Serer
cosmogony is not as rich as the
Dogon's.
Religious and ethnic persecution of the Serers for several centuries had resulted in their migration to and fro. In spite of
this turbulent history, the Serer people have the richest cosmogony of all the
Senegambian ethnic groups.
Creation of the Universe A nax and A leep The Serers relates the creation myth and the role of
speech in the
formation of the Universe. Two Serer terms expresses the mythical creation word:
"A nax" and
"A leep". The former is a short narrative for a short myth or
proverbial expression and is equivalent to a
verb. The latter (
A leep) is more advanced and details the
mythical creation word and the creation itself, introducing the myth with the phrase:
"Naaga reetu reet" (so it was in the beginning), before narrating the event. From a global perspective, the two roughly corresponds to
verb and
logos, especially when communicating fundamental
religious education relating to the supreme deity and the
creation of the Universe.
Process of the creation (Serer-number 3) The source of the Universe is attributed to the feminine and maternal nature of Roog. In
Serer symbolism, the
number 3 is attributed to the feminine world. This number is the ingredient of the creation process. There were three
essential elements, three parts of the
cosmos and three worlds." [the
Universe]. The Serer oral tradition does not speak of Roog's gestation, probably due to cultural
taboo, but only when the mythical word was uttered and what was uttered by the supreme being, which is found in
A nax. According to
A nax, the first mythical words spoken by Roog were:
A leep details the scene of the primordial time in the following terms: :"A leep à joon maaga :a roxondox o maaga, :a gad'wa roog, :a saay'a lang ke." Which translates to: :The Words leap into
space, :He carried the
sea on his head, :the
firmament on his shoulders, :the earth in his hands.
First swamp and creation of Earth (Nqaul) The creation of
Planet Earth is based on the myth of
Nqaul (a type of tree -
Mitragyna inermis). In this myth, the formation of the Earth was started by a
swamp. Serer tradition states, on one occasion, the flooding caused severe damage resulting in many people losing their homes, crops and food they had
farmed. After the damage, the people who escaped returned to assess the damage and commiserated each other. They recalled an ancient myth − the myth of
Nqaul: Roog's motion also affected the axis of the
cosmos. The
vital energies it had emitted, rotated in a
spiral motion thereby creating the
celestial objects. Known by various name, its current scientific name is
Mitragyna inermis, part of the genus
Mitragyna in the family
Rubiaceae (2012). The barks, leaves and roots of the tree are used in many parts of
West Africa for human and veterinary
medicine. Found in
Senegal to the
Congo mainly in frequently flooded
river banks and
flood plains. The creation of the first
trees and
vegetation are preserved in the Serer
oral tradition. The
Serer religion offer guidance based on the primordial seed. This has been a matter of interpretation, and such, there are competing versions as to which trees were first created and the order in which they appeared. In Serer society,
trees are viewed as sacred entities and some trees are afforded higher religious status depending on the
Pangool (the
ancient Serer saints and ancestral spirits represented by
snakes) affiliated with them, their
medicinal and spiritual value to Serer life, etc. Some
Serer families are also associated with certain Pangool (singular:
Fangool). The Serer priestly class (the
Saltigues), guardians of Serer religion, sciences and ethics, still cannot agree on which tree was first created on Earth nor the order in which the first trees appeared. These differences are probably due to the vast areas
the proto-Serers once inhabited.
Nquƭ The
Nquƭ tree (proper:
NGuƭ, variation:
Ngud They sank deep into the underworld during the day and reappeared at night. The tree is seen as the "tree of luck and good health". In this myth, the
transcendence is reported to have infused with the acacia seed vital for energy, and the Saas played a pivotal role in the transmission of life. It did not move until
sunset. It healed the wounded by its barks being rubbed on the bleeding wound. The Saas eventually became exhausting for people when it started to abuse its supernatural powers. It is generally viewed as the tree that fell in disgrace.
The ancients called it by the name
Nyas, a name which has two meanings:
scar or
clot. The Myth of Saas still retains a certain degree of importance especially when it concerns the need for vital energy such as: during growth, at the time of marriage, in sickness and after death. It is also viewed by many as the
fertility tree. In the Serer representation of the Universe, the
Myth of Saas forms part of the geometric diagram.
Fertility tree with Serer grave diggers (1821) The Saas is believed to possess fertilizing qualities which is concentrated in its
green branches and
moisture. These fertilizing components may only be abstracted by the use of its own symbol, communicated through prayer. At the birth of a child, a branch of Saas was deposited at the top of an enclosure where the child and his/her mother remains in seclusion for
eight days (the
Bat ceremony). The ritual was to ward of
evil spirits and as such, a small Saas from a
crossroad was chosen. The ritual demands the branch to be placed at the top of the enclosure when the child is asleep, whilst the person performing the ritual cite the appropriate prayers. A small stick of Saas is also worn on the waist by young boys and girls in order to preserve their future fertility. At weddings, a stick of the plant is deposited under the bed of the newlywed in order to improve the fertility of the couple. Saas also played a major role in
ancient Serer funerals. As well as accompanying the dead with
grave goods, a stick of Saas was placed
inside the tomb of a dead Serer. The purpose of this ritual was to help the
dead move on to
Jaaniiw (the abode of souls). If this ritual was not performed, the
souls of the dead are believed to remain in the living world to the dismay of the living. A stick of Saas (with the Serer-
viaticum) in their tomb helps them in their journey to the next life. When Serer men finish off burying the dead, they used to wash their hands in a
calabash placed at the entrance of the house. This calabash contained branches of Saas soaked in water. Unlike the trees of the
savannah that lose their leaves during the
dry season, the Saas is green throughout the dry and rainy seasons. In effect, the Saas was and still is considered by the Serers as a tree of life. Mbos means
miscarriages, as in the song chanted at night by the initiates in
Ndut classical teachings:
Wagoxaam Mbos (I locked myself in the Mbos), a song with hidden meaning.), it is customary to cite the
incarnation prayer (
jat, muslaay, leemaay) to the
axe before cutting the tree down. In the myth, the baobab is seen as a "migratory tree" and thus linked to the first trees on Earth. It can also be an altar and in certain circumstances, a sacred burial place.
Somb After the ancients lost confidence in the
Saas, the
Somb tree (
prosopis africana a species of
prosopis) was adopted. The
Somb is one of the largest and most mysterious trees found in Serer country. Its wood is very hard and resistant to
rot. It is harder than
cailcedrat and
Okoumé. It is the same wood found in the Serer
tumuli that are still intact for over a thousand years. The pegs lining the
burial chamber of the Serer notables
mummified and
interred in their tombs have not been not eaten away by
termites and are still intact in spite of the passage of time. In 1976–8, Descamp and his team carried out an
archaeological excavation of these ancient sites. Gold, silver, armour (a golden
pectoral in particular), metal and other
grave goods were found in these burial chambers. The town
Somb, in present-day
Senegal, took its name from this tree. The Somb tree is the symbol of
immortality in Serer religious symbolism. The
Somb is viewed as the
Tree of Life by most Serers who adhere to the tenets of
Serer religion. That is the
orthodox view.
Creation of animals (Ɓoxo-koƥ) in
Kruger National Park,
South Africa. There are two main varying versions regarding the creation of the first
animals (non-
humans). In both versions, the
jackal is believed to be the first animal on
Earth, and in accordance with the prevailing Serer view. Though there are differences in the interpretation, they converge on certain points in the wider understanding of the jackal's significance in Serer mythology. In one aspect, the jackal can be viewed as an
Earth-diver sent to Earth by Roog, in another, as a fallen
prophet for disobeying the laws of the divine. In one narrative, the myth does not mention it by name, but only allude to it or
"boxo-kob" The narrative provides a second indication of the behavior of the jackal during the crisis of the first creatures created by Roog. As one of the first animals on Earth that sprang out of first divine placenta, it desicicated the subsequent placenta from which the next phase of Roog's creation where to sprang out of. Roog then placed in the embryo of this animal, which was the largest of the creation, which included the eggs or seeds of all animals to come, including their
organisms and reproductive energies. After the gestation period, Roog projected the embryo of the Mbocor on Earth, which carried all the animals species on Earth. The embryo of Mbocor
acclimatized to the earth, feeding on grass and water. It grew rapidly reaching a considerable proportion, as it carried within it the
germs of
animal life. At the final stages of the gestation of the eggs and embryos that were within it, the animal ripped apart and released all the species within it. The female animals were created first, some spreading on land, in water, the mythical sea, etc. After delivering these animals, the Mbocor died, but animal life which came from the
creator deity, spread through the world. The
Yaal Pangool are the masters of the cult. In Serer mythology, there is a relationship between trees and the serpent. In the Serer religion, the
reincarnation of souls is a strongly held belief. When the dead leave the world of the living, their
souls or
"double" transforms into an animal, usually a snake, hence why it is
taboo in Serer culture to kill snakes. The Serer religion posits that, the souls of the dead must make their way to
Jaaniiw (the abode of good souls). The transformation into snakes (usually a black snake) is one of the first phases of their effort to reach
Jaaniiw. As they transform themselves into snakes, they hide in trees. A snake hiding in a tree has two main symbolic meanings. It can either mean that a person has died and his soul has
reincarnated (
Ciiɗ in
Serer language) or a person may die. If the latter is the case, then killing a snake would trigger their early death. Like the serpent and other animals, the cayman and the
manatee also holds significance in Serer mythology. The cayman is the guardian of the secrets of the past whilst the manatee holds the secrets of the future. The star is spread across the heavens and on Earth figuratively, symbolizing the sign of the supreme deity (Roog or Koox) and the image of man. The origins of the stars offers a somewhat contradictory account, and is linked to a pact between the
ostrich and the divine. According to the myth, the ostrich stood on a
sandy
valley looking around the wooded savannah that stretched around her. Feeling that the time had come to perform the
immemorial gesture of
its kind, it was immobilized due to the threats posed to its offspring. Each time it had managed to hide its eggs from other animals but on this occasion, a
deer was determined to have its offspring. Feeling powerless against the beast before her, the ostrich asked for Roog's protection and the supreme deity intervened by creating the stars, which inspired her to take her first stroke. Inspired by the powers of the deity, the ostrich drew five trails on the ground representing the stars of the heavens. The ostrich then invaded this space and deposited her eggs inside the star, covering them with sand. After that act, it cited the following prayer, placing herself and her offspring under the protection of the divine: ;In Serer "Xu xabatna, ba mup! Xu retna, ba gar! Xu garna, ba ret! Xu nutna ba ga! Xu ga'na, ba nut! Adna, kitim kiris! Mending meles! Wegoram a nun a Roog, Wagerna Roog, ba waag na mi tig!" ;In English "Who opens his mouth will close it again! Who closes his mouth will open it more! Who comes, he will not return! Who goes, he will return again! Who closes his eyes, that means more! Who sees, his eyes will be closed forever! Earth! Engulfed them in the dark! Without issue and without remission! I enclose you, in the name of Roog! They are powerless against Roog! Nothing can be against me!" Apart from evoking the ostrich, the myth plays a significant role in the adoption of the new religious symbol (the star) and its transmission to humankind. It is above all "
the beginning of the eggs" of the ostrich. The Star
Yoonir is a
religious symbol in the Serer religion. Its five branches are marked and observed in
the classical Ndut teachings. It is a Serer star and the symbol of the Serer people of
Sine. It has
religious, medicinal and nationalistic connotations among the Serers.
The Sun (Gulooxar) Guloxaar is a
psalm devoted to the
Sun-god as the
ancestors of the Serer people used to
worship the Sun – many still do (see also
Serer ancient history). The word
Guloxaar in simple Serer means the Sun. In a religious sense, it means "one who is bound to come". The Sun itself being a
star, it is attached to the Serer creation myth. The oldest and most secret prayer is devoted to the Sun ; In
English :You rise in the light! :You set in the light! :In your light, everything is right! ;Verse 2 In Serer :Gulooxar! Gulooxar! :Tu! Dunare! Dunare! :We dun! :Mee dun! :Kuu waagoonga gullin, :Fat a waag na mi tig! :Ndaa kuu Waageeroonga gulin :Baa waag na mi tig!
First rain (Ngam) The myth of
Ngam (
"Ngam jam, o yas jam") narrates the first time
rain (the essence of life) appeared on
planet earth. This narrative describes the event in a
chaotic manner. According to this myth, the first event was the opening of the heavens by Roog. When the heavens were opened, the sky threatened with heavy and shadowy clouds.
Tornado occurring in a straight line, swept through everything in its path, bearing
thunder in the
clouds. Bright
lightning rendered the darkness, and the waters of the heavens first littered by the wind, splashed in every direction, before turning into regular, refreshing and nourishing showers. The proverb
Ngam jam, o yas jam (rain in peace! Sow in peace) is the first word Serer farmers utter during the
first rain. It is also the way the Serers wish each other happy New Year. As well as an expression, it also a religious prayer. The first rain of the season is a pact between the transcendent power and humanity. It is a sign of life which continues to be transmitted by this tutelary power, which has long respected the pact. Custom dictates that, the first three steps on the damp earth of the first rain to be made barefooted in order to connect with mother nature. The father or the mother of the family would be given a
calabash of the water of the first rain, for the whole family to drink. This water is holy and is viewed as sacred which would protect them from all misfortunes that may occur during the rainy season. Under the Saas tree, containers were placed under it to collect the water that touches the tree. This water was used for bathing as a sign of protection. The second human was a male named YOP (var:
YOB).) were the first humans that walked the
Earth according to the narrative. The ancient and sacred village of Yaabo-Yabo (var:
Yaboyabo or
YABO-YABO, in present-day
Senegal) also derives its name from this couple. It is said that the first humans on Earth (YAAB and YOP - female and male respective) boarded this ark when they left the
Empyrean Heaven after their creation by the supreme deity (Roog). The ark of Yaabo-Yabo is in wood, believed to be made from the
Somb tree. In the Serer pre-colonial
Kingdom of Sine, it is called
MAAK (var:
Maak), except in
Diohine (a former territory of Sine in
Serer country) where it is called
Badir. with Unan being the woman and Ngoor the man. Although not the first human couple that the supreme deity Roog (or Koox) had created, The talismans were to protect them from the supernatural being that had entered their realm. It also evokes the name of Roog, regarded as the
Omnipotence, whom through his paternal nature, acted as a good
father and moved the woman to a more comfortable place when she complained about her discomfort. However, the crisis did not end there, as this narrative from
A leep shows: :"A conflict broke out between all beings. :Trees, animals and men were killing each other. :Roog intervened and punished them all. :He reduced the size of men, who were originally
giants. :He
paralyzed and rendered the trees dumb and blind. :But he did not render them deaf. :That is why the trees no longer see, no longer move, no longer speak, but they hear. :Roog rendered the animals mad. :The smallest resisted Roog. :But man's spirit was the cleverest. :Through his spirit, he dominated all these beings." The narrative reflects human hostility towards animals especially the lion, "the savage beast". The original cause of the war also identifies the monkey, whose predecessors in that ancient past is believed to be closer to humans, like all animals and plant, from the same divine placenta." It also represents a
microcosm of the slaughtering of animals by humans, accompanied by their dogs in their
hunting camps subsequent to the initial creation. This disorder led to Roog's direct intervention and its reorganisation of the Universe which the narrative says would have repercussions for Planet Earth.
Roog's reorganisation of the Universe After the initial crisis on
Planet Earth where humans, animals and plants fought against each other, Roog intervened and punished them all. The tradition states that, Roog was the father and mother of its creation who initially afforded some freedom to its first creation. However, after the first disorder, Roog organised the world on new foundations. That reorganisation was not a second creation but it would have profound effects on the Universe and particularly on Earth. Roog manifested its powers and will continue to manifest it. Serer phrases such as
"Roog alone is king" and
"We all come from the hand of Roog" are examples of
conscience decision of divine intervention in the events of life, as in the destiny of nations and human kind. Roog will be present in the activities of humans and the cosmos. Though the trees were the hardest hit by their immobility, trees were afforded special status, such as the tree of life, ability to heal, homes to certain spiritual entities and ability to hear humans beings even the Pangool. They are the object of respect in Serer society.
Deforestation in Serer country is almost unheard of. In Serer cosmogony, the Universe is represented
schematically. There were three worlds: the invisible world from above; the diurnal terrestrial world and the nocturnal world. A
geometric representation of these three worlds form the
Serer star.
The invisible world from above The invisible world represents the vital energies which originates from the transcendent powers of
Roog, which spreads worldwide. The supreme being is the source of all life in the cosmos as well as human beings. In the world of Roog, certain entities and elevated humans are afforded sacredness and called upon to live with Roog. They form the demi-gods, saints and ancestral spirits (Pangool), etc.
The diurnal terrestrial world The diurnal terrestrial world is represented around a network of topical or utopian transcendence. Topically, it is centred around the sacred, people or accessible places.
Utopianly, it resides in the imagination. There are two types of people on Earth: visible
human beings and the invisible, living far away from human beings with their own paths and dwelling place. These invisible people, reside in the
souterrain world.
The nocturnal world (Jaaniiw) Jaaniiw is the abode where the souls of the dead go. Their star is not the sun (the star which illuminates the diurnal world), but the moon which illuminates the activities of the night and
beings of the night. Flying from
Jaaniiw to
Ciid, their aim is to return to earth for a new course of
human evolution. ==Influence in Senegambian culture==