which will have amongst its functions the propaganda for the establishment of such agencies.
SPEECH BY AUTHOR – POET
(Mariama Khan Sabally)
Five years ago in 1998, Mr Louis Sarr asked me to write a poem for speech day at St. Augustine’s Senior Secondary. I responded that I could not do it because I had never written one before. His words to me still echo in my ears. These very words I will repeat to my young brothers and sisters, “you can do it!”
With Mr Sarr’s encouragement I wrote my first poem, I fondly called St Augustines. For him it was a masterpiece. After that, I realized I could and got inspired to write more poetry.
When I joined the SMU extension Programme in 1998, my first course was on poetry taught by a Canadian Poet Mark Silverberg. At first Silverberg would not support my doing the course because he said it was for third year students. I insisted that I would do it. During the course, he was so attentive to me realizing that with help I could do it. This crystallized what little talent I had in the art of poetry.
Prior to this, Baba Galleh Jallow, who encouraged me to write more, started publishing my short stories and poems on the Daily Observer newspaper. Consequently, a kind hearted, selfless and inspiring brother Pa Ousman Senghore helped me both morally and financially. He wanted me to have a neat and orderly collection that I can present for possible funding for publication. What Pa Ousman did for me only God can reward him?
In 2000 through Prof; Terry Whalen from SMU, some of my poems were published in an anthology featuring the works of students from SMU entitled CARDHOUSES and later in the Naswaak Review, a Canadian Journal of literary works. This was remarkable for me. In fact, when I received a cheque from Terry as payment for the published poems, I decided to keep the cheque to show my children the first pay for my poems when they grow up.
The publication of Futa Toro has not been without challenges. Nevertheless, with the zeal to succeed and support from different quarters, Allah has made it possible for me;
The elegant cover of this book is the creation of Mr Njogu Touray, a renowned artist and a dedicated brother; His support I will always remember; Mr Njogu Touray is a special creation so rare to find, so generous with what he knows and what he can do and so helpful in times of need. His powerful artistic touch on the book is like how the stars and the moon enhance the mysterious beauty of the night.
I will always remember Mrs P. Jonhson Principal J.C FYE memorial School who was my former Literature teacher. She gave me a token contribution towards this launching. The amount she gave me, I sincerely value more than a million Dollars. I know it comes from the bottom of her heart.
My father Biran Bakary khan and my Mum Mawuday Saidy deserve special mention this day for their invaluable support and investment both tangibly and intangibly towards the realization of my dreams. My mum is a substitute mother for my children and gives me all the time to do what I want to do. Moreover, she is always there to worry about the children. My father tells me with the help of Allah, there is nothing that can keep me away from being what I want to be in life. He makes true my dreams even before I realize them.
My sister Yassin Khan and brother Bamba Khan, also deserve special mention for they reinforce my confidence in life.
I will not be fair to my conscience, if I do not mention a supportive, caring, understanding and doting husband, father and editor Mr Momodou Sabally. Sabally took his precious time to edit Futa Toro. For some women marriage keeps them down but for me with Momodou in my life, it opens windows of possibilities. Let me say that the children and I are proud of you Momodou.
Finally, I believe God worked it out this way. The launching of Futa Toro coincides with the day of an illustrious birth of a luminary son of Africa and a star of the world.
I would end with a note that:-
In dreaming and waking up
Africa smiles, content of the
Prized fruit of her entrails
The name Nelson Mandela
Will ever grow with the eternal
Spring of hope
That will clean our distress
And pain in this world.
Thank You very much for making this day complete for me with your presence.
Mr Chairman, honourable Secretary of state for tourism and culture, President Saint Mary’s alumni in The Gambia, Secretary General Saint Mary’s Alumni Gambia chapter, members of the alumni, distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen.
If more than half of the Gambian intellectuals have works to publish, both Government and the private sector (national and international organizations) should help see an establishment of an agency or agencies in the Gambia that will represent famous publishing houses such as Longman, Macmillan, CLE International and others all over the world.
Suggestions for Publication
The launching of a book in the Gambia is supposed to be a great event in its history. It takes hard work to see the realization of a complete manuscript. What’s more challenging, however, is the process of editing and publishing. Today, Gambia has no publishing house where authors can publish books. Thanks to all the printing companies but what Gambia needs is a publishing house to help Gambian writers.
Conclusion
Honorable Yankuba Touray, in his launching speech, first thanked the poetess far an excellent work done. He assures the public that the government has taken the stance to put into effect the Copyright law by December 2004. This Law will protect works of all Gambian Artists from piracy.
Government commitment
More Sense out of Sense
The Master of Ceremonies welcomed all those present: Gambians and non-Gambians, lecturers and students, bankers, directors, educationists, poets, writers, lovers of poetry, family members and all the rest.
The birth of Futa Toro
The Fulani dancers dance with vigor and energy each making body-twisting gymnastics as if each intends to proof one’s flexibility. The dancers led me to the arena to dance, in my turn, to the rhythm of poems. Mariama Khan’s heart twisting poems.
Then I was jolted into reality. Or was I? For here in front of me I see the Fulani dancers. And as if they are listening to Mariama’s innermost desires:
Shrill lamenting flutes
Calling to the trees
The rivers
The sky
The land
A Guided Presence
Among the seated guests was: Mr. Khan of the Department of Education; Professor Yvon Lamy, visiting professor from the University of Limoge in France and giving summer lectures at the University of the Gambia, accompanied by his wife, Nicole; Ms Iris Walton, visiting lecturer from England conducting a well organized drama group at the University of the Gambia; Mr Alieu Darbo, an alumnus and a graduate lecturer at the University of the Gambia; Mr Saiba Susso, graduate lecturer etc…
A road can be rough but when it is the only road leading to one’s destination, then one has no choice but to take it. Life is that tough rough road. There is always the first time for anything, be it good or bad, and usually that first time leaves a mark in history. Mariama Khan-Sabally has become, in the history of contemporary Gambian women poets, the first to publish a collection of poetry.