How to write if you cannot write: Collaborative everyday literacy in rural Gambia Kasper Juffermans Tilburg University

Literacy in a modern, multicultural village in southwest Gambia Two literacy moments/documents Ba-Abdoulies letter L.s telephone booklet

1. Ba-Abdoulies 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; 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 remarks on literacy as a local practice local economy of literacy: scarcity of paper and stationaries hybrid normativity: Arabic and Anglofranco orthographic conventions absence of local languages as languages of literacy English only regime of literacy: disqualifies non-English competences creates functional illiteracy on collaborative literacy illiteracy not necessarily stigmatising (seniority, respect) many illiterates make use of literate practices in their everyday lives by appealing to (younger) literate community members doing literacy, being literate together collaborative literacy often intergenerational