 | |
| Royal titles | |
| Lamane (alsoreligious) | |
| Maad | |
| Maad a Sinig | |
| Maad Saloum | |
| Teigne | |
| Lingeer | |
| Line of succession | |
| Buumi | |
| Thilas | |
| Loul Religious titles | |
| Saltigue | |
Teigne (Serer:Teeñ, alternate spellings include Teñ, Teen, Teign, Tègne, Tin, or Tinou) was the title of themonarchs of the pre-colonialKingdom of Baol, now part of present-daySenegal.
The title "Teigne" wasSerer in origin.[1] Senegalese linquist, author, and professor of linguistic at theCheikh Anta Diop University, ProfessorSouleymane Faye notes that, the Serer term "foɗeen", which means "milk from the mother's breast", contains theradical "ɗeen", an altered form of "teen" which means "the breast".[2] This refers to the mother and the matrilineage.[3][2]
The Wolof folk etymology that Teigne mean "support placed on the head" or any article to be placed on the head, is based on patriarchy and somewhat recent, and does not tally with the historical mood of succession in Baol before the Faal family came on the throne—who changed the mood of succession from matrlineality to patrilineality. Teigne refers to matrilineage, through the mother's milk, and not articles that goes on the head. "Tange" is one of the many spelling variations of teigne, teen, or teeñ, and refers to the mother's milk (matrilineage) derived from the Serer word ɗeen, sometimes spelled ƭeen or den. This is theroot of the Serer termƭeen yaay orden yaay which means maternal inheritance or matrilineage.[4][3]
The first Teignes of Baol were members of theSoninke Wagadou (or Ouagadou) matrilineage had ruled much of theSenegambia region, and included members of the SererJoof paternal line, such as Boureh Joof (orBouré Diouf in French speaking Senegal) and Guidiane Joof (probably "Jegan" Joof).[5][6][7][8] The alliance between the Wagadou and the local Serers was similar to the later arrangement between the Serer andGuelowar matrilineage who largely supplanted the Wagadou in the 14th century.[9][10]
The last Serer king of Baol was Teigne Niokhor Njie (or Teeñ Niokhor Ndiaye), son ofLingeer Sobel Joof, a descendant ofMaad Ndaah Njemeh Joof. After his death, he was succeeded by his maternal nephewAmary Ngone Sobel Fall, a member of the Faal royal family of Cayor and Baol but Wagadou as well.[11][12] After the death of Teigne Niokhor Njie, the Serers completely lost power in Baol.[12]
The Faal dynasty (orFall in French), like many of their predecessors, were of Serer origin on the paternal side and Wagadou (Soninke) on the maternal side,[13] but becameWolofized, and saw themselves as Wolofs.
The Kingdom of Baol was part of theJolof Empire beginning in the 14th century. In 1549, the then-Prince of CayorAmary Ngone Sobel Fall, assisted by his cousin Prince Manguinak Joof of Baol, launched a rebellion against the Emperor in order to attain independence for their countries. That rebellion culminated in theBattle of Danki in which the Cayor–Baol alliance was victorious. Amary Ngoneh made his cousin ManguinakJaraaf Baol (equivalent of Prime Minister), and became the firstDamel-Teigne, ruler of both states.[14][15] This arrangement did not last, but many later rulers, includingLat Sukaabe Fall andLat Dior, also attempted to unite the two kingdoms in a personal union.
The last Teigne of Baol was Tanor Ngone Jeng (or Tanor Goñ Dieng), who reigned from 1890 to 3 July 1894.[16]
Baol was historically ruled by a maternal dynasty as it was in the Serer Kingdoms ofSine andSaloum. However, kings must come from one of the noble patrilineages, most often than not from the Serer lamanic families.[6][7][10]
The Faal paternal dynasty of Baol and Cayor saw a somewhat change in succession, with the emphasis being more on patrilineage than matrilineage, though the kings sought wives from the noble matrilineages such as the Wagadou,Mouïoy, Jaafun, Darobe, etc. The Faal family simply married into the old dynasty and continued the lineage. Although the Serer noble patriclans lost much of their dominance when the Faal family took power through marriage, the Wagadou lasted after 1549 following Danki, but were outsted in the 18th century whenLat Sukabe Ngoneh Jaye Faal took power and imposed his own matrilineage (Geej).[17]
Historically, the Teigne was chosen by a council of electors through a majority vote. These voters were themselves chosen by the"Baol-Baols" (natives of Baol). However, the voters must be descendants of the five great families of Baol, "probably from the originallamanal families" of Baol or "from the agents that the central power had installed in place of these former 'lamanes.'”[18]
The late Serer DivaYandé Codou Sène pays homage to theJoof family, originally of Baol, by singing the praises of Teigne Yoro Joof in her 1995 trackTeñ Yooro Waal Adaam Fañiing Feno Juufeen, from the albumGainde - Voices From the Heart of Africa withYoussou Ndour.[19][4] On that track, she sang the Teign's bravery, deeds and glory, and referred to him as the "elephant of the Joof family." The term elephant denoting giant i.e., a warrior. She then went on to state that his name, glory and reputation proceeds him. From Paataar, to Ngooxeem, and Mbaqaan, his name can be heard. And after naming certain members of the Joof family, referred to the Teigne as "the darling of the Joof family" — and concluded the track by naming the 19th centuryKing of Sine,Kumba Ndoffene fa Maak Joof, whom he nicknamed "Mbaye" — as perthe anthem dedicated to him following his victory against the Muslimmarabouts at theBattle of Fandane-Thiouthioune—which was precipitated by thesurprised attack at Mbin o Ngor, known as Mbetaan Keur Ngor in Wolof.[20][21]
