GAMBIAN NEWSPAPERS’ FRAMING OF INDIGENOUS CULTURE: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

There is a perceived ubiquitous foreign influence on Gambian culture. It is expected that newspapers would preserve and transmit the indigenous Gambian cultural heritage across generations. Despite the dependence of the Gambian economy on culture and tourism, there is no scientific inquiry into the framing of Gambian culture in Gambian media. Building on the foundation of Framing Theory and Modernization Theory, this study interrogates the framing of indigenous Gambian culture in Gambian newspapers. Following the epistemological guidelines of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the study examines a purposively-selected sample of eight (8) editorial materials from a population of fifty (50) items published in four newspapers between January 2023 and July 2025. The analysis reveals recurring themes of cultural preservation, modernization, and identity politics, often mediated through framing devices such as lexical choices, metaphors, and narrative structures. The findings suggest that Gambian newspapers, particularly the government-owned Gambia Daily, play a significant role in shaping public perceptions of indigenous culture, either reinforcing traditional values or adapting narratives to contemporary societal shifts. The study concludes that Gambian newspapers often balance the promotion of cultural preservation with the adaptation to contemporary narratives, reflecting underlying power dynamics and ideological positions. The results also underscore the media's influential role in shaping public discourse around indigenous culture, with implications for cultural policy, identity politics, and social cohesion in The Gambia.