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88-815: After the demise of the Serer paternal dynasties of Baol, the title was retained by the Wolof . The first Teignes of Baol were Serers which included members of the Joof dynasty, such as Boureh Joof (or Bouré Diouf in French speaking Senegal) and Guidiane Joof (probably "Jegan" Joof) during the Wagadou Era, and Maad Patar Kholleh Joof the conqueror (the King of Patar, also known as Xole Paataar). The Faal dynasty (or Fall in French),

176-711: 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

264-481: A "controlled osmosis" between Wolof and other ethnicities. In his view, Diouf regards Wolofization as a form of “uncontrolled” homogenization of Senegal by the Wolof. His fellow Serer intellectual Marcel Mahawa Diouf , along with Mandinaka intellectual Doudou Kamara , and Haalpulaar intellectuals Yoro Doro Diallo and Cheikh Hamidou Kane share Diouf's sentiments. The historian and author Marcel Mahawa Diouf offers

352-481: 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

440-656: A Serer, and two of his sons, Samba Laobe Latsouka Sira Jogop Faal ( French : Samba Laobé Lassouk) and Fakha Bouya Latsouka Sira Jogop Faal even succeeded as Kings of Saloum , one of the Serer Kingdom. Damel Makodu even used to refuse to speak in Wolof, and only spoke in Serer having grown up in Serer country. He used to use interpreters in Cayor to communicate. Lamassas Ma Choro Faal (or Lamassas Matioro Fall) and Damel-Teigne Makodu Kumba Jaring Faal saw themselves as Serer, and spoke Serer fluently. Lamassas Ma Choro couldn't speak

528-550: A more drastic solution for dealing with the "Wolofization problem". Since the Wolof are a mixture of the various ethnic groups of the Senegambia region , and that, even their language (the Wolof language ) is not actually the language of the Wolof in origin, but the original language of the Lebu people , Marcel Mahawa calls for an alliance between all non-Wolofs who have had historic alliances with each other. In effect, that would be

616-424: 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

704-507: A somewhat reversal of the mood of succession, with the emphasis being more on patrilineage than matrilineage, though, the kings sought wives from one of the noble matrilineages such as the Wagadou, Mouïoy , Jaafun, Darobe, etc. A patriarch of the Faal paternal dynasty of Baol and Cayor, Amary Ngoneh Sobel Faal belonged to the Wagadou matrilineage. His maternal grandmother Lingeer Sobel Joof, from

792-464: 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

880-414: 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

968-581: A word of Wolof and only communicated in Serer. Some of them are buried in Sine. Many of them are related to the Joof royal family of Sine, and were granted asylum in Sine during trouble times in their countries, most notably Teigne Chai Yassin Faal who was granted asylum in Sine by Maad a Sinig Kumba Ndoffene Famak Joof in 1857 after he was defeated and exiled by the French following the Battle of Pouri. Historically,

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1056-411: 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

1144-406: 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

1232-587: 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

1320-429: 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

1408-471: 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

1496-408: 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

1584-457: 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

1672-459: 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

1760-536: Is the lingua franca in Senegal, it should be the official language. The Wolofization phenomenon taking place in Senegal and encroaching on Gambian soil has been criticised by many Serer , Mandinka and Haalpulaar ( Fula and Toucouleur ) intellectuals. Serer historian and author Babacar Sedikh Diouf view Wolofization as destructive to the languages and cultures of the other Senegambian ethnic groups such as Serer, Jola , Mandinka, Fula, etc., and calls for

1848-679: The Joof family , originally of Baol, by singing the praises of Teigne Yoro Joof in her 1995 track Teñ Yooro Waal Adaam Fañiing Feno Juufeen , from the album Gainde - Voices From the Heart of Africa with Youssou Ndour . [12] On that track, she sang the Teign's bravery, deeds and glory, and referred to him as the "elephant of the Joof family." The term elephant denoting giant i.e., a warrior. She then went on to state that his name, glory and reputation proceeds him. From Paataar, to Ngooxeem, and Mbaqaan, his name can be heard. And after naming certain members of

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1936-788: The Kingdom of Saloum , have their own way of celebrating the Mbosseh, as they believe it to be the mythical protector of their town. The Wagadous have close ties to the Cengandum and Kagaw. A type of serpent called cocom in Serer, is one of the totems of the Cengandum. The totem of the Wagadous is the mbose tree ( gardenia ternifolia ) whose genesis is preserved in the Serer creation narrative and in Ndut classical teachings . For more on that, see Serer maternal clans and Serer creation myth . In

2024-479: 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

2112-501: 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

2200-757: The Senegambia region . Baol, one of the oldest precolonial kingdoms in the region, was historical ruled by the noble Wagadou maternal dynasty ("Tiim Bagadou/Bagadu" in Serer) who were of Soninke origin (offshoots of the Ghana Empire ) and the noble Serer lamanic families like the Joof family , the Ngom, etc. Soninke princesses of Wagadou matrilineage married Serer men from lamanic families, and many historians and authors like Yoro Boly Dyao , Lucie Colvin, Professor Cheikh Anta Diop , Professor Egbuna P. Modum, etc., have observed an overrepresentation of Serer surnames on

2288-485: The Serer ethnic group who have had a long history fighting against Islamization and Wolofization have been taking active steps in the past decades by setting up associations and other organisations in order to preserve their languages , culture and " ancient religious past ." Haalpulaar speakers, namely the Fula and Toucouleur have also been taking steps to preserve their language. Many people argue that since Wolof

2376-552: 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

2464-697: 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

2552-595: The University of Paris , Professor Jean Boulègue, who writes: Senegalese linquist, author, and professor of linguistic at the Cheikh Anta Diop University , Professor Souleymane Faye notes that, the Serer term "foɗeen", which means "milk from the mother's breast", contains the radical "ɗeen", an altered form of "teen" which means "the breast". This refers to the mother and the matrilineage. The male equivalent "fogoor", meaning "sperm" refers to

2640-557: 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

2728-531: 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

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2816-426: 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

2904-604: The 15th century, the Kingdom of Baol which was part of the Jolof Empire (a voluntary confederacy of states), joint forces with Cayor to regain its independence from the last Emperor of Jolof, Lele Fouly Fak Njie . Although the beginning of the Confederacy was voluntary, instigated by the King of Sine Maysa Wali in c. 1360 when he made Njajan Njie (Seereer proper: Njaajaan Njaay) Emperor, the ending of that Confederacy

2992-611: The Bassilâ, Thiédiar, Bouroup Gathié, Fara Kaba, Sakh Sakh N'Dol N'Dol, and Diêt. The last "true" Serer king of Baol was Teigne Niokhor Njie (or Teeñ Niokhor Ndiaye), son of Lingeer Sobel Joof (Amary Ngoneh's maternal grandmother). Like Lingeer Sobel Joof, a descendant of Maad Ndaah Njemeh Joof (King of Laah, Baol) via the Mangi Ndaah Joof branch, Teigne Niokhor Njie and his sister Lingeer Ngoneh Sobel Njie (Amary's mother) were also of Wagadou matrilineage. After his death, he

3080-466: The Battle of Danki, and that Dece Fu Njogu was of Serer ancestry by his father. He writes: Citing Professor Diop, Senegalese historian and author Papa Samba Diop holds a similar view. He posits that: "The earliest Wolof states around the fifteenth century were occupied by the Sereer." Professor Charles Becker and Victor Martin, [in] Tanor Latsoukabé Fall's paper "Recueil sur la vie des Damel" posits that,

3168-742: The Confederacy. The then Prince of Cayor Amary Ngoneh Sobel Faal, assisted by his cousin Prince Manguinak Joof (or Manginak Diouf, ancestrally from Baol), launched a rebellion against the Emperor in order to attain independence for their countries. That rebellion culminated in the Battle of Danki in which the Cayor–Baol alliance were victorious. Having gained independence for Cayor and Baol, Amary Ngoneh made his cousin Manguinak Jaraaf Baol (equivalent of Prime Minister of Baol),

3256-583: 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

3344-529: The Faal family were of Moorish origin. Regardless of their ethnic origins, post 1549 when they came into prominence, they became Wolofized and saw themselves as Wolofs, and not Serer nor Moor, and in fact, disenfranchised and persecuted many of the Serer communities of Cayor (the sister country of Baol), notably the Serer Cangin people , including reducing many of them to slavery during the reign of Lat Sukaabe Ngone Jaye Faal . These Serer communities viewed

3432-721: 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

3520-620: The Joof family, referred to the Teigne as "the darling of the Joof family" — and concluded the track by naming the 19th century King of Sine , Kumba Ndoffene fa Maak Joof , whom he nicknamed "Mbaye" — as per the anthem dedicated to him following his victory against the Muslim marabouts at the Battle of Fandane-Thiouthioune —which was precipitated by the surprised attack at Mbin o Ngor , known as Mbetaan Keur Ngor in Wolof. Maad Patar Kholleh Joof

3608-578: 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

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3696-522: 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

3784-572: 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

3872-473: 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

3960-475: 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

4048-408: 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

4136-533: 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

4224-606: 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

4312-461: 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

4400-520: 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

4488-734: 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

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4576-469: 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

4664-417: The Serers, Toucouleurs, Soninke people (Sarakolés), Sossés (Mandinka), Jola, and Lebou. The sole purpose of revisitng these ancient alliances (where one tribe calls for help and another answers, commonly known in Senegambia as gamo , from the old Serer term gamohou or gamahou ("to find the lost heart", itself an ancient Serer religious festival ) is to disconnect the Wolof thereby disinheriting them from

4752-558: 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

4840-543: The Teigne was chosen by a council of electors through a majority vote. These voters were themselves chosen by the "Baol-Baols" (natives of Baol). However, the voters must be descendants of the five great families of Baol, "probably from the original lamanal families" of Baol or "from the agents that the central power had installed in place of these former 'lamanes.'” Other territorial commands and chiefdoms in Baol included Maad /Bour Lakh, Nianing, MBadane, Pout, Diak, Sawe, and

4928-515: 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

5016-410: 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

5104-435: 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

5192-533: The colonial era. Not all members of the Faal family viewed themselves as Wolof or oppressed the Serers. Some Damel-Teignes from the Faal patrilineage saw themselves as Serer especially those with Serer mothers or grandparents. For example, Damel Makodu Kumba Joof Faal (son of Lingeer Kodu Kumba Joof of Sine, daughter of the King of Sine Buka Cilaas Joof from the Royal House of Semou Njekeh Joof ) viewed himself as

5280-518: The conqueror (the King of Patar, also known as Xole Paataar or Xole Njuug), grandson of one of the patriarchs of the Joof family Maad Ndaah Njemeh Joof , is remembered in the Joof family's genealogical poem (called baka in Senegal and Gambia ) after defeating Teigne Kurambissan on the battlefield of Ngaañaan. An abract of the poem is as follows (in Serer): Serer people The Serer people ( Serer proper : Seereer or Sereer ) are

5368-444: The damels and their institutions as Wolof, and developed a strong hatred and animosity towards the Wolof in general including the use of violence against them, and viewed the Wolof as the agents of Portuguese slave traders, and their communities (the Serer), the victims of Wolof slave raiding. The Portuguese saw the Wolof as more agreeable and had a better relationship with them than the with the Serer, whom they viewed as hostile. Citing

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5456-558: The dividing line between dialects and different languages. Wolofization Wolofization or Wolofisation is a cultural and language shift whereby populations or states adopt Wolof language or culture, such as in the Senegambia region. In Senegal , Wolof is a lingua franca The Wolofization phenomenon has taken over all facets of Senegal and encroaching on Gambian soil. This phenomenon has caused other Senegambian ethnic groups great concern and resulted in taking steps to preserve their languages and culture. In this regard,

5544-518: 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

5632-441: The father, denoting the patrilineage. The Wolof folk etymology that teigne mean "support placed on the head" or any article to be placed on the head, is based on patriarchy and somewhat recent, and does not tally with the historical mood of succession in Baol before the Faal family came on the throne—who changed the mood of succession from matrlineality to patrilineality (see succession below ). Teigne refers to matrilineage, through

5720-508: The first Guelowar King, Maad a Sinig Maysa Wali ascended the throne of Sine . Professor Cheikh Anta Diop notes that, during the Wagadou Era, the Serer lamans dominated much of the region, even during the reign of Njajan Njie (or N'Diadian Ndiaye), and the name " Damel ", title for the kings of Cayor, meaning "the breaker", was of Serer origin, which the Serer community of Cayor gave to the first Damel of Cayor Dece Fu Njogu Faal after

5808-425: 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

5896-521: The last paternal dynasty, were of Moorish or Serer origin who became Wolofized , and saw themselves as Wolofs, ascended the throne as "Teigne" (and as Damel in Cayor ) after the Battle of Danki —which Yoro Boly Dyao dated as 1549 (the generally accepted date). The last Teigne of Baol was Tanor Ngone Jeng (or Tanor Goñ Dieng), who reigned from 1890 to 3 July 1894. The title "teign" was a Serer title in origin as noted by historian, author, and lecturer from

5984-511: The list of the old Teigns of Baol—centuries before the Faal paternal dynasty of Cayor and Baol, and the dominace of the Serer lamans in general throughout the Senegambia region. It was a marriage alliance between the Serer lamans and the Soninke Wagadous, as it was with the Serer and Guelowar matrilineage of Kaabu in the 14th century, the matrilineage which replaced the power base of the Wagadous in much of Serer country from 1350 when

6072-462: The matriclans Jaafun , as well as the Cegandum and Kagaw , two of the oldest Serer matriclans whose legend and historical narrative are found in the hermeneutics of Serer religion and traditions. The Cengandum (or Jegandoum) are linked to the Mbosseh (or Mboosé) tradition and pangool . The Mbosseh is one of the Serer holy festivals . The Serer community of Kaolack , what was historically part of

6160-439: The mother's milk, and not articles that goes on the head. "Tange" is one of the many spelling variations of teigne, teen, or teeñ, and refers to the mother's milk (matrilineage) derived from the Serer word ɗeen, sometimes spelled ƭeen or den. This is the root of the Serer term ƭeen yaay or den yaay which means maternal inheritance or matrilineage.) Since the 9th century, the Wagadou (or Ouagadou) matrilineage had ruled much of

6248-458: 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

6336-408: 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

6424-419: The one who assisted him at Danki. Baol was historically ruled by a maternal dynasty as it was in the Serer Kingdoms of Sine and Saloum . However, kings must come from one of the noble patrilineages, most often than not, from the Serer lamanic families, hence the dominance of Serer surnames on the list of the old kings as noted by historians. It was during the Faal paternal dynasty of Baol and Cayor that saw

6512-406: 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

6600-458: The previous dynasty, was Wagadou. The Faal family simply married into the old dynasty and continued the lineage. Although the Serer noble patriclans lost much of their dominance when the Faal family took power through marriage, the Wagadous lasted after 1549 following Danki, but were outsted in the 18th century when Lat Sukabe Ngoneh Jaye Faal took power and imposed his own matrilineage ( Geej ). The late Serer Diva Yandé Codou Sène pays homage to

6688-442: 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 ;

6776-497: 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,

6864-469: 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

6952-486: 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

7040-461: 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,

7128-402: 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

7216-553: The works of early European writers such as the 15th century Venetian explorer, slave trader, and chronicler Alvise Cadamosto , Tymowski notes that: "The Wolof were just as determined as the Portuguese to ensure smooth and efficient trade." The Serer community also refused to give their daughters in marriage to the Wolof who came asking for their hand in marriage. They also refused to be led by any damel, nor obey their demands including refusing to be taxed or partaking in censors during

7304-535: 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

7392-429: Was not voluntary—resulting in the famous Battle of Danki in 1549. The previously held view that the Serer Kingdoms of Sine (the instigators of that Confederacy), and Saloum gained their independence after Danki has now been discarded. The Serer Kingdoms of Sine and Saloum left the Confederacy twenty-nine years earlier (1520) prior to the Battle of Danki in 1549. The Kingdoms of Baol, Cayor, and Waalo were however tied to

7480-489: 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

7568-535: Was succeeded by his maternal nephew Amary Ngoneh Sobel Faal, the latter being a patriarch of the Faal royal family of Cayor and Baol. After the death of Teigne Niokhor Njie, the Serers completely lost power in Baol, as he was their last Teigne. Damel Amary Ngoneh, who inherited his crown, became Damel-Teigne and imposed reforms that ultimately led to political instability. The Wagadous are still found in Serer and Wolof countries. In Serer country, they have lost their power and dominance. They now tend to form alliances with

7656-487: 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

7744-625: 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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