Serer maternal clans

• In Serer, Tim (proper : o tim or the maternal origins of an individual. or the name of the family by the mother's line.) is used for the same purpose but between different ethnic groups (for example between the Serer, Jola and Toucouleurs, along with the Fula). Gamo is the proper term to describe these inter-ethnic joking relations, although it is common to hear it substituted with the terms maasir, kalir or kal. In the traditions of these groups, they are historical alliances between their ancestors, which were sometimes sealed with blood. These historical pacts dictates that these groups are required to assist one another in times of need; estopped from spilling the blood of another; give advice or even insult one another in a joking manner without the recipient taking offensive. In most cases, their descendants honour this ancient protocol to the present, especially between the Jola and Serer people who have an ancient relationship. This tradition which is present between Serer patriclans and in Senegambian culture, is also present among the Serer matriclans. They are historical alliances to which their descendants still adhere to. For more on this, see Serer - Maasir. ==Types==

Serer matriclans can be divided into two types : :1. Those clans who are Serers by origin — through the bloodline. They are usually revered in Serer religion and/or legend or mythology, and form part of Serer ancient and dynastic history (only if they have established a maternal dynasty). They tend to be rather old clans and many of their historical narratives are lost to history. ==History==

Serer matriclans and the role of Serer women are intricately linked to the Serer cosmogony and religion. In their cosmogony, the supreme transedental deity Roog (or Koox among the Cangin) created a woman first before man was ever created from the same divine placenta. In Serer religious symbolism and numbers, women share the same number with Roog (the number 3). The number 3 represents the celetral world in Serer symbolims and "numbers". Their creation narrative posits that : there were three worlds, three parts of the cosmos and three essential elements. Women are also linked to the Divine, who created the Universe via its divine female principles. These matriclans were integrated into the Kingdoms of Sine and Saloum. It is suggested that their initial role was religious in nature. Like the Serer patriclans (see Joof family), each Serer matriclan has its associated totem which are rooted in nature or the environment. The Serer Ndut call the ancestors the elements of the environment with which their matriclans are associated, and they differ from the patronymic totems which are related to prohibitions and taboos imposed on an individual by the Serer healers and priestly class. These beliefs are still prevalent, especially in funerals, which are expected to manifest these "ancestors", as well as when the totemic species (animal) needs protection.) for a long time and their matrilineages still have land rights and distant relatives among the Palor as well as ancestral graveyards in Palor country. The same is true across the Serer group. The Lebou people also have Serer ancestry, and it common for them to have both Serer surnames as well as belonging to one of the Serer matriclans. Many of the Lebou ancestral spirits are actually the Serer Pangool (see Saltigue). The Palors and Ndut are found in Cayor; the Saafi, Noon and Laalaa in Baol; The word tokoor comes from the Serer word tokoor fee, which means maternal uncle. Another derivative of tokoor fee is "Takor", which is also a Serer first name as well as the name for a maternal uncle. Some of these are religious in nature, others are of the material world. It is the responsibility of every family member to acquire treasure (halal in Serer) in order to increase the clan's wealth. Some of these treasures or assets may be jewellery, livestock, mechanical equipment, land, furniture, etc. Like paternal assets, the maternal asset of a particular matriclan determines their "collective power" and wealth, which may be drawn upon on certain occasions such as marriages, naming ceremonies or in times of need. Not everything is drawn upon. Some of these assets or treasures are far too precious to the matriclan and form part of their family history i.e. jewellery and land (see Lamane and Lamane Jegan Joof). The responsibility of the Tokoor is to ensure these assets are used wisely and appropriately. The assets which have been accumulated are rarely, if at all "used to reproduce the means of production". Instead, they form part of the total assets for the purposes of maternal inheritance (ƭeen yaay). The heir is only an administrator or custodian of these assets for the benefit of the co-heirs. He is estopped from diverting the maternal wealth from those activities which may benefit the co-heirs. In the old Serer tradition, even today, cattle make up a significant portion of the bride price. As a result, many Serer matriclans have increased their wealth and power through cattle. ==Matriclans==

There are several Serer maternal clans. The list of clans given below is not exhausive. Many of these went on to establish royal dynasties in Senegambia or provided some of the kings of the Senegambia Region. Not all Serer matriclans went on to establish royal dynasties. Others are more mythological in nature. Gareh Kareh, Rik & Gogol The matriclans Gareh Kareh (variations: Garé Karé, singular : Kareh Kareh or Karé Karé) and Rik (singular : Tik) are two of the old Serer matriclans enshrined in Serer legend, especially the Gareh Kareh, more commonly referred to in academic papers as : Karé Karé (following its French spelling in Senegal). The Gareh Kareh matriclan is one of the better known Serer matriclans. According to the legend of these two clans, they both came from the same mother but diverged following a calamity. Their divergence is elucidated by the proverb : "what goes around comes around". As of 1983, the total Gareh Kareh clan in Ñakhar Arrondissement is estimated to be 1127, and 1336 for Rik. In Baol, the Gareh Kareh are called Gogol. (and/or iguana or ƥaak). It was this animal that led them to a source of water in order to quench their thirst and from then on became the totem of this family. The legend went on to say that the ancestors of this family from then on had an extraordinary power to resist death. variant : Ndooy — detarium senegalense : In serer : :"Rik a paanga naak :baa mbar o mbambe :Gare Kare [Gareh Kareh] mbaaxeer, :a mbar o mbusu!" of Simal — the upstream of N'Dangane. It is there they decided to settle and founded the village of Simal in the rias bend. Siañ, Xuter, Siwaña & Fata Fata These four matriclans are of the same family. They are called by different names depending on which part of Serer country one finds oneself in. In the Kingdom of Sine, they are called Siañ; in the Kingdom of Baol, they are called Xuter; in the Petite Côte, they are referred to as Siwaña or Fata Fata. The name Fata Fata is commonly found in scholarly works. As a group, their narrative is found within the legend of Siañ, which posits that, the animal totem of their clan is the pelican. — part of erythrina), whose leaves can lead to a nervous breakdown among this clan, according to their beliefs. Along with their totem, the Siwaña are also prohibited from touch the Nile monitor lizard (cas). The Patik matriclan founded the village of Ñirohmol, now practically a deserted village of Diokoul in the Serer pre-colonial Kingdom of Saloum. As with some Serer matriclans, the Patik are referred to by different names depending on region. Among the Serer Niominka (a sub-group of the Serers) of Gandoul, this matriclan is referred to as Pata Pata. In other parts of Serer country such as Boyard, Dioffior and Fadial, the matriclan is called Fatick or Fatik. Bande Ñambo was a member of the Serer patrilineage Sarr and the matrilineage Pata Fata. She was not the founder of this matriclan but one of the Serer matriarchs. She is regarded as a princess or founder of Gandun. Whilst the Simala matriclan are associated with the sea, the Pata Fata are regarded as the masters of salines (fata). plural : Jegandum) and Kagaw (plural : Gagaw) is found within the hermeneutics of Serer religion and traditions. They are believed by many to be two of the proto-Serer matriclans. The major elements of the historical narrative of these two is summarized as follows : :1. One engages in cannibalism unknowingly, The legend of Cegandum & Kagaw The Cegandum matriclan used to lived with the Kagaw. One day a famine broke out. Two members of these matriclans travelled a long distance (accomapanying each other) in search of food. Due to hunger and fatigueness, the Cegandum fell to the ground and was unable to move. The Kagaw clan member was powerless to help his companion because there was no food in the vicinity. He laid his companion down and begged him to wait whilst he go and look for food. Having walked some distance away from the sight of his companion, he cut a piece of his thigh muscle, made himself a fire, cooked the human flesh and took it to his companion (the Cegandum) to eat. The Cegandum ate it without knowing he was eating a human flesh. Having recovered his strength, they both carried off walking. Having walked some distance, the Kagaw began to lose blood and suddenly collapsed. The Cegandum asked him what the problem was and the Kagaw replied in the following terms : The Cegandum was unable to save his companion from his condition. At this moment, Roog, the supreme deity in Serer religion, intervened, and opened the heaveans. A heavy rain befell. This holy water not only nourished them but also healed the wound of the Kagaw. Like their Lamanic paternal ancestor who is associated with a Serer saint — i.e. the justicer Fangool—Lunguñ Joof, this matriclan is also revered in Serer religion, in particular, through the Serer Pangool. Although the Fangool Ngolum Joof (another Fangool from this family) is one of those ancient Pagool requiring a blood sacrifice (i.e. cattle), the totem of this matriclan forbids a blood sacrifice. Soos The origin of this clan is Mandé. For several centuries (i.e. from the medieval era) this matriclan formed as much alliances with many Serer matriclans as it possibly could, through marriage. Forest burning in order to acquire estates (day or lamanat) was very common among this family. According to Serer tradition, this matriclan are believed to be masters of fire and rain, roles primarily reserved for the ancient Lamanes or Lamanic class and the Saltigues respectively. This makes them one of few if not the only matriclan who are associated with "mastery of fire and land" which are usually associated with the Lamanes, themselves considered the masters of the Earth, inherited through the patrilineal line. The tradition went on to say that, the presence of a clan member would activate a fire and the rain would accompany his death, which only their priests (yaal pangol) can stop. The Wagadou princesses were married off to the Serer nobility such as the Joof family etc., and they jointly ruled the Kingdom of Baol along with other Senegambian pre-colonial states. By 1350, the Wagadou Maternal Dynasty collapsed in many Serer countries especially in Sine. However, they continued to rule in many parts of Senegambia including Baol and Cayor. The mother of the first "true" Damel of Cayor — Amari Ngoneh Sobell Faal (or Amari Ngoné Sobel Fall) was a Wagadou. Her name was Lingeer Ngoneh Sobell Njie (from the Njie family). Like the Guelowars (see below), this matriclan was assimilated to Serer culture through marriage. He went on to speculate that they (the Jaafuns) may have taken their name from the Soninke state of Jaafunu, located in the south-west of Wagadu, founded by a son of the founder of Wagadou in the medieval era. The Jaafuns, like their Wagadou relatives are one of the medieval Serer matriclans with strong royal ties especially to the Kingdom of Baol where they married the Serer patrilineages who ruled by the Serer title Teigne. Joos The Joos Maternal Dynasty originated from the Serer pre-colonial Kingdom of Sine. The earliest recorded ancestor of the Joos clan is Lingeer Fatim Beye (c. 1335). Her grand daughter — Lingeer Ndoye Demba established this dynasty in Waalo in the 14th century (c. 1367) after she was married off to the king of Waalo — Brak Caaka Mbaar. The Joos Dynasty of Waalo lasted for nearly 600 years, and collapsed in 1855, the year Waalo fell to the French. The Joos as a matriclan goes back to Lamanic times. Guelowar The Guelowars were originally from the Kingdom of Kaabu. They were allegedly defeated by the powerful Ñaanco Maternal Dynasty at the so-called Battle of Troubang in c. 1335, an alleged dynastic war between the royal houses of Guelowar and Ñaanco. In reporting this tradition, Henry Gravrand did not notice that this is actually a description of the 1867 (or 1865) Battle of Kansala although the departure of the Guelowar can probably be explained by a war or a conflict of succession. After their defeat tradition says that they escaped from Kaabu, the country of their birth, and went to Sine where they were granted asylum by the Serer council of Lamanes. and 1493 — 1969 in Saloum Yembe Kame Guélaware was a Queen Consort (Maisata) of Bala Diakha - a medieval king (Mansa) of one of the provinces of Kaabu. The year of reign for Bala Diakha and Yembe Kame Guélaware is uncertain, but they are believed to have preceded Mansa Tiramakan Traore (one of Sundiata Keita's generals in the 13th century, c. 1235) who later conquered Kaabu. In Serer medieval history to the present, the Guelowars are regarded as the last of the Serer matriclans. Unlike the proto-Serer matriclans who hold religious significance and enshrined in Serer legend, the Guelowars are merely viewed as the last maternal dynasty in Serer kingdoms but hold no religious significance in Serer religion or legend. Any link between the Serers and Guelowars prior to the Battle of Troubang is suggested to have taken place in Kaabu between the ancestors of the Serers of Kaabu and ancestors of the Guelowars. Mouïoy The Mouïoy (many variations : Mooyoy or Moyoy) are one of the oldest Serer matriclans.) and Ma Fali Gaye (reigned : c. 1683* - 1684). The demise of this maternal dynasty was not merely due to the discrimination of Dé Tialao, but also coincided with the introduction of a new maternal dynasty of Cayor and Baol (the establishment of the Geej Maternal Dynasty). Geej The Geej (many variations : Guedj or Gedj) matriclan gained prominence in the late 17th century. The Serer princess —Lingeer Ngoneh Jaye (var : Ngoné Dièye) of the Jaye family of Saloum was the mother of Damel–Teigne Latsoukabe Ngoneh Faal (the king of Cayor and Baol). Gaanguuna The Gaanguuna (sing : O Kaanguuna) are most numerous in Sine and make up the fifth largest matriclan in Niakhar Arrondissement. According to their family legend and history, they claim descent from an ancient and invisible power — Kangeer, one of the Pangool in Serer religion. The Gaanguuna clan are responsible for the Kangeer sacrifices to the ancient royal Lingeer (queen) who is reported to have bursted at the time of her death without pouring blood. Kangeer, who was an ancient queen and canonized as Pangool, is one of the most respected and venerated Pangool in Diakhao in Sine as well as the more ancient localities such as Fa Yil (also in the Sine), where this clan are also present. This matriclan precides over the religious affairs and sacrifices to the cult of Kangeer. • Sass or Saas — the name for their clan is linked to the Saas tree which is enshrined in Serer cosmogony. • Didink ==Alliances (Maasir)==

Alliances (maasir) between matriclans which are historical in nature was, and still is prevalent. Some of the most well known matrilineal alliances are given below. : :1. The Coofaan group which includes : the Coofaan, Siañ, Pedior (also : Feejoor or Peeĵoor), Taa'boor and Jolax (or Diolah) are allies of the Gareh Kareh, Kogol, Haleh (or Halé), Rik, Lumel, Saas (or Sass), Tioka and Sasan. ==Surnames of matriclans==

The Serer people do not carry the surnames of their matriclans but they know them. The following table gives some of the matriclans, their totemic observances / myths and surnames : ==List of matriarchs==

The following is a list of known Serer matriarchs or dynasty founders. Those who are known to be queens, queen mothers or royal princess are prefixed with the royal title Lingeer : • Lingeer Fatim Beye, Queen of Sine c 1335, matriarch of the Joos Maternal Dynasty • Lingeer Bande Ñambo Sarr, a matriarch of the Pata Fata clan. • Lingeer Ndoye Demba, Queen and Queen Mother of Waalo, c. 1367, grand daughter of Lingeer Fatim Beye. Lingeer Ndoye Demba established the Joos Maternal Dynasty in Waalo. • Lingeer Ngoneh Jaye (var : Ngoneh Jaaye / Jaay or Ngoné Dièye) of Saloum, founder of the Guedj Maternal Dynasty (var : Geej or Gedj) of Cayor and Baol. Mother of Latsoukabe Fall (Damel of Cayor and Teigne of Baol, respective titles for the king of Cayor and Baol, reigned : 1697-1719). She was given in marriage to the Teinge of Baol — Che Yassin Demba Noudj. It is from that marriage that Lat Soukabe came from. • Lingeer Bassine Soureh (var : Bassine Souré), matriarch of the Beye Maternal Dynasty of Cayor and Baol and mother of Dé Tialao (reigned : 1693). • Lingeer Ngoné Dièye, 17th century Queen and Queen Mother of Cayor and Baol, and mother of Damel Lat Sukabe Fall ==Saying==

Like the reverence held for the most ancient—Serer patriarchs (Mam o Kor), the reverence for Serer matriclans is also preserved in the following popular saying in pre-colonial Sine : ==The 1983 Ñakhar project==

The 1983 Ñakhar project was a collaborative effort by various scholars and institutions such as Charles Becker, Léonce Crétois, Henry Gravrand, Victor Martin, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, etc., to research and document the Serer matriclans of Niakhar or Ñakhar arrondissement in Senegal. Ñakhar was chosen particularly because it is one of those Serer countries where the Serer religion is dominant, unpenetrated by Islam or Christianity. The research was a long process but it was actually documented in 1983. A similar project had been undertaken previously by Gravrand, Martin and Crétois, and even before them by Lamoise in 1873 with his work on Serer grammar ("Grammaire de la langue Serer") which lists some of the Serer patriclans and matriclans and the myths associated with them. ==Filmography==

• ''Boumi et l'oiseau pélican'' (1990) by Phillipe Cassard, Paris. ==See also==