109-570: The Njuup tradition is a Serer style of music rooted in the Ndut initiation rite , which is a rite of passage that young Serers must go through once in their lifetime as commanded in the Serer religion . Njuup songs are religious in nature. For a large part of its history, Njuup was only used within the Ndut ritual. The history of Njuup comes from the older Ndut style of teachings. Young Serer boys in
218-523: A British Crown colony called British Gambia , divided for administrative purposes into the colony (city of Banjul and the surrounding area) and the protectorate (remainder of the territory). The Gambia received its own executive and legislative councils in 1901, and it gradually progressed toward self-government. Slavery was abolished in 1906 and following a brief conflict between the British colonial forces and indigenous Gambians, British colonial authority
327-560: A Republic within the Commonwealth , following a second referendum . Prime Minister Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara assumed the office of President , an Executive Post , combining the offices of head of state and head of government which he held since 1962. President Sir Dawda Jawara was re-elected five times. An attempted coup on 29 July 1981 followed a weakening of the economy and allegations of corruption against leading politicians. The coup attempt occurred while President Jawara
436-711: A West African ethnoreligious group . They are the third-largest ethnic group in Senegal, making up 15% of the Senegalese population. They are also found in northern Gambia and southern Mauritania . The Serer people originated in the Senegal River valley, at the border of present-day Senegal and Mauritania, and moved south in the 11th and 12th century. They migrated again in the 15th and 16th centuries as their villages were invaded and they were subjected to religious pressures from Islamic forces. They have had
545-461: A 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.56/10, ranking it 120th globally out of 172 countries. The Gambia has a tropical savannah climate . A short rainy season normally lasts from June until September, but from then until May, lower temperatures predominate, with less precipitation . The climate in The Gambia closely resembles that of neighboring Senegal, of Mali , and of
654-481: A Serer kingdom, his body was dragged out of the country and left for the vultures to feast on if there is no family or friend to claim the body and bury it elsewhere. They were also never accompanied by grave goods . No matter how long a Mauritanian Moor has lived in the area as a migrant, he could never achieve high status within the Serer aristocracy. The best position he could ever wish for within Serer high society
763-715: A coalition of opposition parties. According to the 2023 V-Dem Democracy Indices The Gambia is ranked 68th of 179 nations worldwide and the 11th of 56 in Africa . During the Jawara era, there were initially four political parties, the PPP, the United Party (UP), the Democratic Party (DP), and I.M. Garba-Jahumpa 's Muslim Congress Party (MCP). The 1960 constitution had established a House of Representatives , and in
872-703: A coalition with the Democratic Congress Alliance (DCA; a merger of the DP and MCP). They invited the UP to the coalition in 1963, but it left in 1965. The UP was seen as the main opposition party, but it lost power from 1965 to 1970. In 1975, the National Convention Party (NCP) was formed by Sheriff Mustapha Dibba , and became the new main opposition party to the PPP's dominance. Both the PPP and NCP were ideologically similar, so in
981-482: A dusk-to-dawn curfew on the populace. A transition back to democracy occurred in 1996, and a new constitution was written, though the process was manipulated to benefit Jammeh. In a 1996 referendum, 70% of voters approved the constitution, and in December 1996, Jammeh was elected as president. All but PDOIS of the pre-coup parties were banned, and former ministers were barred from public office. During Jammeh's rule,
1090-495: A full cycle of presidential , legislative , and local elections, which foreign observers deemed free, fair, and transparent. President Yahya Jammeh, who was elected to continue in the position he had assumed during the coup, took the oath of office again on 21 December 2001. Jammeh's Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) maintained its strong majority in the National Assembly, particularly after
1199-574: A military intervention and achieved Jammeh's removal two days after his term was initially scheduled to end. The Gambia's economy is dominated by farming, fishing, and especially tourism. In 2022, 17.2% of the population lived in extreme poverty , defined as living on less than US$ 2.15 (2017 PPP ) per day. The Gambia is a founding member of the ECOWAS. It rejoined the Commonwealth of Nations in 2018 after previously withdrawing in 2013. English
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#17328022537671308-401: A party to any institution that represents an extension of colonialism". On 11 December 2015, President Jammeh (without any legal authority) unilaterally declared The Gambia an Islamic Republic , calling it a break from the country's colonial past, although the constitution remains secular constitution. The months leading up to the 2016 presidential election were tense. The youth leader of
1417-554: A referendum on a revised Constitution, the elections for President and the National Assembly by early January 1997. In 1997 the Independent Electoral Commission - IEC- The Gambia was established to replace the PIEC, responsible for the registration of voters and for the conduct of elections and referendums. The IEC organized the next 5-year elections for late 2001 and early 2002, and The Gambia completed
1526-402: A republic in 1970, the long-form name of the country became Republic of The Gambia . The administration of Yahya Jammeh changed the long-form name to Islamic Republic of The Gambia in December 2015. On 29 January 2017 newly elected President Adama Barrow changed the name back to Republic of The Gambia . The Gambia is one of a small number of countries for which the definite article
1635-477: A sedentary settled culture and have been known for their farming expertise and transhumant stock-raising. The Serer people have been historically noted as an ethnic group practicing elements of both matrilineality and patrilineality that long resisted the expansion of Islam. They fought against jihads in the 19th century, and subsequently opposed the French colonial rule. In the 20th century, most of
1744-464: A standard couscous . The Serer traditional attire is called Serr . It is normally woven by Serer men and believed to bring good luck among those who wear it. Marriages are usually arranged. In the event of the death of an elder, the sacred "Gamba" (a big calabash with a small hollow-out) is beaten followed by the usual funeral regalia to send them off to the next life. Senegalese wrestling called "Laamb" or Njom in Serer originated from
1853-725: A tiny enclave at Albreda on the river's north bank. This was finally ceded to the United Kingdom in 1856. As many as three million people may have been taken as slaves from this general region during the three centuries that the transatlantic slave trade operated. It is not known how many people were taken as slaves by intertribal wars before the transatlantic slave trade began. Most of those taken were sold by other Africans to Europeans: some were prisoners of intertribal wars; some were victims sold because of unpaid debts, and many others were simply victims of kidnapping. Traders initially sent people to Europe to work as servants until
1962-414: A title of honour. According to some, the history of this position goes back to an early Moor in Serer country who had a child by his own daughter. Serers and Toucouleurs are linked by a bond of "cousinage". This is a tradition common to many ethnic groups of West Africa known as Maasir (var : Massir ) in Serer language ( Joking relationship ) or kal , which comes from kalir (a deformation of
2071-644: A women's rights activist was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in combating female genital mutilation . On 4 December 2021, Adama Barrow won re-election in the presidential election . On 20 December 2022, a supposed coup attempt by the Gambian army was foiled , with four soldiers arrested. The Gambian Armed Forces have denied that any attempt at a coup was made. Barrow's use of foreign troops for his security and for protection of some infrastructure has hurt his popularity. The Gambia
2180-462: Is a favourite pastime for Senegalese and Gambians alike. "The Serer people are known especially for their rich knowledge of vocal and rhythmic practices that infuse their everyday language with complex overlapping cadences and their ritual with intense collaborative layerings of voice and rhythm." Ali Colleen Neff The Sabar (drum) tradition associated with the Wolof people originated from
2289-406: Is a matter of conjecture. Although matrilineality ( tim in Serer ) is very important in Serer culture, the Serer follow a bilineal system. Both matrilineality and patrilineality are important in Serer custom. Inheritance depends on the nature of the asset being inherited. That is, whether the asset is a maternal ( ƭeen yaay ) or paternal ( kucarla ) asset. The hierarchical highest status among
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#17328022537672398-407: Is a very small and narrow country whose borders mirror the meandering Gambia River . It lies between latitudes 13 and 14°N , and longitudes 13 and 17°W . The Gambia is less than 50 kilometres (31 miles) wide at its widest point, with a total area of 11,295 km (4,361 sq mi ). About 1,300 square kilometres (500 square miles) (11.5%) of The Gambia's area are covered by water. It
2507-587: Is also a recent phenomenon among some Serers. For the Serer, the soil (where their ancestors lay in rest) is very important to them and they guard it with jealousy. They have a legal framework governing every aspect of life, even land law , with strict guidelines. Apart from agriculture (and other forms of production or occupation such as animal husbandry, fishing especially among the Serer-Niominka , boat building, etc.), some occupations , especially trade, they viewed as vulgar, common and ignoble. Hence in
2616-429: Is called Chere (or saay) in the Serer language (pounded coos). They control all the phases of this dish from production to preparation. Other ethnic groups (or Serers), tend to buy it from Serer women market traders or contract it out to them especially if they are holding major ceremonial events. Chere is very versatile and can be eaten with fermented milk or cream and sugar as a breakfast cereal or prepared just as
2725-471: Is called a ƭat Roog ('the way of the Divine'). It believes in a universal Supreme Deity called Roog (var : Rog ). The Cangin-language speakers refer to the supreme being as Koox . Serer religious beliefs encompasses ancient chants and poems; veneration and offerings to Serer gods, goddesses, and the pangool ( ancestral spirits and saints ); astronomy ; rites of passage ; medicine ; cosmology ; and
2834-551: Is commonly used in its English-language name and where the name is neither plural nor descriptive (e.g., "the Philippines " or "the United Kingdom "). The article is also officially used by the country's government and by international bodies. The article was originally used because the region was named after "The Gambia [River]". In 1964, shortly prior to the country's independence, Prime Minister Dawda Jawara wrote to
2943-408: Is just a sample of the power of the bur kevel who was also a member of the griot caste. The slave castes continue to be despised, they do not own land and work as tenant farmers, marriage across caste lines is forbidden and lying about one's caste prior to marriage has been a ground for divorce. The land has been owned by the upper social strata, with the better plots near the villages belonging to
3052-457: Is part of the national curriculum of Senegal. Historically the Serer people's unwillingness to trade directly during the colonial era was a double edged sword to the Serer language as well as the Cangin languages . That resulted in the Wolof language being the dominant language in the market place as well as the factories. However, the Serer language, among other local languages, is now part of
3161-459: Is that the Serer people have retained a matrilineal inheritance system. According to historian Martin A. Klein the caste systems among the Serer emerged as a consequence of the Mandinka people's Sine-Saloum guelowar conquest, and when the Serer people sought to adapt and participate in the new Senegambian state system. The previously held view that the Serer only follow a matrilineal structure
3270-594: Is the progenitor of Mbalax music. Mbalax music originated when prominent Senegalese artists, such Youssou N'Dour , began to incorporate Njuup into their works Unlike Njuup, which is religious, Mbalax is party music. All Mbalax artists are strongly influenced by the Njuup tradition. Senegalese artists who specialize in Mbalax include Mbaye Dieye Faye , Youssou N'Dour , and Thione Seck . Serer people The Serer people ( Serer proper : Seereer or Sereer ) are
3379-516: Is the country's sole official language; it became widely used during British rule. The name "Gambia" is derived from the Mandinka term Kambra / Kambaa , meaning the Gambia River . (It may be derived from the sacred Serer Gamba , a special type of calabash beaten when a Serer elder dies). Upon independence in 1965, the country used the name The Gambia . Following the proclamation of
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3488-523: Is the smallest country on the African mainland. In comparative terms, The Gambia has a total area slightly more than that of the island of Jamaica . Senegal surrounds The Gambia on three sides, with 80 km (50 mi) of coastline on the Atlantic Ocean marking its western extremity. The present boundaries were defined in 1889 after an agreement between the United Kingdom and France. During
3597-469: The 1960 election no party won a majority of seats. However, in 1961, the British Governor chose UP leader Pierre Sarr N'Jie to serve as the country's first head of government, in the form of a Chief Minister. This was an unpopular decision, and the 1962 election was notable as parties were able to appeal to ethnic and religious differences across The Gambia. The PPP won a majority, and formed
3706-625: The Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) deposed the Jawara government and banned opposition political activity. Lieutenant Yahya Jammeh , chairman of the AFPRC, became head of state. Jammeh was just 29 years old at the time of the coup. The AFPRC announced a transition plan to return to a democratic civilian government. The Provisional Independent Electoral Commission (PIEC) was established in December 1995 to conduct national elections and it supervised
3815-659: The British Empire and the French Empire struggled continually for political and commercial supremacy in the regions of the Senegal River and the Gambia River. The British Empire occupied The Gambia when an expedition led by Augustus Keppel landed there following the capture of Senegal in 1758. The 1783 Treaty of Versailles gave Great Britain possession of the Gambia River, but the French retained
3924-473: The Gambia River , which flows through the centre of the country and empties into the Atlantic. The national namesake river demarcates the elongated shape of the country, which has an area of 11,300 square kilometres (4,400 sq mi) and a population of 2,769,075 people in 2024 which is a 2.30% population increase from 2013. The capital city is Banjul , which has the most extensive metropolitan area in
4033-490: The Governor-General . Shortly thereafter, the national government held a referendum proposing that the country become a republic . This referendum failed to receive the two-thirds majority required to amend the constitution, but the results won widespread attention abroad as testimony to The Gambia's observance of secret balloting, honest elections, civil rights, and liberties. On 24 April 1970, The Gambia became
4142-424: The Mandinka cleric Ma Ba Jaxoo. The inter-ethnic wars involving the Serer continued till 1887, when the French colonial forces conquered Senegal. Thereafter, the conversion of the Serer people accelerated. By the early 1910s, about 40% of the Serer people had adopted Islam, and by the 1990s about 85% of them were Muslims. Most of the newly converted Serer people have joined Sufi Muslim Brotherhoods, particularly
4251-501: The Mouride and Tijaniyyah Tariqas. The Serer practice trade, agriculture, fishing, boat building and animal husbandry. Traditionally the Serer people have been farmers and landowners. Although they practice animal husbandry , they are generally less known for that, as in the past, Serer nobles entrusted their herds to the pastoralist Fula, a practice that continues today. However, they are known for their mixed-farming. Trade
4360-499: The Permanent Committee on Geographical Names for British Official Use requesting that the name The Gambia retain the definite article, in part to reduce confusion with Zambia which had also recently become independent. The Gambia is also one of only two countries whose official name feature the article "the", with the other being The Bahamas . Arab traders provided the first written accounts of The Gambia area in
4469-552: The Serer-Laalaa (sometimes known as "Laa", "La" or "Lâ" or just "Serer"). Each group speaks Serer or a Cangin language . "Serer" is the standard English spelling. "Seereer" or "Sereer" reflects the Serer pronunciation of the name and are spellings used mostly by Senegalese Serer historians or scholars. The meaning of the word "Serer" is uncertain. Issa Laye Thiaw views it as possibly pre-Islamic and suggests four possible derivations: Professor Cheikh Anta Diop , citing
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4578-694: The Toucouleur people in the Senegal River valley area. Serer people resisted Islamization and later Wolofization from possibly the 11th century during the Almoravid movement. They migrated south where they intermixed with the Diola people . After the Ghana Empire was sacked as certain kingdoms gained their independence, Abu-Bakr Ibn-Umar , leader of the Almoravids , launched a jihad into
4687-500: The US Army Air Forces and a port of call for Allied naval convoys. After World War II, the pace of constitutional reform increased. Following general elections in 1962, the United Kingdom granted full internal self-governance in the following year. The Gambia achieved independence on 18 February 1965, as a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth , with Elizabeth II as Queen of The Gambia , represented by
4796-610: The Wolof kingdoms , such as Jolof , Waalo , Cayor and Baol. The Kingdom of Baol was originally an old Serer Kingdom ruled by the Serer paternal dynasties, such as Joof family , the Njie family, etc. and the Wagadou maternal dynasty prior to the Battle of Danki in 1549. The Faal (var: Fall) paternal dynasty of Cayor and Baol that ruled after 1549 following the Battle of Danki were originally Black Moors ( Naari Kajoor ). Prior to
4905-531: The history of the Serer people . In contemporary times, about 85% of the Serers are Muslim, while others are Christian. Some Serer still follow Serer spiritual beliefs. According to James Olson , professor of History specializing in Ethnic Group studies, the Serer people "violently resisted the expansion of Islam" by the Wolof people in the 19th century. They were a target of the 1861 jihad led by
5014-426: The oral tradition through songs and music. Of these, all castes had a taboo in marrying a griot, and they could not be buried like others. Below the artisan castes in social status have been the slaves, who were either bought at slave markets, seized as captives, or born to a slave parent. The view that the jambur (or jambuur ) caste were among the lower echelons of society is a matter of debate. The jaraff , who
5123-527: The 11th or 12th century, the rulers of kingdoms such as Takrur (a monarchy centred on the Senegal River just to the north), ancient Ghana and Gao had converted to Islam. They had appointed to their courts Muslims who were literate in the Arabic language . At the beginning of the 14th century, most of what is today called The Gambia was part of the Mali Empire . The Portuguese reached this area by sea in
5232-419: The 1980s a new opposition party emerged, in the form of the radical socialist People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS). However, between the 1966 and 1992 elections, the PPP was "overwhelmingly dominant", winning between 55% and 70% of the vote in each election and a large majority of seats continually. In principle, competitive politics existed during the Jawara era, however, it
5341-442: The 2016 election before declaring the results void and calling for a new vote, sparking a constitutional crisis and leading to an invasion by an ECOWAS coalition. On 20 January 2017, Jammeh announced that he had agreed to step down and would leave the country. In January 2017, President Barrow removed the "Islamic" title from The Gambia's name. On 14 February 2017, The Gambia began the process of returning to its membership of
5450-459: The Commonwealth and formally presented its application to re-join to Secretary-General Patricia Scotland on 22 January 2018. Boris Johnson , who became the first British foreign secretary to visit The Gambia since the country gained independence in 1965, announced that the British government welcomed The Gambia's return to the Commonwealth. The Gambia officially rejoined the Commonwealth on 8 February 2018. On 28 February 2018, Jaha Dukureh ,
5559-634: The Faal dynasty of Cayor and Baol , these two kingdoms were ruled by the Serer people with the patrilineages "Joof" or Diouf , Faye and Njie, and the maternal lineage of Wagadou – members of the royal families from the Ghana Empire (proper "Wagadou Empire") who married into the Serer aristocracy. All the kings that ruled Serer Kingdoms had Serer surnames, with the exception of the Mboge and Faal paternal dynasties whose reigns are very recent. They did not provide many kings. The Serer traditional religion
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#17328022537675668-456: The Gambia River, including Fort Jakob, and St. Mary Island (modern day Banjul) and Fort Jillifree – came under the rule of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia , a vassal state of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in what is now Latvia , having been bought by Prince Jacob Kettler . The colonies were formally ceded to England in 1664. During the late 17th century and throughout the 18th century,
5777-582: The Gambia sentenced main opposition leader and human rights advocate Ousainou Darboe to 3 years in prison in July 2016, disqualifying him from running in the presidential election. This gave Adama Barrow to contest under the UDP ticket. Following the 1 December 2016 elections, the elections commission declared Adama Barrow the winner. Jammeh, who had ruled for 22 years, first announced he would step down after losing
5886-666: The Gambian "Kombo". The Serer (also known as "Seex" or "Sine-Sine") occupy the Sine and Saloum areas (now part of modern-day independent Senegal). The Serer people include the Seex (Serer or Serer-Sine ), Serer-Noon (sometimes spelt "Serer-None", "Serer-Non" or just Noon ), Serer-Ndut (also spelt "N’doute"), Serer-Njeghene (sometimes spelt "Serer-Dyegueme" or "Serer-Gyegem" or "Serer-N'Diéghem"), Serer-Safene , Serer-Niominka , Serer-Palor (also known as "Falor", "Palar", "Siili", "Siili-Mantine", "Siili-Siili", "Waro" or just "Serer"), and
5995-578: The Sahara." Over generations these people, possibly Pulaar -speaking herders originally, migrated through Wolof areas and entered the Siin and Saluum river valleys. This lengthy period of Wolof-Serer contact has clouded the origins of shared "terminology, institutions, political structures, and practices." If one is to believe the economist and demographer Étienne Van de Walle who gave a slightly later date for their ethnogenesis, writing that "The formation of
6104-575: The Sereer ethnicity goes back to the thirteenth century, when a group came from the Senegal River valley in the north fleeing Islam, and near Niakhar met another group of Mandinka origin, called the Gelwar, who came from the southeast (Gravrand 1983). The actual Sereer ethnic group is a mixture of the two groups, and this may explain their complex bilinear kinship system". Their own oral traditions recite legends that relate their being part of, or related to
6213-626: The Serer Kingdom of Sine and spread to the Kingdom of Saloum . The Wolof people who migrated to Serer Saloum picked it up from there and spread it to Wolof Kingdoms. Each motif has a purpose and is used for different occasions. Individual motifs represent the history and genealogy of a particular family and are used during weddings, naming ceremonies, funerals etc. The Njuup (progenitor of Mbalax ) and Tassu traditions (also Tassou ) ( progenitor of rap music ) both originated from
6322-473: The Serer Kingdom of Sine . It was a preparatory exercise for war among the warrior classes. That style of wrestling (a brutal and violent form) is totally different from the sport wrestling enjoyed by all Senegambian ethnic groups today, nevertheless, the ancient rituals are still visible in the sport version. Among the Serers, wrestling is classified into different techniques and each technique takes several years to master. Children start young trying to master
6431-530: The Serer Kingdoms of Sine and Saloum were incorporated into independent Senegal, which had gained its independence from France in 1960. The Serer kingdoms of Sine and Saloum are two of the few pre-colonial African kingdoms whose royal dynasty survived up to the 20th century. Serer kingdoms included the Kingdom of Sine and the Kingdom of Saloum. In addition to these twin Serer kingdoms, the Serer ruled in
6540-408: The Serer converted to Islam ( Sufism ), but some are Christians or follow their traditional religion . The Serer society, like other ethnic groups in Senegal, has had social stratification featuring endogamous castes and slaves. Other historians, such as Thiaw, Richard and others, believe that the Serer did not maintain a slave culture, or at least not to the same extent as other ethnic groups in
6649-533: The Serer people has been those of hereditary nobles and their relatives, which meant blood links to the Mandinka conquerors. Below the nobles, came tyeddo , or the warriors and chiefs who had helped the Mandinka rulers and paid tribute. The third status, and the largest strata came to be the jambur , or free peasants who lacked the power of the nobles. Below the jambur were the artisan castes, who inherited their occupation. These castes included blacksmiths, weavers, jewelers, leatherworkers, carpenters, griots who kept
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#17328022537676758-606: The Serer people. The Tassu was used when chanting ancient religious verses. The people would sing then interweave it with a Tassu. The late Serer Diva Yandé Codou Sène who was the griot of the late and former president of Senegal ( Leopold Sedar Senghor ) was proficient in the "Tassu". She was the best Tassukat (one who Tassu) of her generation. Originally religious in nature, the griots of Senegambia regardless of ethnic group or religion picked it up from Serer religious practices and still use it in different occasions e.g. marriages, naming ceremonies or when they are just singing
6867-461: The Serer word kucarla meaning paternal lineage or paternal inheritance). This joking relationship enables one group to criticise another, but also obliges the other with mutual aid and respect. The Serers call this Maasir or Kalir . This is because the Serers and the Toucouleurs are related – according to Wiliam J. foltz "Tukulor are a mixture of Fulani and Serer" The Serers also maintain
6976-520: The Serer word "Kalir" a deformation of "kurcala" which means paternal lineage or inheritance and is used exactly in that context by many Senegambians. The word gamo derives from the old Serer word gamohu – an ancient divination ceremony. Most people who identify themselves as Serer speak the Serer language . This is spoken in Sine-Saloum , Kaolack , Diourbel , Dakar , and in Gambia , and
7085-734: The Serer-Palor occupy the west central, west southwest of Thiès and the Serer-Laalaa occupy west central, north of Thiès and the Tambacounda area. The Serer people are diverse. Although they lived throughout the Senegambia region, they are more numerous in places such as old Baol , Sine , Saloum and in The Gambia , which was a colony of the Kingdom of Saloum. There they occupy parts of old "Nuimi" and "Baddibu" as well as
7194-469: The Serers who were the victims of Islamic jihads and enslavements did not participate much in slavery and when they do, it was merely in revenge. This view is supported by scholars such as François G. Richard who posits that: The Serer ethnic group is rather diverse, and as Martin A. Klein notes, the institution of slavery did not exist among the Serer-Noon and N'Dieghem. The Serer's favourite food
7303-558: The Sine-Salum, their present habitat." Other historians such as R. G. Schuh have refuted Diop's thesis. Professor Dennis Galvan writes that "The oral historical record, written accounts by early Arab and European explorers, and physical anthropological evidence suggest that the various Serer peoples migrated south from the Fuuta Tooro region (Senegal River valley) beginning around the eleventh century when Islam first came across
7412-515: The basics before moving on to the more advance techniques like the "mbapatte" , which is one of the oldest techniques and totally different from modern wrestling. Yékini (real name: "Yakhya Diop"), who is a professional wrestler in Senegal is one of the top wrestlers proficient in the "mbapatte" technique. Lamba and sabar ( musical instruments ) are used as music accompaniments in wrestling matches as well as in circumcision dances and royal festivals. Serer wrestling crosses ethnic boundaries and
7521-464: The challenges facing Barrow as needing to restore "citizen's trust and confidence in the public sector". They describe a "fragile peace" with tensions in rural areas between farmers and the larger communities. They also reported on tensions between ethnic groups developing. An example is that in February 2017, 51 supporters of Jammeh were arrested for harassing supporters of Barrow. Although his election
7630-410: The colonial era probably due to anti-Serer sentiments ) has now been discarded as there is nothing in the Serer oral tradition that speaks of a military conquest, but a union based on marriage. A marriage between the noble Guelowar maternal clan and the noble Serer patriclans . This view is supported by Senegalese historians and writers such as Alioune Sarr , Biram Ngom and Babacar Sédikh Diouf . With
7739-435: The colonial era, especially among the Serer nobles, they would hire others to do the trading on their behalf (e.g. Moors) acting as their middlemen. The Serer people have traditionally been a socially stratified society, like many West African ethnic groups with castes . The mainstream view has been that the Mandinka (or Malinka) Guelowars of Kaabu conquered and subjugated the Serer people. That view (propelled during
7848-495: The country. The second and third-largest cities are Serekunda and Brikama . Arab Muslim merchants traded with native West Africans in The Gambia throughout the 9th and 10th centuries. In 1455, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to enter The Gambia, although they never established significant trade there. The British Empire established a colony in 1765. In 1965, 200 years later, The Gambia gained independence under
7957-596: The dividing line between dialects and different languages. The Gambia The Gambia , officially the Republic of The Gambia , is a country in West Africa . Geographically, The Gambia is the smallest country in continental Africa; it is surrounded by Senegal on all sides except for the western part, which is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean . Its territory is on both sides of the lower reaches of
8066-569: The exception of Maysa Wali , this would explain why none of the kings of Sine and Saloum (two of the Serer precolonial kingdoms) bore Mandinka surnames, but Serer surname throughout the 600 years reign of the Guelwar maternal dynasty. The Serer noble patriclans simply married Guelowar women, and their offsprings bearing Serer surnames reigned in Sine and Saloum. The Guelowars also viewed themselves as Serer and assimilated in Serer culture. The alliance
8175-425: The king to the battlefield and recount the glory or bravery of his ancestors in battle. They retain and pass down the genealogy and family history of the king. The bur Kevel could make or break a king, and destroy the entire royal dynasty if they so wish. The abdication of Fakha Boya Fall from the throne of Saloum was led and driven by his own bur kevel. After being forced to abdicate, he was chased out of Saloum. During
8284-471: The leadership of Dawda Jawara . Yahya Jammeh seized power in a bloodless 1994 coup . Adama Barrow was elected as The Gambia's third president in the December 2016, he defeated Yahya Jammeh with the help of a coalition of other opposition political parties. Jammeh initially accepted the results, but then refused to leave office claiming he was cheated, triggering a constitutional crisis . The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) conducted
8393-514: The main opposition UDP , Solo Sandeng, died in detention at the notorious National Intelligence Agency . Ousainou Darboe , the leader of the UDP, and many senior members of his party were sent to jail for demanding the release of Solo Sandeng dead or alive. President Jammeh faced opposition leaders Adama Barrow from the Independent Coalition of parties and Mamma Kandeh from The Gambia Democratic Congress party. The high court of
8502-404: The main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) boycotted the legislative elections. On 2 October 2013, The Gambian Interior Minister announced that The Gambia would leave the Commonwealth with immediate effect, ending 48 years of membership of the organisation. The Gambian government said it had "decided that The Gambia will never be a member of any Neo-Colonial institution and will never be
8611-636: The market for labour expanded in the West Indies and North America in the 18th century. In 1807, the United Kingdom abolished the slave trade throughout its empire. It also tried, unsuccessfully, to end the slave trade in The Gambia. Slave ships intercepted by the Royal Navy 's West Africa Squadron in the Atlantic were also returned to The Gambia, with people who had been slaves released on MacCarthy Island far up The Gambia River where they were expected to establish new lives. The British established
8720-540: The mid-15th century and began to dominate overseas trade. In 1588, the claimant to the Portuguese throne , António, Prior of Crato , sold exclusive trade rights on the Gambia River to English merchants. Letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I confirmed the grant. In 1618, King James I of England granted a charter to an English company for trade with The Gambia and the Gold Coast (now Ghana ). Between 1651 and 1661, some parts of The Gambia – St. Andrew's Island in
8829-601: The military post of Bathurst (now Banjul ) in 1816. In the ensuing years, Bathurst (now Banjul ) was at times under the jurisdiction of the British Governor-General in Sierra Leone . In 1888, The Gambia became a separate colony. An agreement between Britain and France in 1889 established the boundaries of the colony. In 1891, a joint Anglo-French Boundary Commission faced resistance from local leaders whose lands would be divided. The Gambia became
8938-480: The murder of journalist Deyda Hydara in 2004, a student massacre at a protest in 2000, public threats to kill human rights defenders in 2009, and public threats towards homosexuals in 2013. Furthermore, Jammeh made threats to the religious freedom of non-Muslims, used 'mercenary judges' to weaken the judiciary, and faced numerous accusations of election rigging. In the December 2016 presidential election , Jammeh
9047-458: The national curriculum of Senegal. About 200,000 Serer speak various Cangin languages , such as Ndut and Saafi , which are not closely related to Serer proper ( Serer-Sine language ). There are clear lexical similarities among the Cangin languages. However, they are more closely related to other languages than to Serer, and vice versa. For comparison in the table below, 85% is approximately
9156-434: The ndut (nest) were required to create religious tunes during their rite of passage to take their minds off the transitional experience, build their aesthetic skills, and enhance their spirituality. The veneration of Serer Pangool influenced the songs of the Ndut , including Njuup. Modern Senegambian artists who sing the purest form of Njuup in the Serer language include Rémi Jegaan Dioh and Yandé Codou Sène . Njuup
9265-667: The negotiations between the French and the British in Paris, the French initially gave the British around 320 kilometres (200 mi) of The Gambia River to control. Starting with the placement of boundary markers in 1891, it took nearly 15 years after the Paris meetings to determine the final borders of The Gambia. The resulting series of straight lines and arcs gave the British control of areas about 16 kilometres (10 mi) north and south of The Gambia River. The Gambia contains three terrestrial ecoregions: Guinean forest-savanna mosaic , West Sudanian savanna , and Guinean mangroves . It had
9374-422: The ninth and tenth centuries. During the tenth century, Muslim merchants and scholars established communities in several West African commercial centres. Both groups established trans-Saharan trade routes. They carried out a large export trade of local people taken captive in raids and sold as slaves . Gold and ivory were also exported, and the trade routes were used to import manufactured goods to these areas. By
9483-408: The nobles. The social status of the slave has been inherited by birth. Serer religion and culture forbids slavery. "To enslave another human being is regarded as an enslavement of their soul thereby preventing the very soul of the slave owner or trader from entering Jaaniiw – the sacred place where good souls go after their physical body has departed the world of the living. In accordance with
9592-399: The northern part of Guinea . The Gambia gained independence from the United Kingdom on 18 February 1965. From 1965 to 1994, the country was ostensibly a multi-party liberal democracy . It was ruled by Sir Dawda Jawara and his People's Progressive Party (PPP). However, the country never experienced political turnover during this period and its commitment to succession by the ballot box
9701-610: The opposition was again fragmented. An example was the infighting between members of the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD) that was formed in 2005. Jammeh used the police forces to harass opposition members and parties. Jammeh was also accused of human rights abuses, especially towards human rights activists, civil society organisations, political opponents, and the media. Their fates included being sent into exile, harassment, arbitrary imprisonment, murder, and forced disappearance . Particular examples include
9810-406: The praises of their patrons. Most Senegalese and Gambian artists use it in their songs even the younger generation like " Baay Bia ". The Senegalese music legend Youssou N'Dour , uses "Tassu" in many of his songs. In the pre-colonial era, Moors from Mauritania who came to settle in the Serer kingdoms such as the Kingdom of Sine , etc., were ill-treated by their Serer masters. If a Moor dies in
9919-558: The preparation of the electoral register . A 1991 court challenge by the PDOIS against irregularities on the electoral register in Banjul was dismissed on a technicality. In July 1994, a bloodless military coup d'état brought an end to the Jawara era. The Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC), led by Yahya Jammeh , ruled dictatorially for two years. The council suspended the constitution, banned all political parties, and imposed
10028-415: The rebel force. Between 500 and 800 people were killed during the coup and the ensuing violence. In 1982, in the aftermath of the 1981 attempted coup, Senegal and The Gambia signed a treaty of confederation. The Senegambia Confederation aimed to combine the armed forces of the two states and to unify their economies and currencies. The Gambia permanently withdrew from the confederation in 1989. In 1994,
10137-442: The region. The Serer people are also referred to as: The Serer people are primarily found in contemporary Senegal , particularly in the west-central part of the country, running from the southern edge of Dakar to the border of The Gambia . The Serer-Noon occupy the ancient area of Thiès in modern-day Senegal. The Serer-Ndut are found in southern Cayor and north west of ancient Thiès. The Serer-Njeghen occupy old Baol ;
10246-497: The region. According to Serer oral history, a Serer bowman named Amar Godomat shot and killed Abu-Bakr Ibn-Umar with an arrow. They also violently resisted the 19th-century jihads and Marabout movement to convert Senegambia to Islam. The last kings of Sine and Saloum were Maad a Sinig Mahecor Joof (also spelled: Mahecor Diouf) and Maad Saloum Fode N'Gouye Joof (also spelled: Fodé N’Gouye Diouf or Fode Ngui Joof), respectively. They both died in 1969. After their deaths,
10355-469: The reign of Sanou Mon Faye – king of Sine, one of the key notables who plotted to dethrone the king was the king's own bur kevel. After influencing the king's own estranged nephew Prince Semou Mak Joof to take up arms against his uncle, the Prince who despised his uncle took up arms with the support of the bur kevel and other notables. The Prince was victorious and was crowned Maad a Sinig (King of Sine). That
10464-486: The same bond with the Jola people with whom they have an ancient relationship. In the Serer ethnic group, this same bond exists between the Serer patronym, for example between Joof and Faye . Many Senegambian people also refer to this joking relations as "kal" (used between first cousins for example between the children of a paternal aunt and a maternal uncle) and "gamo" (used between tribes ). "Kal" derives from
10573-461: The teachings of Seereer religion, bad souls will not enter Jaaniiw. Their departed souls will not be guided by the ancestors to this sacred abode, but will be rejected thereby making them lost and wandering souls. In order to be reincarnated (( ciiɗ , in Seereer) or sanctified as a Pangool in order to intercede with the Divine [ Roog ], a person's soul must first enter this sacred place." As such,
10682-402: The work of 19th-century French archeologist and Egyptologist, Paul Pierret, states that the word Serer means "he who traces the temple." Diop continued: "That would be consistent with their present religious position: they are one of the rare Senegalese populations who still reject Islam. Their route is marked by the upright stones found at about the same latitude from Ethiopia all the way to
10791-593: Was an alliance based on marriage. In other regions where Serer people are found, state JD Fage, Richard Gray and Roland Oliver, the Wolof and Toucouleur peoples introduced the caste system among the Serer people. The social stratification historically evidenced among the Serer people has been, except for one difference, very similar to those found among Wolof, Fulbe, Toucouleur and Mandinka peoples found in Senegambia . They all have had strata of free nobles and peasants, artisan castes, and slaves. The difference
10900-728: Was attending the Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in London and was carried out by the rogues group of leftist calling themself National Revolutionary Council, composed of Kukoi Samba Sanyang 's Socialist and Revolutionary Labour Party (SRLP) and elements of the Field Force, a paramilitary force which constituted the bulk of the country's armed forces. President Jawara requested military aid from Senegal , which deployed 400 troops to The Gambia on 31 July. By 6 August, some 2,700 Senegalese troops had been deployed, defeating
11009-460: Was beaten by Adama Barrow , who was backed by a coalition of opposition parties . Jammeh's initial agreement to step down followed by a change of mind induced a constitutional crisis that culminated in a military intervention by ECOWAS forces in January 2017. Barrow pledged to serve at the head of a three-year transitional government. The Nigerian Centre for Democracy and Development describe
11118-598: Was firmly established. In 1919, an inter-racial relationship between Travelling Commissioner J. K. McCallum and Wolof woman Fatou Khan scandalized the administration. During World War II, some soldiers fought with the Allies of World War II . Though these soldiers fought mostly in Burma , some died closer to home and a Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery is in Fajara (close to Banjul). Banjul contained an airstrip for
11227-505: Was initially met with enthusiasm, the Centre notes that this has been dampened by Barrow's initial constitutional faux pas with his vice president, the challenge of inclusion, and high expectations post-Jammeh. On 5 December 2021, Incumbent President Adama Barrow was declared the winner of The Gambia's presidential election by the electoral commission. The 4 December 2021 election, the first since former dictator Yahya Jammeh fled into exile,
11336-411: Was never tested. In 1994, a military coup propelled a commission of military officers to power, known as the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC). After two years of direct rule, a new constitution was written and in 1996, the leader of the AFPRC, Yahya Jammeh , was elected as president. He ruled in an authoritarian style until the 2016 election , which was won by Adama Barrow , backed by
11445-489: Was responsible for advising the king was also made up of jamburs as well as the bur kuvel/guewel (the chief griot of the king) who was extremely powerful and influential, and very rich in land and other assets. The buur kevel who also came from the griot caste were so powerful that they could influence a king's decision as to whether he goes to war or not. They told the king what to eat, and teach them how to eat, how to walk, to talk and to behave in society. They always accompany
11554-426: Was seen as crucial for the young democracy. The Gambia has had a number of constitutions in its history. The two most significant are the 1970 constitution, which established The Gambia as a presidential republic, and the 1996 constitution, which served as a basis for Jammeh's rule and was kept following Barrow's victory in 2016. Jammeh manipulated the 1996 constitutional reform process to benefit himself. No reference
11663-528: Was stated that there was in reality a "one-party monopoly of state power centred around the dominant personality of Sir Dawda Jawara". Civil society was limited post-independence, and opposition parties were weak and at the risk of being declared subversive. The opposition did not have equal access to resources, as the business class refused to finance them. The government had control over when they could make public announcements and press briefings, and there were also allegations of vote-buying and improprieties in
11772-487: Was the most important person after the king ( Maad a Sinig or Maad Saloum ) came from the jambur caste. The Jaraff was the equivalent of a prime minister. He was responsible for organising the coronation ceremony and for crowning the Serer kings. Where a king dies without nominating an heir ( buumi ), the Jaraff would step in and reign as regent until a suitable candidate can be found from the royal line. The noble council that
11881-625: Was to work as a Bissit (Bissik). Apart from spying for the Serer Kings, the Bissit's main job was to be a clown – for the sole entertainment of the Serer King, the Serer aristocracy and the common people. He was expected to dance in ceremonies before the king and liven up the king's mood and the king's subjects. This position was always given to the Moors. It was a humiliating job and not
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