Daras in Nior Jattaba

To comprehend this post it’s important to understand how the village is structured; The Nioro Jattaba village is typically divided into the following area or clusters but headed by one Alkalo (village head) and one Imam. These clusters are; 1. Sarreh Naereh 2. Bedda, 3. Languayeh and 3. Sowe Kunda.

The Nioro Jattaba had always had very effective Quranic teaching and learning centers locally called Dara (Duuda). This centers could be found in compounds across the length and breadth of the village. For example, In Sareh Naereh there were two Daras; one in the late Ba Alhagie Ebrima Solo’s compound and the other in late Mama Sambey’s compound.

In Bedda, there were two; a Dara in Daboe Kolley’s compound and a Dara in Mama Alpha’s compound. In Languyeh there was a Dara in Ba Chabba’s compound.  In Sowe Kunda, there was one Dara in the Imam Ba Chanando in Sowe Kunda.  For most of us if not all these Dara were out first learning institutions were some of us completed the reading of the entire Quran which included memorization of every chapter of the Quran before moving to a new chapter until when one completes the complete Quran. Completion is usually celebrated in the form of ‘Sadaq Eluah’ which is very colorful.

Sadaq Eluah will be discussed later.