By Yunus S Saliu
Attending the Janjangbureh Kankurang Festival three times at a roll, since it was rebranded in 2018, the vice president of Naturefriends International has described the kankurang tradition as a true and deeply moving expression of local culture in Senegal and Gambia which ensures order, justice, and collection of complex know-how.
Delivering statement on behalf of the President of the Naturefriends International at the official opening of the 3rd edition of the festival held in the island of Janjangbureh on Friday, 17th January, Mamadou Mbodji expressed that on this occasion young circumcised boys are to learn the rules of behavior and order in their community, the secrets of plants and their medicinal values and hunting techniques.
He noted that it is a tradition that empowers the young people of Mandika in order to enforce the rules set out by their society and also “an expression of a common culture in order to live in peace with nature and other humans.
Looking at a global level, he said there is need for global culture of sustainability saying “the western style of living has already lost this culture.”
Mr Mbodji expressed that Africans have culture of speed, thus, “getting more and more of greediness, of exploitation without respect of nature and other creatures.”
He identified money and capital as economy dominant values of the western society and the climate crisis and the plastic litter all over the world is a result of this western culture which is unfortunately now threatening the entire world.
“The African people are also deeply suffering from the drastic climate change although their own contribution to this change might be very low,” he noted.
He therefore expressed his movement’s delight for having organizational branches “in Africa – for example in Senegal, Togo and newest in The Gambia since September 2019.” Giving the background of the movement he said the Naturefriends International was founded 125 years ago in Vienna, Austria and is celebrating this year its 125th Anniversary.