Serer-Laalaa
TheSerer-LaalaaorLaalaaare part of theSererethnic group ofSenegambia(Senegaland theGambia). They live in Laa (var: Lâ), theLéhar Region,which comprises eighteen villages north ofThiesand whose inhabitants are Serer-Laalaa. Although the people are ethnically Serer, their languageLaalaa(or Lehar) is not a dialect of theSerer-Sine language,but—likeSaafi,Noon,NdutandPalor,one of theCangin languages.[1]
Other names[edit]
Serer-Lehar, Serer-Lehaar, Serer-Laalaa, Serer-Laal, Serer-Lala,Laalaaor just Serer.
Culture[edit]
Their language,Laalaa or Lehar,is one of theCangin languages,closely related to theNoonandSaafilanguages, and more distantly related toSerer proper.[2]
They are people who once practicedagro-pastoralactivities. Nowadays, agricultural activities predominate their lives. Livestock has been virtually decimated by repeateddroughtsin the late 1990s. The Laalaa have a younger generation of many intellectuals, a typicalSerertraite.[3][4]
Population[edit]
The number of speakers of their language is 12,000 in Senegal excludingthe Gambiawhere they are also present.[5]As part of the Serer ethnic group, they collectively make up the third largest ethnic group inSenegalnumbering over 1.8 million.[6] The Laalaa (also called Léhar) are mostly found in the north ofThiesaround the villages of Pambaal, Bargaro and Duuña.[7]
They have about 18 villages namely: Baam, Bapat, Bargaro, Besi, Bicoona, Duuñë, Gogona, Haak, Jalkin, Jëëfuñ, Joy, Kaadaan, Kii, Kolobaan, Pambal, Sowaaboon, Tuuba and Yindën. The Laalaa are also found outside the region of Thies. A large Laalaa community migrated between 1984 and 1986 to Saal Ngeen in theTambacounda Region.[8]
History[edit]
Religion[edit]
They practice theSerer religionwhich involvesancestor veneration,covering all dimensions of life, death and space.[9][10]Some Serer-Laalaas are Christians or Muslims whose conversion is very recent (like most Serer converts to Islam[11]).[11][self-published source]Both the Christian and Muslim groups mix it with Serer religion whilst the Ultra orthodox follow orthodox Serer religion.
See also[edit]
Related peoples[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^Papa Oumar Fall. Language classification: "Sereer dialects" or "cangin languages", African Linguistics Congress WOCAL6, Cologne 2009
- ^Guillaume Segerer& Florian Lionnet 2010."'Isolates' in 'Atlantic'"Archived2012-03-31 at theWayback Machine.Language Isolates in Africaworkshop, Lyon, Dec. 4
- ^Manirakiza Elvis. "L'impact de la croissance et de l'inégalité sur l'évolution de la pauvreté au Sénégal." Université de Sherbrooke. 2009.ISBN0-494-42990-9
- ^Gilles Blanchet. "Élites et changements en Afrique et au Sénégal." 1983
- ^Ethnologue.com. Figure as of 2007
- ^Agence Nationale de la Statistique et de la Démographie
- ^Papa Oumar Fall. Contribution to phonology Laalaa (Talking Bargaro), Master Thesis, UCAD, Dakar, 2004-2005
- ^Papa Oumar Fall. Pronouns laalaa, DEA, UCAD, Dakar, 2006.
- ^Thiaw, Issa Laye,"La Religiosite de Seereer, Avant et pendant leur Islamisation",Ethiopiques no: 54, Revue semestrielle de Culture Négro-Africaine. Nouvelle série, volume 7, 2e Semestre 1991
- ^Gravrand, Henry,"La Civilisation Sereer - Pangool", Les Nouvelles EditionsAfricainesduSenegal,1990, p 9,ISBN2-7236-1055-1
- ^abAbbey, M T Rosalie Akouele.Customary Law and Slavery in West Africa.Trafford Publishing, 2011.ISBN1-4269-7117-6,p 481-482
Bibliography[edit]
- Gambian Studies No. 17. “People of the Gambia. I. The Wolof. With notes on the Serer and Lebou” By David P. Gamble & Linda K. Salmon with Alhaji Hassan Njie. San Francisco 1985
- Senegambian Ethnic Groups: Common Origins and Cultural Affinities Factors and Forces of National Unity, Peace and Stability. By Alhaji Ebou Momar Taal. 2010
- Elisa Daggs. All Africa: All its political entities of independent or other status. Hasting House, 1970.ISBN0-8038-0336-2,ISBN978-0-8038-0336-7
