How to write if you cannot write:How to write if you cannot write:

Collaborative everyday literacy in rural GambiaCollaborative everyday literacy in rural Gambia

Kasper Juffermans

Tilburg University

Literacy in a modern, multicultural village in southwest GambiaTwo literacy moments/documents

Ba-Abdoulie’s letter L.’s telephone booklet

1. Ba-Abdoulie’s letter: communication scheme, repertoires

2. the Nescafé telephone booklet

L.’s telephone booklet [1, 20], designed by Nescafé Senegal

the Nescafé telephone booklet [2, 3]

the Nescafé telephone booklet [4, 5]

the Nescafé telephone booklet [6, 7]

the Nescafé telephone booklet [8, 9]

the Nescafé telephone booklet [10, 11]

the Nescafé telephone booklet [12, 13]

the Nescafé telephone booklet [14, 15]

the Nescafé telephone booklet [16, 17]

the Nescafé telephone booklet [18, 19]

L.’s Nescafé telephone booklet

form and content analysis – the booklet in use by L.participant observation: entering my telephone number

KJ = Malang Sonko; 6222606 L. starts on the first available page

shaky, from right to left younger sister takes over:

“six triple two…” 633 > 6222…

from left to write

(laughter) L. demonstrates literacy skills in Arabic

uses Arabic numberals from right to left

instable, problematic competence ignores these skills; self-identifies as

illiterate; prefers to be helped

Literacy in a modern, multicultural village in southwest Gambia

concluding remarkson literacy as a local practice

local economy of literacy: scarcity of paper and stationarieshybrid normativity: Arabic and Anglofranco orthographic conventionsabsence of local languages as languages of literacyEnglish only regime of literacy:

› disqualifies non-English competences

› creates functional illiteracy

on collaborative literacyilliteracy not necessarily stigmatising (seniority, respect)many ‘illiterates’ make use of literate practices in their everyday lives

by appealing to (younger) ‘literate’ community membersdoing literacy, being literate togethercollaborative literacy often intergenerational