Waalo

Further information: Lamane, Lingeer Fatim Beye, Lingeer Ndoye Demba, and Joos Maternal Dynasty

Kingdom of Walo Waalo
1287–1855
Senegambia c. 1707. Waalo marked as Re. d'Oualle ou de Brak in the upper left.
Status	Kingdom
Capital	Ndiourbel; Ndiangué; Nder
Common languages	Wolof
Religion	African traditional religion; Islam
Government	Monarchy
Brak
History
• Waalo founded	1287
• vassal of the Wolof Empire	ca.1350-1549
• French colonization	1855
Succeeded by French West Africa

Walo (Template:Lang-wo) was a kingdom on the lower Senegal River in West Africa, in what are now Senegal and Mauritania. It included parts of the valley proper and areas north and south, extending to the Atlantic Ocean. To the north were Moorish emirates; to the south was the kingdom of Cayor; to the east was Jolof.

Waalo had a complicated political and social system, which has a continuing influence on Wolof culture in Senegal today, especially its highly formalized and rigid caste system. The kingdom was indirectly hereditary, ruled by three matrilineal families: the Logar, the Tedyek, and the Joos, all from different ethnic backgrounds. The Joos were of Serer origin. This Serer matriclan was established in Waalo by Lingeer Ndoye Demba of Sine. Her grandmother Lingeer Fatim Beye is the matriarch and early ancestor of this dynasty. These matrilineal families engaged in constant dynastic struggles to become "Brak" or king of Waalo, as well as warring with Waalo's neighbors. The royal title "Lingeer" means queen or royal princess, used by the Serer and Wolof.

Waalo was founded in 1287. The semi-legendary figure NDiadiane Ndiaye, was from this kingdom. The mysterious figure went on to rule the Jolof Empire. Under Ndiadian Ndiaye, Jolof made Waalo a vassal.

The royal capital of Waalo was first Ndiourbel (Guribel) on the north bank of the Senegal River (in modern Mauritania), then Ndiangué on the south bank of the river. The capital was moved to Nder on the west shore of the Lac de Guiers. Waalo was subject to constant raids for slaves not only from the Moors but also in the internecine wars.

The Brak ruled with a kind of legislature, the Seb Ak Baor, over a complicated hierarchy of officials and dignitaries. Women had high positions and figured prominently in the political and military history.

Waalo had lucrative treaties with the French, who had established their base at the island of Saint-Louis (now Saint-Louis, Senegal) near the mouth of the river. Waalo was paid fees for every boatload of gum arabic or slaves that was shipped on the river, in return for its "protection" of the trade.

Eventually, this protection became ineffective. Vassals of Waalo, like Beetyo (Bethio), split off. In all, Waalo had 52 kings since its founding.

Waalo had its own traditional African religion. The ruling class was slow to accept Islam, which had spread in the valley; the Brak converted only in the 19th century.

Kings of Waalo

Names and dates taken from John Stewart's African States and Rulers (1989).

#	Name	Reign Start	Reign End
1	N'Dya-N'Dya	1186	1202
2	Mbang Waad	1202	1211
3	Barka Mbody	1211	1225
4	Tyaaka Mbar	1225	1242
5	unknown	1242	1251
6	Amadu Faaduma	1251	1271
7	Yerim Mbanyik	1271	1278
8	Tyukuli	1278	1287
9	Naatago Tany	1287	1304
10	Fara Yerim	1304	1316
11	Mbay Yerim	1316	1331
12	Dembaane Yerim	1331	1336
13	N'dyak Kumba Sam Dyakekh	1336	1343
14	Fara Khet	1343	1348
15	N'dyak Kumba-gi tyi Ngelogan	1348	1355
16	N'dyak Kumba-Nan Sango	1355	1367
17	N'dyak Ko N'Dyay Mbanyik	1367	1380
18	Mbany Naatago	1380	1381
19	Meumbody N'dyak	1381	1398
20	Yerim Mbanyik Konegil	1398	1415
21	Yerim Kode	1415	1485
22	Fara Toko	1485	1488
23	Fara Penda Teg Rel	1488	1496
24	Tykaaka Daro Khot	1496	1503
25	Naatago Fara N'dyak	1503	1508
26	Naatago Yerim	1508	1519
27	Fara Penda Dyeng	1519	1531
28	Tani Fara N'dyak	1531	1542
29	Fara Koy Dyon	1542	1549
30	Fara Koy Dyop	1549	1552
31	Fara Penda Langan Dyam	1552	1556
32	Fara Ko Ndaama	1556	1563
33	Fara Aysa Naalem	1563	1565
34	Naatago Kbaari Daaro	1565	1576
35	Beur Tyaaka Loggar	1576	1640
36	Yerim Mbanyik Aram Bakar	1640	1674
37	Naatago Aram Bakar	1674	1708
38	N'dyak Aram Bakar Teedyek	1708	1733
39	Yerim N'date Bubu	1733	1734
40	Meu Mbody Kumba Khedy	1734	1735
41	Yerim Mbanyik Anta Dyop	1735
42	Yerim Khode Fara Mbuno	1735	1736
43	N'dyak Khuri Dyop	1736	1780
44	Fara Penda Teg Rel	1780	1792
45	N'dyak Kumba Khuri Yay	1792	1801
46	Saayodo Yaasin Mbody	1801	1806
47	Kruli Mbaaba	1806	1812
48	Amar Faatim Borso	1812	1821
49	Yerim Mbanyik Teg	1821	1823
50	Fara Penda Adam Sal	1823	1837
51	Kherfi Khari Daano	1837	1840
52	Mbeu Mbody Maalik	1840	1855

References

• Translation from German Wikipedia: de:Waalo
• WORLD STATESMEN.org Senegal Traditional States
• Présentation du pays at the website of the national office of statistics, La République Islamique de Mauritanie : www.ons.mr.
• Ndete Yalla, dernière reine du Walo (Sénégal). Extrait du portrait de cette reine sénégalaise du 19e siècle que nous dresse Sylvia Serbin dans son ouvrage « Reines d’Afrique et héroïnes de la diaspora noire » (Editions Sépia) Par Sylvia Serbin.
• NDIOURBEL: Première capital du Waalo in Sites et Monuments historiques du Senegal, Center of Resources for the Emergence of Social Participation, Senegal.

Bibliography

• Barry, Boubacar. Le Royaume du Waalo Le Sénégal avant la Conquête" François Maspéro. 393 pages. Paris 1972.
• Barry, Boubacar. ’The Subordination of Power and Mercantile Economy: The Kingdom of Waalo 1600-1831 "in The Political Economy of Under-Development, Dependence in Senegal by Rita Cruise O'Brien (Ed.) Sage Series on African Mod. and Dev., Vol. 3. California. pp. 39–63.