It was the early 18th century, and European colonizers were pouring into Africa, encountering people and cultures they couldn't understand, let alone appreciate. The Mandinka people were among those who came under the scrutiny of one of these foreign invaders.
The Mandinka people make up the largest population of Western Africa. They created the Maamajomboo, the masked ceremonial dancers. How did the word for these masked dancers become synonymous with gibberish?
The European had no idea what he was witnessing. To him, the Maaamajomboo were nothing more than strange and primitive practices that didn't fit his narrow worldview.
He noted the word in his journal and published his notes in 1738. This was where the term "Mumbo Jumbo" first appeared. However, it didn't become popular until nearly 100 years later, thanks to a Scottish explorer and subsequent additional journals.
Today, when we hear something called "mumbo jumbo," we laugh it off. It's just a joke, right? But recognizing the racist origins of the phrase makes us stop and take stock of how words can reinforce harmful stereotypes and diminish the value of cultural practices.