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Job Well Done FELMAUSA!! By: Bangalee Trawally May 24, 2009  I
applaud FELMAUSA with outmost enthusiasm for the innovative and creative
Mandingo audio news program recently launched on its website. However, I
do have my own doubts. Notwithstanding, I consider FELMAUSA’s effort a
creative break through because of its potential to promote our rich
cultural heritage. As you may well know, language is the bedrocks of any
culture, and if that language goes extinct so will the culture it
belongs to. Therefore, to promote our language in this fashion is highly
commendable for the following reasons: (a) It will pass the language to
our American- born children, most of whom I believe are not being taught
the Mandingo language at home. (b) The program will disseminate
information to all those who speak Mandingo especially our old folks
back home. But the flip side to this is that the program could also be used for propaganda purposes, because FELMAUSA is now highly politicized. The present leadership dwells heavily on the so-called “Bush doctrine”, that “if you are not with us you are against us”. Based on some of these facts, I have no doubt in my mind that these veteran announcers will be influenced or manipulated to say only what pleases the power that be, instead of what is factual. If you wonder what I mean by factual news, then I mean saying something that is undisputable. One good example could be telling our Mandingo language listeners around the world that there is a big divide among us here in the U.S. This is an open secret, that all is not well despite the many conventions been held. I think our people want to know the reality on the ground here in America. So the truth needs to be told no matter who it favors. I was taken aback quit recently when I listened to an interview of the Minnesota Mandingo association’s president on this program where he made too much emphasis on how this year convention in Minnesota will be the best, and different from previous ones held. When the interviewer asked him to clarify what he meant, and how different will this one be, the only thing the president could say was that, “this year there will be three night s of dancing, with Sunday special for woman”. I guess the interviewer was not persuaded by his explanation and wanted him to say something substantial. He asked him again to say something else that he thinks will make this year’s events uniquely different. Again, the president went on to talk about football games. That in itself confirms the notion that FELMAUSA is just another big social and athletic club. I can’t blame the brother; he is just being supportive of the status quo. Like many other FELMAUSA’s members who just jumped on the bandwagon for the sake of its social aspect but don’t see the big picture, as to why the Mandingo people in the U.S. need a federation. Finally, I would like to thank these brilliant announcers for their thoughtful ideas, and hope that they will apply their journalistic ethic truthfully in the dissemination of news to the Mandingo listeners. Keep up the good job, and if possible find more people to have a dialogue with in order to seek balanced news. I look forward to talking with you anytime at your convenience. |
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