Serer people

"Serer" redirects here. For the Spanish writer, see Rafael Calvo Serer.

Serer

VillageSérère.jpg A Serer mother and children in a rural village in Sine-Saloum, Senegal. While such places maintain traditional Serer culture, many Serer people now live in urban areas or in the diaspora.
Regions with significant populations
Senegal (1,155,000), The Gambia (28,000), small numbers in Mauritania and overseas
Languages
Serer proper, Cangin languages, Wolof French (Senegal and Mauritania), English (The Gambia),
Religion
Catholicism, Islam, Animism
Related ethnic groups
Wolof people, Toucouleur people

Carte des peuplades du Sénégal de l'abbé Boilat (1853): an ethnic map of Senegal at the time of French colonialism. The pre-colonial states of Baol, Sine and Saloum are arrayed along the southwest coast, with the inland areas marked "Peuple Sérère".

The Serer (also spelled Sérère, Sereer, Serere, Seereer etc.) are the third largest ethnic group in Senegal, and also present in The Gambia and Mauritania. The Serer heartland is in the southwest of modern Senegal, running from the southern edge of the Cap-Vert peninsula south and east to the Gambian border. Pre-colonial Serer states included the Kingdom of Sine and Kingdom of Saloum. About one in seven Senegalese is of Serer ethnicity, most famously the first President of Senegal, Léopold Sédar Senghor and the second president of Senegal Abdou Diouf. While traditionally speakers of the Serer language, many Senegalese—Serer people included—now learn Wolof as a second or first language. This is not surprising since the Serers are the ancestors of the Wolof people. Hence why the Wolof elders always say every Wolof is a Serer. The Serer resisted the influx of Islam from the 11th–19th centuries, some Serer people are either recent converts to Roman Catholicism or else retain Traditional beliefs. Serer people are closely related to the Wolof, Mandinka Malinke, and—to a lesser extent their Fula neighbors. Some people of Toucouleur ethnicity trace their ancestry to equal parts Fula and Serer.

History

Around 500 AD the Serer migrated from north-east Africa(Egypt) onto Senegal.

Before the renaming of the kingdom of Sine in modern day Senegal, the Sine area was populated by the Serer from the kingdom of Tekrur now called Fouta-Toro. They were one of the first to inhabit Tekrur and were members of the royal family of Tekrur before their great migration from that kingdom. In 1030AD, the mixed Toucouleur and Mandinka rabel [king War Jabi - son of Rabi and father of Leb]came into power backed by his allies the Almoravids from the north and in particular the cleric Abdullah ibn Yassin -, whom the new king had invited for advice and guidance. Mahmood [a Fula king] who was Muslim but not an orthodox one was booted out of the throne. In 1035 AD, King War Jabi introduced force conversion to islam and sharia law. The Serers who have worshipped Roog since time immorial refused to abandon their religion and entered the battlefield to defend their religion. They defeated the Almoravids and their African ally army forcing them to seek refuge in Mauritania. After several Serer victories against Islam, the Toucouloeurs with their Almoravid allies finanlly defeated the Serers and this was the reason why the Serers migrated from Tekrur in the 11th century. Instead of converting after their defeat, they refused to submit but choose to migrated instead to preserve their honour. Besides, there were other Serers who were already living throughout Senegambia and have settled their for thousands of years including modern day Thies. The Serer people are very diverse. The Battles of Saly and the Serer migration from Tekrur only relates to those Serers who were living in Tekrur at the time. It did not apply to all Serers. That was not their first migration to the Sine but it was one of their biggest migration. In addition to that religious war, climatic change, political and social factors also influenced those that remain to join their cousins later. The migration lasted from the 11th to the 13th century lead them to the area of Sine, where they set up at once their territorial rules of management. They used their ancient religion to reinforce their power and ruled over the local populous. They divided the area into lamanats, directed by lamanes [descendants of ancient Serer kings] which themselves controlled several local leaders. It will take centuries before the Jolof Empire managed to exert its authority over them after their arrival. In fact, the Serers did not only pushed the local Mandinka population away, but also ruled over the Wolofs. They were ruling Jolof before the Jaw, Ngom, Mengue and Njie dynasties. The most notorious of them generally referred to as Mansa Jolofing [King of Jolof in the Mandinka language] was a Serer well known for his dark art during the reign of Mansa Sundiata Keita of Mali. When Sundia Keita sent his men to go to Jolof to buy horses with a caravan loaded with gold, the Serer King of Jolof ransacked the caravan, took all the gold as well as the horses. This is known in history as the roberry of the horses. Having found out what happened, Sundiata Keita sent his cousin and general Mansa Tiramanghan Trawally - [future conquoror of Kaabu] to Jolof to assassinate the Serer king. It was Mansa Tirimanghan's victory over the Serer king which led to the Mandinka Subou song created to mark the Mandinka's victory over the dark Serer king of Jolof. The surname Njie [the last dynasty in Jolof] although usually associated with the Wolof tribe, its origin is in fact Serer.

In Sine, the Serers lived in peace and practised their animist religion. They earned their living from agriculture, cattle breeding and fishing. Most of the Sosses [Mandinkas], who were present before the arrival of Serer were driven back to the south. In the first half of the 14th century, Mandinkas came from Kaabu to live in Sine. These Mandinkas were no ordinary Mandinkas but members of the Gelwar royal family of Kaabu [modern day Guinea Bissau]. They were blood relatives of the Nanco royal dynasty of Gabou and descendants of Mansa Tirimanghan Trawally of Mali. They left Kaabu following the massacre of Turubang 1335AD. Turubang in Mandinka means to wipe out a clan or family. Just as in pre-colonial Senegal we had different noble maternal clans who can marry into the paternal dynasties e.g. Njie, Joof, Faye, Mbooj etc., Kaabu also had different noble maternal clans e.g. Nanco, Gelwar etc. Different maternal clans will fight to death in order to marry into the royal family and ensured the continuation of their maternal clan. That was what happened in Kaabu at that time. Once they arrived in Sine, the council of lamans mainly occupied by the Serer nobility granted them asylum. In addition to being granted asylum, they will cohabit with the Serer aristocracy. The reasons for that were political, economic and social. They were of royal stock just as their Serer hosts. It was political because the Wolofs were trying to exert their authority over the Serers and the Malian Empire was not far away. Having a Mandinka political ally was a strategic move on the part of the Serer Lamans [the title of ancient kings]. After-all, these Gelwar royals were of the same family from the royal family of Mali. However, before any interbreeding between Serer - Gelwar, these Mandinka royals will learn the Serer language, pledged alliagence to the Serer Gods and loyalty to the Serer kingdom of Sine [and later Saloum] as well as to the Serer people. That was the deal before any breeding between Serer - Gelwar. In return, the children of these Mandinkas and Serers will inherit the throne. These children in time will be authentic Serers with loyalty to Sine and later Saloum and not Gabou. The council of Jambuurs [nobles who are not necessarily members of the royal family] made up of Serers will continue to check this.

Maysa Waly Jaxateh Mane [Manneh] 1350,who took the name of Maysa Waly Dione towards the end of his long reign was the first Gelwar king of Sine [Buur Sine] post Turubang. He himself did not have a Serer father, he was one of those Gelwar princes who survived the Battle of Turubang. His father Silmang Koli and his mother Jomogue died at Turubang in Kaabu. His sisters and nieces that escaped the massacre married into the old royal Serer families e.g. Faye, Joof, Njie, etc. These noble paternal clans were in the main, the old royal families - descendants of the ancient Serer kings [Lamans]. They provided the royal paternal bloodline and the Mandinka Gelwars provided the maternal clan by marrying into these families just as the Nanco and Gelwar maternal clans of Kaabu married into the paternal noble families of Kaabu: Sanneh and Manneh before Turubang.

The last true kings of the Kingdom of Sine and Saloum were Mahecor Joof and Fode Ngui Joof respectively. They both died in 1969. After their deaths, the Serer Kingdoms of Sine and Saloum were incorporated into independent Senegal which gained its independence from France in 1960. The Serer kingdoms of Sine and Saloum are two of few pre-colonial African Kingdoms whose royal dynasty survived up to the 20th century without great interruption by the colonial powers. 'Bold text'

Social organization in Sine kingdom

While arriving at Sine, Malinkes brought in the Serer's country the system of the castes, because before their arrival the company serer was a levelling company, without castes - with the exception of the Laman and his family [the royal family] who were at the top of the pecking order. But their system of government is inspired by Wolofs, at time when jolof finally managed to exert its authority. However, the Wolofs have also borrowed many official titles and religious words from the Serer language as well as thousands of day to day words found in the wolof language. The borrowing is not one sided. The capacity was divided as follows: the king, or bour [buur] of Sine, appointed the chiefs of provinces named lamanes, often of serers or guelwars origin. These post Turubang Lamans [Lamanes] should not be confused with ancient lamans who were kings of their state, these recent lamans were merely provincial chiefs answerable to the King, the farba kaba chief of the army and of the slaves, the farba binda Minister for Finance, of the police force and the royal palace, dialigne the chief of the provinces inhabited by the Fulas, the diaraf beukeneg chief of the servants of the court, and the large diaraf council to advise the king.

Population

The ethnic group Serer is typically Senegambian, because it is found only in Senegambia, in the old areas of Baol, Sine, Saloum and in Gambia. The Serer groups are characterized by their spoken dialects, the inhabited areas and the practised trades; indeed, the majority of Serers are farmers and land owners since unmemorable times, while their nobles entrusted their herds to the pastoralist Fulas. For the Serers, the soil [where their ancestors lay in rest] is very important to them and guard it with jealousy. They have a legal framework governing every aspect of life even land law with strict guidelines. Apart from agriculture, all other positions especially trade they view as vulgar, common and ignoble. This is why in the colonial era especially among their nobles, they would hire others to do the trading on their behalf - acting as middle men, usually the Moors of Mauritania whom to this day they do not trust and are prejudice towards them. In the old days, Moors from Mauritania who came to settle in the Serer Kingdoms were ill treated by their Serer masters if that is they were even welcomed and allowed to stay. If a Moor dies in a village or principality for instance, his body was dragged out of the village and left for the vultures or his family or friends to bury him elsewhere and not in the country and certainly not accompanied by grave goods. Also, 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 was to work as a Bissit. Apart from spying for the Serer King, 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 and that was the highest position they could wish for. It was a humiliating job and not a title of honour. The purpose of this position was solely created to humiliate the Moors whom the Serers at that time [even now to some degree] view as unhonourable and shameful. The history of this position in the Serer Kingdoms goes back to an early Moor in the area who had a son by his own daughter. This is why that position was specially given to any Moor that wishes to fill the vacant position.

One also find Serers Niominkas who practise fishing in the delta of Saloum. Serers and Toucouleurs are linked by a bond of "cousinage". This is a tradition common to many ethnic groups of West Africa called a "Relation du jeste" ("Joking relationship"), which enables them to be criticized, but also obliges them with the mutual aid and with the mutual respect. Serers call this bond of cousinage. This bond is because Serer are the parents of Toucouleurs. In Tekrurr, it is Serers and Fulas which gave birth to the Toucouleur ethnic group (Martin A. Klein, Islam and Imperialism in Senegal 1968). Also several legends explain this cousinage. Serers also maintain the same bond cousinage with Diolas of Casamance with which they have a very old relationship. In the ethnic group Serer this same bond exists between the patronyms, for example between Joof [Diouf] and Faye.

Incidentally, the Senegambian people refer to this joking relations as Kal or Gamo. Again, these words are borrowed from the old Serer language. The word Kal comes from the Serer word Kalcular [paternal lineage] and the word Gamo stems from the old Serer word Gamohu [find the lost heart]. Although many think of these words as Wolof, just like thousands of words found in the Wolof language, they are actually Serer in origin and not Wolof.

Serer patronyms

Common patronyms are Joof/ Diouf, Faye, Ngom /Ngum, Sene/ Sain, Dione, Tine, Loum, Ndaw/ Ndao, Diene, Thiaw, Senghor, Ndour/ Ndur, Ndione,Sarr, Kama... all typically of the Serer ethnic group.

Language

People who identify themselves as Serer speak several languages. The principal language is Serer-Sine or Serer proper, is spoken in Sine-Saloum, Kaolack, Diourbel, and Dakar, among other areas. It is closely related to Wolof but very different, although there are several words found in Wolof that are borrowed from the Serer language. Other Serer groups speak the various Cangin languages, such as Serer-Ndut.

Most Serer speak Wolof, the language of the Wolof people, as a second language, and those who have grown up in the cities sometimes speak it as a first language. This can be explained with reference to the historical situation at the time of colonialism. The Serers especially the Serer noble land owners and farmers viewed trading as vulgar and ignoble. Therefore, they hired or appointed others to be their middle men trading on their behalf whilst they focused their efforts on production. As such, Wolof became the dominant language in the market place and this legacy still lives on today. All other languages including Fula, Jola/Diola were affected by this. However, Serer is now one of the official languages of Senegal along with Wolof etc.

Religion

The Serer believe in a universal Supreme God called Roog and have an elaborate religious tradition dealing with various dimensions of life and death, space and time, and ancestral spirit communications. There are also other lesser Gods and Goddesses such as: Mendis; Thiorak and Taahkarr. The total number of Serer Animist Ceremonies/Festivals are greater than all the Abrahamic festivals put together Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Each one as ancient as the Serer people themselves. They are one of very few tribes in Senegambia if not the only tribe apart from the Jolas who actually have a name for God [s] which is not borrowed from Arabic but indigenous to their language. The reason for this is, although the other tribes had names for their deities in ancient times, when they began to convert to islam in huge numbers they lost that part of their history unlike the Serers. All the Senegambian Muslim festivals such as Tobaski; Gamo; Korite; Weri Kor etc. are borrowed from ancient Serer Animist Festivals. They are not Arabic in name but Serere in origin. Tobaski was an ancient Serere hunting festival; Gamo was an ancient Serer divination festival; Korite [from the Serer word Kor] was a male initiation rite; Weri Kor was the season/month ancient Serer males went through their initiation rite. They have an ancient knowledge on herbalism which is passed down and takes years to acquire.

In Ndiane, "part of the Mbourouwaye village in the region of Thies, located 100 krn from Dakar, at the beginning of the Sahelian zone. This small village was founded by some inhabitants of Mbourouwaye who were looking for new land. It is essentially inhabited by one ethnic group, the Seereer, who practise agriculture and raise livestock. There is a historical link between these people and their land... the members of this group worshipped their own god referred to as Roog Seen, through the Pangol (representing their ancestors). Accordingly, they would offer gifts (food) to special places referred to as the Tuur. Several traditional practices linked with land and agricultural activities are known; two examples are described here:

• Prediction ceremonies organized by the Saltige, who are considered to be the custodians

of indigenous knowledge. Such meetings are aimed at providing information and warning people about what will happen in the village during the next rainy season.

• Preparation of sowings, a ceremony called "Practice of daqaar mboob" aimed at

ensuring good millet or groundnut production. For this purpose, every grower has to obtain something called Xos, further to a competitive ceremony consisting of hunting, racing, etc."

They are very proud of their religion because it is in their Serer Religion they were able to resist both Islam and Christianity. Although there are some Serers who converted to Christianity and Islam, their conversion was very late and recent. They and the Jolas were the last to convert. As for the Serer converts, they converted not because of defeat in war, but because they choose to do so. However, the majority are still Animists especially in the ancient Kingdom of Sine. Senegal and The Gambia being predominantly Muslim countries, most Muslims see the Serer as stubborn for refusing to abandon their ancient religion in favour of Islam. The Serers have also killed and defeated many prominent African Islamic Jihadists over the centuries. Some of those Islamic Jihadists like Maba Jahou Ba are almost given a saint like status by many Senegambian Muslims. He himself was killed by the Serer King - Kumba Ndoffene Famak Joof in 18 July 1867 at the Battle of Fandane-Thiouthiougne commonly known as Somb. As such, the Serer Animists have been demonised by many Senegambian Muslims [including some Muslim academics] over the years.

Not only do the Serer have an ancient cosmology along with the Dogons of Mali, they are well known for their good character and honour. In instances were they were surprised and defeated by the Islamic Jihadist of the 19th century, they would rather commit matyrdom than save their lives and convert to Islam. There are at least quite a few documented cases for this of that era. At the Battles of Naodorou, Kaymor and Ngaye, instead of the Serer saving their lives and convert to Islam or succumbing to the Islamic Jihadists, they killed themselves rather than submit to Islam. In these 19th century Islamic Marabou wars, many of the surprised Serers villagers committed matyrdom by various means including jumping to their deaths at the Well of Tahompa than convert to Islam. At the Well of Tahompa [in modern day Senegal], men, women and children killed themselves rather than abandon their ancient religion in favour of Islam or be turned into slaves by the Muslims. Mothers throw their babies into the well then followed them. The old Serer word 'Gorie' [honour/honourable] is a highly held principle by the Serers.

Sport

The sport played by the Serer is the wrestling. In ancient times, this was not merely a sport, but a preparation for war. The battle wrestling and the sport wrestling of today are totally different. However if one looks closely at the ritual dances of pre-wrestling Serer sport, one will see elements of battle. The Serer has a long history of being renowned warriors. That is understandable, because even right back in the 11th century, they needed to preserve their ancient way of life against the Almoravid and their African Muslim converts who wish to destroy them. They have fought and died to preserve their ancient religion. Wrestling, the preparatory exercises for war, therefore holds great significance among the Serers.

Notable Serers

• Laman Jegan Joof The Great - An 11th century ancestor of the Diouf/Joof family of Senegambia. He is also the founder of Tukar in modern day Senegal. His descendants went on to rule in Bawol, Sine and Saloum - pre and post Gelwar. His female descendants were also given in marriage to the Kings of Jolof, Kayor, Baol, Sine, Saloum and Walo in which their descendants went on to rule. There was no royal family throughout Senegambia that did not have Serer ancestry. The history of Jegan Joof is now part of the Senegalese curriculum.
• Buur Ndaah Njemeh Joof - The Great/Ndaah Njeeme Juuf. 14th century King of Lâ in modern day Senegal.
• Buur Patar Kholleh Joof The Great - grandson of Buur Ndaah Njemeh Joof and father of Kings of Sine: Buur Sine Niokhobai Mane Joof and Buur Sine Guejopal Mane Joof. His two sons were the first of the family Joof to rule in Sine after the Battle of Turubang 1335 under the Royal House of Kerr Boury Gnilane of the Family Joof. Buur Patar Kholleh Joof who was ruling Lâ also defeated the King of Baol and annexed his State.Descendant of Jegan Joof and ancestor of the Joof Royal Dynasty of Sine and Saloum.
• Laman Panga Yaye Sarr The Great. 14th century Serer noble and great opponent of the Gelwars.
• Boukar Jilak Faye. The Great 14th century warrior and father of Kings of Sine - Buur Sine Wagane Tening Faye and Tasse Tening Faye. Tasse Tening Faye was the first of the Faye Family to ruled in Sine after the Battle of Turubang 1335. His brother Wagane Tening Faye succeeded him.
• Buur Saloum Mbegani Ndour / Mbegan Ndour - King of the Serer Kingdom of Saloum 1494.
• Bour Sine Coumba Ndoffene Famak Diouf/Buur Sine Kumba Ndoffene Famak Joof/Coumba Ndoffène Diouf King of the ancient Kingdom of Sine. Died in November 1871. He and his army defeated and killed Maba Diakhou Bâ at The Battle of Somb (18 July 1867).
• Bour Sine Coumba Ndoffene Fandeb Diouf/Buur Sine Kumba Ndoffene Fandeb Joof - King of Sine. Extremely powerful and influential during the colonial days. Although an Animist like his ancestors, he was the only Senegambian King or leader that spoke up for Amadou Bamba when the French accused Amadou Bamba Mbackeh of piling weapons in order to attack the French.
• Alhaji A.E. Cham Joof. The well respected veteran historian and author from The Gambia. Former politician; former Director of Programmes at Radio Gambia; Former Chairman of the Gambia Scout Association and co-founder of The Education Through Culture and Communication Organisation (ECCO) - in The Gambia.
• Alhaji Demba Lamin Joof/El Hadji Demba Lamine Diouf. The veteran historian on the old Radio Senegal and Radio Gambia, who was a regular on the program called Chossani Senegambia [the History of Senegambia].
• Alhaji Mansou Njie. Veteran history broadcaster at the old Radio Gambia now Gambia Radio Television Services. He was and still is the presenter of Chossani Senegambia [The History of Senegambia].
• Isatou Njie-Saidy / Mrs Isatou Njie Saidy - Vice president of The Gambia.
• Mamadou Diouf - historian and author some of whose work include: New Perspectives on Islam in Senegal: Conversion, Migration, Wealth, Power, and Femininity.
• Fatou Diome- author
• Fatou Ndiaye Sow / Madame Fatou Ndiaye Sow – children’s author
• Léopold Sédar Senghor, was Senegal's first president.
• Abdou Diouf, the second Senegalese president and current Secretary-General of La Francophonie
• Coumba Ndoffène Diouf, politician.
• Blaise Diagne (son of a Serer) who was a Senegalese political leader, the first black African elected to the French National Assembly, and mayor of Dakar.
• Ngalandou Diouf the first African elected official since the beginning of colonization. He represented the commune of Rufisque (Teunggèdj) at the advisory General Assembly (Conseil Général) of Saint-Louis (Ndar), then capital of colonial Senegal.
• Nafissatou Dia Diouf- author
• Fama Diagne Sène- author
• Youssou N'dour, the most famous and successful African singer and export over the decades. Although people think he is Wolof because he tends to sing in Wolof, the surname Ndour just like his ancestors were Serers.
• Mamadou Ndiaye, commonly known as Doudou N'Diaye Rose . – Legendary Senegalese drummer and composer
• El Hadji Diouf, Footballer and twice winner of the African gold Boot
• Laity Kama - A Senegalese judge and the first president of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Notes

• Ethiopiques No: 54 biannual of Black African culture. New Series Volume 7, (1991)
• Dennis C. Galvan. The State Must be Our Master of Fire. ISBN: 9780520235915
• Niokhobaye Diouf. Chronicle of the Kingdom of Sine. Bulletin IFAN 34 B, 4
• Alioune Sarr. Histoire du Sine-Saloum. Introduction, bibliographie et Notes par Charles Becker, BIFAN, Tome 46, Serie B, n° 3-4, 1986-1987
• Martin A. Klein. Islam and Imperialism in Senegal Sine-Saloum, 1847-1914, Edinburgh At the University Press (1968)
• Samba Diop. The Wolof Epic: From Spoken Word to Written Text. "The Epic of Ndiadiane Ndiaye"
• Boubacar Barry. Le Royaume Du Waalo: Le Senegal Avant La Conquete. ISBN 2865371417 (2-86537-141-7)
• Andrew F. Clark and Lucie Colvin Philips. Historical Dictionary of Senegal. Second Edition (1994)

Sources

Alioune Sarr,

• [Fr] Histoire du Sine-Saloum. Introduction, bibliographie et Notes par Charles Becker, BIFAN, Tome 46, Serie B, n° 3-4, 1986-1987

Henry Gravrand,

• [Fr]La civilisation sereer, I. Coosan, Dakar, Nouvelles Editions Africaines (1983)

Martin A. Klein,

• [En] Islam and Imperialism in Senegal Sine-Saloum, 1847-1914, Edinburgh At the University Press (1968)

See also

• Demographics of Senegal

Language and dialects

• Serer language
• Seereer-Siin language/ Serer-Sine
• Serer-Ndut

Serer regions & states

• Baol
• Kingdom of Sine
• Saloum
• Biffeche

References

• Lucie Gallistel Colvin. Historical Dictionary of Senegal. Scarecrow Press/ Metuchen. NJ - London (1981) ISBN 081081885x
• Portions of this article were translated from the French Language Wikipedia article fr:Sérères, 2008-07-08.

• Patience Sonko Godwin. Leaders of Senegambia Region, Reactions To European Infiltration 19th - 20th Century. Sunrise Publishers Ltd - The Gambia (1995) ISBN 9983860023
• Patience Sonko Godwin. Ethnic Groups of The Senegambia Region, A Brief History. Third Edition. Sunrise Publishers Ltd - The Gambia (2003). ISBN 9983990062
• Louis Dience Faye. Mort Et Naissance Le Monde Sereer. Les Nouvelles Editions Africaines (1983). ISBN 2-7236-0868-9

French language bibliography

• Template:Fr Charles Becker, Vestiges historiques, témoins matériels du passé dans les pays sereer, Dakar, CNRS-ORSTOM, 1993, 12 p.
• Template:Fr Ismaïla Ciss, Les Seerer du Nord-Ouest, Dakar, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, 1982, 66 p. (Mémoire de Maîtrise)
• Template:Fr Ismaïla Ciss, L’évolution des sociétés Sereer du nord-ouest du milieu du XIXe à la veille de la deuxième guerre mondiale, Dakar, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, 1993, 35 p. (Mémoire de DEA)
• Template:Fr Ismaïla Ciss, Colonisation et mutation des sociétés sereer du nord-ouest du milieu du XIX^e siècle à la 2^e guerre mondiale, Dakar, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, 2001, 396 p. (Thèse)
• Template:Fr Léon Diagne, Le système de parenté matrilinéaire sérère, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1985, 279 p. (Thèse de 3^e cycle)
• Template:Fr Salif Dione, L’Education traditionnelle à travers les chants et poèmes sereer, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1983, 344 p. (Thèse de 3^e cycle)
• Template:Fr Marie-Madeleine Diouf, L’image de l’enfant à travers le conte sereer du Sine, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1985, 217 p. (Mémoire de Maîtrise)
• Template:Fr Marguerite Dupire, « Funérailles et relations entre lignages dans une société bilinéaire : les Serer (Sénégal) », Anthropos, St Paul, Fribourg, 1977, vol. 72, p. 376-400
• Template:Fr Marguerite Dupire, « Les "tombes de chiens" : mythologies de la mort en pays Serer (Sénégal) », Journal of Religion in Africa, 1985, vol. 15, fasc. 3, p. 201-215
• Template:Fr Amad Faye, La poésie funèbre en pays sereer du Sine, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1980, 212 p. (Mémoire de Maîtrise)
• Template:Fr Jean-Marc Gastellu, L’égalitarisme économique des Serer du Sénégal, Paris, ORSTOM, 1981, 808 p. (Travaux et Documents de l’ORSTOM n°128) (Thèse d’Etat publiée)
• Template:Fr Henri Gravrand, La Civilisation Sereer. Cosaan : les origines, Dakar, NEA, 1983, 361 p.
• Template:Fr Brigitte Guigou, Les effets de l’islamisation et du catholicisme sur la condition de la femme serer (Sénégal), Paris, EHESS, 1985, 7-106 p. (Diplôme d’Études Approfondies, sociologie)
• Template:Fr Oumy K. Ndiaye, Femmes sérères et projets de développement : example de la diffusion des foyers améliorés dans le Département de Fatick, Sénégal, Université Laval, 1988 (M.A.)
• Template:Fr Théodore Ndiaye, Littérature orale et culture : example des Serer du Sénégal, Paris, Université de Paris, 1972 (Thèse de 3^e cycle)
• Template:Fr Robert A.D. Sarr, L’éducation traditionnelle chez les Sérèr (Sénégal), Paris, EPHE, 1971, 210 p. (Mémoire)
• Template:Fr Robert A.D. Sarr, Société sérèr et problèmes d’éducation traditionnelle et moderne, Paris, Université de Paris V-EPHE, 1973, 334 p. (Thèse de 3^e cycle)
• Template:Fr Birane Sène, La royauté dans vingt contes sérères, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 198?, (Mémoire de Maîtrise)
• Template:Fr Vincent Aly Thiaw, Les Sereer du Kajoor au XIX^e siècle, Uniuversité de Dakar, 1990, 117 p. (Mémoire de Maîtrise)
• Template:Fr Georges Gaan Tine, Ethnographie comparée et tourisme au Sénégal : étude du cas des pyramides dites "sereer" de Bandia, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1988, 119 p. (Mémoire de Maîtrise)
• Template:Fr Paul E. Vallée, Changements socio-économiques dans une communauté Serer, Université de Montréal, 1969 (M. A.)

External links

• Template:Fr « A la découverte de la civilisation sereer avec le R. P. Gravrand » (article de Papa Massène Sène dans Éthiopiques, n° 39, nouvelle série, volume 2, 4^e trimestre 1984)
• Template:Fr « Diversité et unicité sérères : l'exemple de la région de Thiès » (article de Ousmane Sémou Ndiaye dans Éthiopiques, n° 54, nouvelle série, volume 7, 2^e semestre 1991)
• Template:Fr « Politique coloniale et organisation économique des pays serer, Sénégal, 1910-1950 » (article de Jean-Marc Gastellu, d'après son ouvrage L’égalitarisme économique des Serer du Sénégal, Paris, ORSTOM, 1981)

• Ethiopiques No: 54 biannual of Black African culture New Series Volume 7 (1991)

http://ethiopiques.refer.sn/spip.php?page=imprimer-article&id_article=1257

• All Africa.com - A. E. Cham Joof - Tribute http://allafrica.com/stories/201104181232.html
• All Africa.com [French] http://fr.myafrica.allafrica.com/view/people/main/id/07Ga_YRZInhwGIjw.html
• All Africa.com – Ousainou Njie - Tribute http://allafrica.com/stories/200209100684.html
• National Centre For Arts and Culture – The Gambia

http://www.ncac.gm/copyright-news.html

• Peoples of The Gambia, (1. The Wolof), By David P. Gamble & Linda K. Salmon with Alhaji Hassan Njie (PDF)

http://www.smcm.edu/gambia/documents/publications/gamble/Gamble%2017.pdf

• Moving from Teaching African Customary Laws to Teaching African Indigenous Law. By Dr Fatou. K. Camara [PDF]

http://www.ialsnet.org/meetings/assembly/TeachingTech.ReadingMaterial.pdf

• Soumbala La Librairie Africaine [French]

http://soumbala.com/actualite-du-livre-afrique/entrevues-saint-louis-du-senegal/ethnographie-sociologie/education-et-mariage-le-monde-seereer-tradition-orale.html

• The University of Western Australia , Aïssatou Diagne Deme

http://aflit.arts.uwa.edu.au/DiagneDemeEng.html

• The University of Western Australia , Aminata Sophie Dièye' & Aminata Ndiaye

http://aflit.arts.uwa.edu.au/saison.html#sophied

• The University of Western Australia, Coumba Diouf

http://aflit.arts.uwa.edu.au/DioufCoumbaEng.html

• The University of Western Australia, Ndèye Doury Ndiaye

http://aflit.arts.uwa.edu.au/NdiayeNdeyeBouryEng.html

• Ethnolyrical. Tassou: The Ancient Spoken Word of African Women

http://www.ethnolyrical.org/?p=505

• New York Magazine. New York Fashion: Kinée Diouf

http://nymag.com/fashion/models/kdiouf/kineediouf/