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TheSerer creation myth is the traditionalcreation myth of theSerer people ofSenegal, theGambia andMauritania. Many Serers who adhere to the tenets of theSerer religion believe these narratives to besacred. Some aspects of Serer religious andNdut traditions are included in the narratives contained herein but are not limited to them.
The Serer people have manygods,goddesses[1] andPangool (theSerer saints and ancestral spirits represented bysnakes),[2] but one supreme deity andcreator calledRoog (orKoox in theCangin languages[3]).
Serer creation myth developed from Sereroral traditions,Serer religion,legends, andcosmogonies.[4][5] The specifics of the myth are also found in two main Serer sources:A nax andA leep. The former is a short narrative for a shortmyth orproverbial expression, whilst the latter is for a more developed myth.[6] Broadly, they are equivalent toverbs andlogos respectively[clarification needed], especially when communicating fundamentalreligious education such as the supreme being and thecreation of the Universe. In addition to beingfixed-Serer sources, they set the structure of the myth.[6]
The creation myth of the Serer people is intricately linked tothe first trees created onPlanet Earth by Roog. Earth's formation began with aswamp. The Earth was not formed until long after the creation of the first three worlds: thewaters of theunderworld; theair which included the higher world (i.e. thesun, themoon and thestars) and earth. Roog is the creator and fashioner of the Universe and everything in it. The creation is based on a mythicalcosmic egg and theprinciples of chaos.[5][7]
There are slightly different and competing versions of the myth. However, there are more similarities than differences, and the differences complement each other in the greater understanding of Serer creation mythology.[4][5] They all posits that,the Universe and everything in it were created byRoog (orKoox among theCangin), and the creation of Planet Earth was a result of aswamp which the first tree grew within. The first three worlds created through amythical egg and under the principles of chaos were: the waters of theunderworld, the air including the higher world and earth. These three were the firstprimordial worlds created by the supreme being throughthought,speech andaction. Planet Earth was not created until long after the creation of these worlds. The contentious points are, which of the main sacred trees in Serer society (below) grew not just first, but also within theprimordial swamp on Earth:
The importance of these trees are crucial to the formation of Earth, at least in the Sererworldview and their genesis are addressed in their relevant sections. Being the first tree does not necessarily equate to being the first living thing on Earth. In the creation myth, animals such as thejackal,hyena, theserpent andostrich figure prominently in the competing creation narrative. In some narratives, trees and animals merge in order to justify their legitimacy. These mythical animals may be seen assacred andtotems, in theSerer totemic andsentient worldly-view ofanimals andnature in general. The significance of trees in the Serer creation myth does not mean the dwelling place of the supreme deity, neither do they mean the dwelling place of thedevil. They are dwelling places for the sanctified ancestral spirits (Pangool). Thecult of the tree issymbolic inSerer religion.[5] Thefeminine world also played a crucial role in the creation process of theUniverse and the first-humans.[5][6] This is linked to theSerer philosophy of beauty[10] and Serer-numbers found inSerer religious symbolism, withnumber 3 symbolizing the feminine world,[6]number 4 themasculine world andnumber 7 (3 + 4) representingbalance and perfection, something the Serers try to achieve in their daily lives and the environment they find themselves in.[11]
Before the existence of the Universe, Roog existed by itself.[12] There was nothing but silence and darkness.[12] The Serer notion of balance and perfection illustrates the creation of the higher spiritual order and corresponds to themotif ofchaos. Its creation was the union of male and female principles, with Roog, the supremetranscendental principle entity, becoming the embodiment of an androgynous Godfather and Godmother. However, it is from the female component of the supreme being:"Noo tiig tew" ("out of a femalewomb" -ex utero), that the divine brought forth the ancestors of modern humans, with afemale, being the first to be created.[13] There was amythical speech − the firstword[s] uttered by the supreme being. All the competing versions attest to that. This myth is the general consensus and represents theabsolute truth in Serer primordial time.[13] A major competing myth, also based on chaos, postulates that, there was originally a series of explosions. However, it agrees pretty much with the accepted view that trees and animals were the first to be created.[14] Explosion first arose in the vegetable kingdom and the first treeSomb, according to this myth, bursted, which the seeds of all theplant species in the world sprang out (from its trunk) coveringPlanet Earth with life.[14] In all versions, Roog appears as both thecreator anddemiurge.
Serercosmogony is not as rich as theDogon's.Religious and ethnic persecution of the Serers for several centuries had resulted in their migration to and fro. In spite ofthis turbulent history, the Serer people have the richest cosmogony of all theSenegambian ethnic groups.[15]
The Serers relates the creation myth and the role ofspeech in theformation 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 orproverbial expression and is equivalent to averb. The latter (A leep) is more advanced and details themythical 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 toverb andlogos, especially when communicating fundamentalreligious education relating to the supreme deity and thecreation of the Universe.[6] They form the structure and sources under which the creation narrative is based.[6]"A leep", the logos, isfixed.[6]
The creation of the Universe is based on several parts (see below):
The source of the Universe is attributed to the feminine and maternal nature of Roog. InSerer symbolism, thenumber 3 is attributed to the feminine world. This number is the ingredient of the creation process. There were threeessential elements, three parts of thecosmos and three worlds.[7]This triplerhythm of Roog and the cosmos is also found in women as the Serer myth relates it:
The phrase"Tiig Tew" is attributed to the feminine body ofmotherhood and is equivalent to the generalsaying ofMother Earth.[7] The phrase"No tiig tew" translates to"out of a female womb" -ex utero.[13] The language here is symbolic.[7] The Serer religion and oral tradition confers to Roog some rather realistic aspects of the initial creation. There were three phases in thegestation of the creatures within the devine being:
Roog did not create, nor did it engender allbeings of all kinds. It simply created thearchetypes, not theprototype of eachspecies, but seven archetypes namely:' the three essential elements (air, earth and water) and the top fourseeds (the first tree, first animal and the first human couple - female, then male[5]).[7][13]
The genesis of the Universe is found in"A nax" and"A leep". Which posits that: "Inthe beginning, there wasnothing butdarkness andsilence until the pre-existent being, Roog, began the genesis of theworld[17]" [theUniverse[18]]. The Serer oral tradition does not speak of Roog's gestation, probably due to culturaltaboo, but only when the mythical word was uttered and what was uttered by the supreme being, which is found inA nax. According toA nax, the first mythical words spoken by Roog were:
WATER! AIR! EARTH![19]
A leep details the scene of the primordial time in the following terms:
Which translates to:
The mythical words established the three worlds (water, air and earth) based on theprologue of the Serer genesis provided byA nax.[17] InA leep, it gives the order in which they were created and elaborated on it.A leep posits that, with the words of Roog, the three worlds (theUniverse) began to take shape. The first to be created was the deep sea waters (waters of theunderworld); the second wasair including the high heavens (Kuul na, inSerer) such as thesun, themoon and thestars; and third was earth. However, theEarth was not one of the first primordial worlds to be formed. It will take a long time before the waters and the Earth were separated.[21]
The creation ofPlanet Earth is based on the myth ofNqaul (a type of tree -Mitragyna inermis).[22] In this myth, the formation of the Earth was started by aswamp.[22] Swamps are integral toSerer culture and traditions and have parallels with this Nqaul. The foundation of Serer villages, towns, homes, etc., in many cases, began with a swamp, even today.[22]Nqaul is also significant in thehistory of the Serers. At a time whenrainfall were plentiful, during the rainy season, thefounders of ancient Serer villages and towns were often surprise when the first rainfalls broughtflooding (seeSaltigue).[22]Calibrated archaeological dating have shown that, many of the places they had chosen to settle next to wereshoals.[22][23][24] Serer tradition states, on one occasion, the flooding caused severe damage resulting in many people losing their homes, crops and food they hadfarmed. After the damage, the people who escaped returned to assess the damage and commiserated each other. They recalled an ancient myth − the myth ofNqaul:[22]
This phrase evokes theprimordial swamp and theNqaul tree which grew within the original swamp.[22] This tradition is still retained by the Serers as thesaying is so widespread inSerer country.[22] It is a different kind of tree toSaas (acacia albida).[22] Whilst some Serer sources postulates that theSaas was the first tree on Earth, the Serer oral tradition states that theSaas was notNqual (the original tree in the swamp). Instead,Saas is attributed to one of the sacred trees useful for overall-bodilyhealth.[22] Another sacred tree − theNquƭ, is also thought to have been the first tree. However, the general consensus is that theNquƭ which has the properties to curesnakebite grew on theriver bank whilstNqual grew inside the primordial swamp.[22]
According to the Serer narrative, this initialislet was not static, but animated by a whirl around theaxis of the world. The Serers were able to symbolize the Earth's axis and the whirl in ageometrical diagram. InSerer cosmology, the diagram depicts two crossed lines representing the rotational motion and theintersection points representing the axis of the world. One of the lines depicts the axis running fromeast towest, the other fromnorth tosouth. Simultaneously, they are theEmpyrean Heaven where the supreme deity is said to have given way to the first elements. In the myth, Roog is portrayed as the mythical deity who somehow "turned its self on". As the deity rotate in space, its rapid motionsexpanded with the primordial world it had first created.[25] Roog's motion also affected the axis of thecosmos. Thevital energies it had emitted, rotated in aspiral motion thereby creating thecelestial objects.[25]
Since the time of theancient Serer Lamanes, the Serer people have represented the axis of the world in the form of astele, symbolizing the steles of Roog.[25] In the Serer home, sometimes in the courtyard, they represent the most sacred place of the house servicing as thecentre of gravity ofdivine energies and one of thepoles of thecoronation. In the home, these steles are made of wooden slabs, forming asacred wood. Sometimes they are raised steles supported by three rods and sometimes they are just green trees. There symbolism can be celestial or terrestrial depending on the arrangement of rods that surround them. If there are twelve rods arranged in acircle, they symbolize the celestial world, four rods forming asquare symbolizes the earthly world. They are always built based on the tenets of Serer symbolism, and form the familyshrine devoted to the supreme being (seeSerer ancient history).[25]
The creation of the firsttrees andvegetation are preserved in the Sereroral tradition. TheSerer 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 thePangool (theancient Serer saints and ancestral spirits represented bysnakes) affiliated with them, theirmedicinal and spiritual value to Serer life, etc. SomeSerer families are also associated with certain Pangool (singular:Fangool). The Serer priestly class (theSaltigues), 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.[28] These differences are probably due to the vast areasthe proto-Serers once inhabited.[28] At present, theNqaul (proper:NGawul,[9] var:Ngaul[8] or -mitragyna inermis) andNquƭ tree represents theorthodox and prevailing Serer view,[28] hence in the myth of Earth's creation, aplanet which was supposed to have come about as a result of a primordial aswamp, theNqaul tree grew within the swamp whilst theNquƭ grew on theriver bank thereby making them the first trees on Earth according to the Serer creation mythology, withNqaul taking precedence as it grew within the primordial swamp.[28] In the creation myth,Saas is afforded high spiritual and medicinal status as one of the ancient trees, and form part of Serer representation of the Universe. However, it was not the original tree, and it was the tree that fell in "disgrace" after it tried to "abuse its powers".[28]
Apart from being the first tree and linked to Earth's creation, many of the original narratives ofNqaul has been lost to history. InSerer country, it is used both as amedicinal andveterinary plant for curing variousailments. The leaves are used againstfever, hypertension and to stimulate theintestine; barkdecoction fordiuretic and to stimulates the intestines againsthypertension and fever, etc. The barks are also applied towounds in order to improve the healing process.[29]
TheNquƭ tree (proper:NGuƭ,[9] variation:Ngud[8] -guiera senegalensis) is highly prized for itsmedicinal properties and is used for curing different kinds of illnesses, wounds andsnakebites. TraditionalSerer healers specializing in snakebites often use the dried powder in theirtherapies.[28]
In the Serer narrative, the roots of the tree were believed to move in theunderworld for survival. After the initial trees were created, then came other trees. These new trees would send their roots to the closestNquƭ in order to feed from it before starting theiroverwintering. After waiting out the winter months, the nourishment they had received from theNquƭ prior to their overwintering increased theirtrunk growth.[28]At that time, trees moved and talked. They were migratory trees.[30] 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".[28] In the village ofLang o Maak (now part of present-daySenegal), the tree isvenerated:xu'doox o'baal (bigguiera senegalensis tree in the shape of a pot). At the time of theancients, the tree appeared one night and everyone saw it. Someone tried to cut it down and he ended up dead.[28]
The Serers believed that, alltrees are likehuman beings andanimals out of the samedivine placenta and share the same fate and destiny.[28]
TheSaas tree (inSerer and someCangin languages, var:Sas) is theacacia albida tree.
Serer advocates forSaas postulates that, theSaas is thetree of life, and therefore, theorigin of life onEarth.[4] Others reject that view, and posits thatSaas was not the tree that grew within the primordial swamp and therefore, not the original tree. However, Saas is afforded religious and medicinal status useful for overall bodily health and is viewed as one of the ancient trees but not the original tree. Like theNqual tree, many of the original narratives have been lost to history. In these contrasting views, somescholars of Serer tradition on the origins of life postulates that, theSaas narrative seems to fit the widerWest African creation myth in terms of behaviour and judgement, and any scholar of Serer mythology on the origins of life cannot overlook the importance ofSaas.[4][31]
In this myth, thetranscendence is reported to have infused with the acacia seed vital for energy, and the Saas played a pivotal role in the transmission of life.[4][31]It is believed that, the Saas was once a living tree. The narrative went on to say that, women who wanted to give birth went to it because it was considered to be a lucky tree in the wider Serer mythology and legend. Newborns were also presented to the Saas in order to bring good luck, long life, good health and prosperity to the child's life. In similarity, if an animal went near Saas it was destined to live a long life. According to the myth, the Saas loved human beings and perhaps too much. It would sometimes lower itsthorny ends so people can give it a hug. Anyone who saw that immediately knew the Saas wanted their company.[4] It did not move untilsunset. 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 nameNyas, a name which has two meanings:scar orclot. 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 thefertility tree.[32] In the Serer representation of the Universe, theMyth of Saas forms part of the geometric diagram.
The Saas is believed to possess fertilizing qualities which is concentrated in itsgreen branches andmoisture. 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 foreight days (theBat ceremony[33]). The ritual was to ward ofevil spirits and as such, a small Saas from acrossroad 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.[34]
Saas also played a major role inancient Serer funerals. As well as accompanying the dead withgrave goods, a stick of Saas was placedinside the tomb of a dead Serer. The purpose of this ritual was to help thedead move on toJaaniiw (the abode of souls). If this ritual was not performed, thesouls 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 acalabash placed at the entrance of the house. This calabash contained branches of Saas soaked in water. Unlike the trees of thesavannah that lose their leaves during thedry 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.[34]
The Saas tree has an economic value to the Serers. Its dualeconomic role benefits both theagricultural andpastoral Serers. A Saas tree in a field ofmillets increases millet production. The leaves fertilize the soil, the branches and fruit act as a sort ofmeadow which saves air thereby preventing Sererherds from starvation. There is also a relationship between Saas density perhectare and the demographic pressure per hectare. An abundant Saas allowscrop rotation andintensive farming such as the triangularDiohine-Ngayokhem-Ñakhar (parts ofSerer country). In spite of the allegations levied against it by the ancients, many Serers still believeSaas to be the tree of life, the sacred and thetranscendence.[28][34]
Based on the myth ofMbos (gardenia ternifolia), thembos was the first tree created by the supreme being. However, it grew and kept growing until it reached the supreme being. The creator deity got angry with it, cut off its head and said: "Tree of mbos, return to Earth". Shamed by the words of the deity, the mbos tree quickly returned to earth with its branches intertwined so that no one can climb it or pass under its shadow.[5] When Roog created the ancestors ofmodern humans (maak - the great or elder), these ancient beings according to the myth hid under the mbos tree. After the creation of these beings, Roog created thedong (the younger). These new beings, wondered the earth trying to find themaak, whom they found hidden under the mbos tree. From that day on, the mbos tree became much in demand for makingprotective charms.[5] In Serer symbolism, the mbos is the symbol of protection.[35] Mbos meansmiscarriages, as in the song chanted at night by the initiates inNdut classical teachings:Wagoxaam Mbos (I locked myself in the Mbos), a song with hidden meaning.[35]
Thebaobab tree (mbudaay-baak) also holds great religious significance among the Serers and in Serer religion. Like most revered trees in Serer mythology, before this tree can be cut (which is very rare[36]), it is customary to cite theincarnation prayer (jat, muslaay, leemaay) to theaxe before cutting the tree down. In the myth, the baobab is seen as a "migratory tree"[37] and thus linked to the first trees on Earth. It can also be an altar and in certain circumstances, a sacred burial place.[5][38]
After the ancients lost confidence in theSaas, theSomb tree (prosopis africana a species ofprosopis) was adopted. TheSomb is one of the largest and most mysterious trees found in Serer country. Its wood is very hard and resistant torot. It is harder thancailcedrat andOkoumé. It is the same wood found in the Serertumuli that are still intact for over a thousand years. The pegs lining theburial chamber of the Serer notablesmummified andinterred in their tombs have not been not eaten away bytermites and are still intact in spite of the passage of time. In 1976–8, Descamp and his team carried out anarchaeologicalexcavation of these ancient sites. Gold, silver, armour (a goldenpectoral in particular), metal and othergrave goods were found in these burial chambers. The townSomb, in present-daySenegal, took its name from this tree. The Somb tree is the symbol ofimmortality in Serer religious symbolism. TheSomb is viewed as theTree of Life by most Serers who adhere to the tenets ofSerer religion. That is theorthodox view.[13][39] In the creation myth, it is the only tree that provides a strong challenge to theNqual tree. WhileNqual was the first three onEarth since it grew within the primordial swamp, the Somb tree, is theseed that produced it and all theplant species that populated the world.[39]
The creation of Somb by the supreme being is found within thehermeneutics ofSerer religion andtraditions. Bythought, Roog first plotted the shapes of all the trees or plant species yet to come. Through the mythical words, Roog fashioned its placenta on the primordial seed − the seed of theSomb tree. Within this seed, Roog placed all the plant species including their reproductiveenergies −male andfemale. Through its feminine principle, Roog opened up and "projected thegerm of Somb" which became the bearer of all the plant species found on earth and theunderworld. The Somb seed penetrated the earth, the placenta of Roog where it took root and grew. Growing from this placenta, it kept all the plant species within its trunk. When it became a big tree, its trunk swelleddiminutively and opened up as if bycaesarean section orexplosion. From this event, it opened up all the plant species found on Earth, and the rotational movement of theUniverse scattered them all over the world.Thus, the vegetable seeds fashioned in thedivine egg and deposited in the Somb, brought forth by Roog, were projected into space at the time of the explosion of Somb. This is how the Earth began to be covered with grass, plants and trees. Thus the vegetable seeds were modeled within the supreme being (Roog) and its outputs ex utero. The primordial mythical tree − Somb, was thevector andtransmitter of these seeds, carrying their own principles ofreproduction. Fertalized by these germs of life, thewetland was carpeted withvegetation and the firstforests came into being.[39]
-_rare_sighting_of_this_nocturnal_animal_..._(13799101285).jpg)
There are two main varying versions regarding the creation of the firstanimals (non-humans). In both versions, thejackal is believed to be the first animal onEarth, and in accordance with the prevailing Serer view.[5][40] 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 anEarth-diver sent to Earth by Roog, in another, as a fallenprophet for disobeying the laws of the divine. In one narrative, the myth does not mention it by name, but only allude to it[40] or when it does, the negative connotations are made obscure, because of its former closeness to the divine before it was disgraced for disobeying the laws of Roog from whose womb it grew out of.[40]
The creation of the original animals comes from the myth of Ɓoxo-koƥ (var:"o ɓoox o koƥ"[41] or"boxo-kob"[5]) which translates to: the dog of the forest (the jackal).[5]
In the first narrative, the creation was marked by the emergence of theacacia and the jackal.[40] The following narrative provide further information on the behaviour of the jackal though obsecurely:
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.[40]The text is deliberately obscure. Respect for the supreme being and all the entities incurred in the genesis of the Universe is key in Serer religion and tradition as well as the jackal myth which was close to Roog before being transformed into the dog of the forest (orpale fox according to some).[5][40] This is why it is not named, but only by allusion. The jackal was the first intelligent creature on earth, before the arrival of humans. It is believed that will still remain on earth after human beings have returned to the divine.[40] The Serers believe that, not only does it know in advance who will die, but it traces the tracks in advance of those who will go to funerals. The movements of the jackal are carefully observed, because the animal is viewed as aseer[40] who came from the transcendence and maintains links with it. Although believed to be rejected in the bush by other animals and deprived of its original intelligence, it is still respected because it dared to resist the supreme being who still keeps it alive.[40]
Issa Laye Thiaw's "myth de la creation de sereers" provides a further account on the jackal. In this myth, it is named and damned but the narrative is still obscure:
According to the legend ofƁoxo-koƥ (dog of the forest[5] or "wild dog" (figuritively)[41] -jackal), the jackal was the first living thing created by the supreme deityRoog. The jackal circled the world in a day and two of itshands were transformed intopaws. The supreme being gave it thengud tree (guiera senegalensis) and thusngud became the first tree and the second thing created by Roog.[5] After the creation of ngud, thenalafun tree (combretum paniculatum) was created to whom the deity told: "Go and keep the ngud tree company, it is lonely".[5] During thelife cycle of the nalafun, thetree grow so tall that it headed towards the sky. The supreme being considered that an affront and gave it a sharp flick on the head (mak inSerer) and told it: "You are rude. Go! Turn around and go back to where you've just came from". After that event, the nalafun never grew tall as it once did and was always bent.[5]
Another narrative indicates that, all animals (non-humans) were created by some form ofworld parent, except the jackal. In this myth, Roog went through aperiod of gestation. Bythought, Roog planned this new creation, the animal world. By the mythical words, Roog realized the divine placenta and the internal gestation of the animalembryo calledMbocor.[43] 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 theirorganisms 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 Mbocoracclimatized to the earth, feeding on grass and water. It grew rapidly reaching a considerable proportion, as it carried within it thegerms ofanimal 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 thecreator deity, spread through the world.[43]
Although Mbocor was sacrificed in order to bring animal life on Earth, the narrative is imprecise on the identity of this animal.[40] Some postulates that it was probably the largest animal inAfrica, perhaps apachyderm such as:hippopotamus,rhinoceros,elephant, etc.[40] The wordMbocor means "The Mother" (or"Mother" in old Serer) − mother of all animals except the jackal.[44] It is also probable thatMbocor is the same asƁoxo-koƥ (the dog of the forest − "jackal"). However, at present, nobody knows what kind of animalMbocor was.[40] In any case, the Ɓoxo-koƥ (i.e. the jackal) is believed by most Serers who adhere to the tenets ofSerer religion to be the first living thing that the deity Roog (or Koox) put onEarth[5][40]
Theserpent is linked toSerer cosmology and mythology. The serpent itself is the symbol of thePangool (ancient Serersaints orancestral spirits). Fangool, the singular of Pangool means serpent in Serer language.[45] TheYaal Pangool are the masters of the cult.[46] In Serer mythology, there is a relationship between trees and the serpent. In the Serer religion, thereincarnation of souls is a strongly held belief. When the dead leave the world of the living,theirsouls or"double" transforms into an animal, usually a snake, hence why it istaboo in Serer culture to kill snakes. The Serer religion posits that, the souls of the dead must make their way toJaaniiw (the abode of good souls).[47][48] The transformation into snakes (usually a black snake) is one of the first phases of their effort to reachJaaniiw. 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 hasreincarnated (Ciiɗ inSerer language[49]) or a person may die. If the latter is the case, then killing a snake would trigger their early death.[5]
Thengaan mbul tree (celtis integrifolia) ora mboy xa nafad in particular, holds great significance in this reincarnation process. This tree supports the dual serpent-man, beneath which is a big hole where theundead take residence.[5]
Like the serpent and other animals, the cayman and themanatee 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.[52]
The Serer account regarding origins of thestars is found inSerer cosmology, especially the Star of"Yoonir" (inSerer andCangin) more commonly known as theStar of Sirius, Serer-numbers and symbolism.Yoonir (Sirius) is the Serer representation of theUniverse and thetranscendence. Its five branches symbolizehumans onEarth, standing up with their heads held high, their hands raised, which symbolizes work and prayer.[53] 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.[53] In Serer-numbers, three important numbers came into play at the time of the initial creation: number 3, number 4 and number 7. Number 3 represents thefeminine world as well as the divine; number 4 represents themasculine world as well as humans, and number 7 represents the divine in human beings, which is the perfect number and represents balance or harmony. Number 3 evokes thecelestial world and is represented by acircle. As in the Serer home, the twelve rods arranged in a circle around thestele of Roog symbolizes the space enveloped by the powers of the divine. Number 3 is thus the symbolic number of Roog whilst number 4 evokes thehuman and terrestrial world (the visible world). This Earthly world is represented by two crossed lines facing the fourcardinal points. In addition toSerer culture, it is for this religious reason why Serer women are allowed to participate in allreligious, political androyal institutions, because they share the same number with the divine who created the Universe through its feminine principle. For the Serer men, their number is 4. Fixed to the four cardinal points of the Earth, they were the "Masters of the Earth" (theLamanic class).[11]
The origins of the stars offers a somewhat contradictory account, and is linked to a pact between theostrich and the divine. According to the myth, the ostrich stood on asandyvalley looking around the wooded savannah that stretched around her. Feeling that the time had come to perform theimmemorialgesture ofits 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, adeer 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:[54]
"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!" |
"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!"[54]
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The otheranimals were unable to act against the offspring of the ostrich enclosed by the star thanks to Roog, who offered them total protection. Powerfulpredators also came to devour the eggs but they could not cross the lines engraved on the sand. The myth went on to say that ablackshepherd witnessed the hatching eggs. After the departure of the ostrich with her offspring, he came to the scene and discovered the star engraved on the spot where the eggs hatched. He understood that the star protected the eggs of the ostrich with the assistance of the supreme deity. It is for this reason Serer mums evoke the ostrich in their prayers for the protection of their children on their departure to another country.[55]
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 StarYoonir is areligious symbol in the Serer religion. Its five branches are marked and observed inthe classical Ndut teachings. It is a Serer star and the symbol of the Serer people ofSine. It hasreligious, medicinal and nationalistic connotations among the Serers.[56]
Guloxaar is apsalm devoted to theSun-god as theancestors of the Serer people used toworship the Sun – many still do (see alsoSerer ancient history). The wordGuloxaar in simple Serer means the Sun.[57] In a religious sense, it means "one who is bound to come".[58] The Sun itself being astar, it is attached to the Serer creation myth. The oldest and most secret prayer is devoted to the Sun[58] (excerpt):
InSerer
InEnglish
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In Serer
| In English (verse 2)
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These secret prayers are only revealed to young Serers on their journey to another country. It is only recited in the morning and at night, atsunrise andsunset. The second verse is a prayer ofadoration. Beyond the star is the master of theSolar System who isevoked. The supreme being is represented by the Sun. The Sun's bright light is just theepiphany of its being. The prayer has mystical connotations.[60]
The myth ofNgam ("Ngam jam, o yas jam") narrates the first timerain (the essence of life) appeared onplanet earth. This narrative describes the event in achaotic manner.[61] 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, bearingthunder in theclouds. Brightlightning 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.[62]
The proverbNgam jam, o yas jam (rain in peace! Sow in peace) is the first word Serer farmers utter during thefirst 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 acalabash 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.[56]
Before humans existed, there were three stages in the creation of the Universe and each of these steps followed a consistent order.[44] The first phase was the first three elements: air, earth and water. The mythical words ofRoog found inA nax, led to the formation of the heavens, earth and the sea.The second phase of the creation was the primordial trees (i.e. Somb, Nqaul, Nquƭ, etc.,). The third phase was the creation of the animal world: thejackal and"Mbocor" (which means "The Mother"[44]) - mother of all animals except the jackal.[44] In each of these phases, and before the creation of the first human couple, the supreme deity did not directly create each species, but only theprimogenitors who then went on to populate the world with all the species of plant and animal life.[44]The same was the case at the creation of the first humans.[44] Bythought, the supreme deity planned for the creation of human beings (a female and a male).[44] Bywords, Roog went through a gestation phase which signalled the gestation of man and woman, paired within the divine placenta.[44] Through its maternal nature, Roog projected a female and male human being as inchildbirth.[44] The first human was a female, named YAAB.[63] The second human was a male named YOP (var:YOB).[63]
YAAB and YOP (also known as Maak and Ndeb respectively, abbreviations of "Maakaan and Ndebaan" meaning 'the elder' and 'the younger' - respectively, or Ngooir Maak and Ngooir Ndeb[64][65][66]) were the first humans that walked theEarth according to the narrative. The ancient and sacred village of Yaabo-Yabo (var:Yaboyabo orYABO-YABO, in present-daySenegal) also derives its name from this couple.[44]
The ark of Yaabo-Yabo is believed to be an ancientrelic.[67] It is said that the first humans on Earth (YAAB and YOP - female and male respective) boarded this ark when they left theEmpyrean Heaven after their creation by the supreme deity (Roog).[67] This relic is believed to be under the guardianship of Yaabo-Yabo, one of the sacred villages in Serer religion.[67] It is one of thesacred Serer relics which holds great religious significance.[67]
The relic is believed to exist to the present which is well respected.[67] Most Serer houses[67][68] have in their possession ancient relics from the past including furniture which are jealousy guarded.[67][68] Some are religious while others are secular.[68][69] The ark of Yaabo-Yabo is in wood, believed to be made from theSomb tree. In the Serer pre-colonialKingdom of Sine, it is calledMAAK (var:Maak), except inDiohine (a former territory of Sine inSerer country) where it is calledBadir.[67] Guarded by the elders, it is shaped like a bench. It is believed that, when YAAB and YOP were born to Roog in its Empyrean Heaven, they were deposited in an ark and carried down to Earth. YAAB was the first to arrive as she was the first born then followed by YOP. When they arrived on Earth, the original twins made contact with Mother Earth who wouldnourish them.[67]
The legend ofUnan andNgoor probably dates back to theIron Age,[70] with Unan being the woman and Ngoor the man. Although not the first human couple that the supreme deity Roog (or Koox) had created,[70] like thelegend of Jambooñ and Agaire (seethe Point of Sangomar), they form a fundamental part of Serer mythology.[70] The legend agrees pretty much with the general consensus that a female was created first then a male. But in this narrative, it attempts to place Unan and Ngoor as the first human couple.
The talismans were to protect them from the supernatural being that had entered their realm.[70]
The nameUnan means one who pilemillet, figuratively, "the norisher".[70]Ngoor (orNgor) is a name for avirile man.[70] These names denote the function of the woman and the man but they are not their realnames.[70]The narrative evokes the first humans created by Roog with a female being the first, and the trials they had faced.[44] It also evokes the name of Roog, regarded as theOmnipotence, whom through his paternal nature, acted as a goodfather and moved the woman to a more comfortable place when she complained about her discomfort.[44] It shows that he is always available to his children.[44] The appearance of the man initially surprised the woman, whom she namedNgoor (virile), yet, they later became companions andprocreated.[44]
Originally, all theanimals onEarth lived together withhuman beings and trees in harmony. However, this peaceful habitation of the Earth came to an abrupt end when one of thelions impregnated a girl causing her togive birth to amonkey, a half man-half beast. The male society of this distant past were furious andsummoned all the animals to ahearing in order to determine theculprit.[72] The lion fearing for the punishment that it may receive from these men, refused to identify itself as the one responsible for the act until adog pointed it out as the culprit. A war broke out between the human population, the non-human animals and the trees. The humans were victorious and drove the animals in the bush except the dog who becameman's companion.[72] However, the crisis did not end there, as this narrative fromA leep shows:
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."[74]
It also represents amicrocosm of the slaughtering of animals by humans, accompanied by their dogs in theirhunting camps subsequent to the initial creation.[75] Not only did men hunted animals, but trees cut down those closest to them and animals killed each other, as found in the myth of thehyena and the talking tree.[75] This disorder led to Roog's direct intervention and its reorganisation of the Universe which the narrative says would have repercussions for Planet Earth.[76]
After the initial crisis onPlanet 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 ofconscience 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.[76]
Animals were also severely affected by Roog's judgement. Although rendered wild and "mad", they still retain their instinct, though their relations with humans would be changed forever. Some became human pets others retained their freedom away from human habitation. Despite this separation, animals are respected and would form part of Serertotemism.[76]
Humans were the least affected. The only thing they have lost was their original size and duration of life. Along with being giants, the first humans were believed to have had larger eyes and bigger bones than the present. Roog did not touch the human spirit. Instead, it allowed them to develop their minds and put their own branding on Earth.[76]
In Serer cosmogony, the Universe is representedschematically. There were three worlds: the invisible world from above; the diurnal terrestrial world and the nocturnal world. Ageometric representation of these three worlds form theSerer star.[78]The invisible world from above is the source of energies and life. The diurnal Earthly world (e.g. the sun) is divided into two strands: theSaas tree symbolizing thetree of life and human beings assisted by the nocturnal world (thePangool). The nocturnal world depicts the role of themoon, thePangool (ancient Serer saints and ancestral spirits),Ciid (proper, var:Ciiƭ orCyid, the disembodied souls in search ofre-hominisation or reincarnation) and"Jaaniiw" or"Honolu" (the sacred abode of the departed souls). After a sacrifice ofdomestic animals and/or offering ofmillet to the Pangool and ancestors, vital energies are returned.[78]
The invisible world represents the vital energies which originates from the transcendent powers ofRoog, 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.[79]
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: visiblehuman beings and the invisible, living far away from human beings with their own paths and dwelling place. These invisible people, reside in thesouterrain world.[79]
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 andbeings of the night. Flying fromJaaniiw toCiid, their aim is to return to earth for a new course ofhuman evolution.[79]
"As today a Moslem Head of state will consult the "sacred wood", and offer in sacrifice an ox or a bull, I have seen a Christian woman, a practicing medical doctor, consult the sereer "Pangol" [the snakes of the sacred wood]. In truth, everywhere in Black Africa, the "revealed religions" are rooted in the animism which still inspires poets and artists, I am well placed to know it and to say it [...]"
Just as theSerer religion has influenced the religious beliefs of Senegambia, Serer mythology has also influencedSenegambian culture.[81] Some of the most revered art in Senegambia, particularly in Senegal where the Serers make upthe third largest ethnic group are based on Serer mythology, legends andculture.[81] Some of these include the works ofSafi Faye (i.e.Mossane[81] andKaddu Beykat), works offirst president of Senegal the lateLéopold Sédar Senghor ("Chants pour Signare", apoem inspired bythe legend of Jambooñ and Agaire atthe Point of Sangomar,[82]"Chants d'ombre"[52][83] and"Aux tirailleurs Sénégalais morts pour la France"). The Sangomar legend also inspired president Senghor to name the Senegalese presidential plane purchased in 1978 afterSangomar. Other works influenced by Serer mythology, legend and culture include:Fama Diagne Sène's"Mbilem ou le baobab du lion" (a controversial play which alienated the Serer priestly class - theSaltigues),[84]Yandé Codou, la griotte de Senghor byYandé Codou Sène, Papa Amadou Fall and Cheikhou Coulibaly'sYatal Gueew (widening the circle) for the 2001 Senegalese election campaign,[85] thembalax which originated from the Serernjuup tradition, popularised byYoussou N'Dour andother Senegalese artists (seeNdut initiation rite), etc.[86] From a global perspective, they include the work ofCatherine Clément,Steve Cox and Ros Schwartz's -Theo's Odyssey.[87]
