The Soninke Civilization: The Conflict of Generation in the Contemporary Soninkara

In this paper, the author aims to study a social phenomenon in the contemporary Soninkara: the generational conflict between the elderly and the youth. The old people worry about the continuity of the traditional values and practices because of the youth’s new attitudes, aspirations, tastes and desires that do not reassure them. The majority of the youth of the contemporary Soninkara do not like nor believe in traditions as the old people do. In fact, the elderly uphold and value the traditions, whereas the younger ones with modern mindset have some other visions of the world hence the conflict in Soninkara. On the one hand, the former reproach the latter of not respecting them coupled with their negligence or dislike for the traditional values and practices that are considered a great cultural loss. On the other hand, the youth are marveled by the western way of life and modern trends in the context of globalization. Thus, the new aspirations and attitudes of the younger generation are frustrating the elderly and are seen as a threat to the preservation of the Soninke cultural heritage by the old people. And for them, the situation, culturally speaking, is alarming, for the way the youth follow the modern trends combined with the western influence spoil their attitudes and jeopardize the original Soninke people’s way of life. This cultural shock that the world civilizations are experiencing does not seem to be advantageous for Soninkara.