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Wolofization orWolofisation is a cultural andlanguage shift whereby populations or states adoptWolof language or culture, such as in theSenegambia region. InSenegal, Wolof is alingua franca[1][2][3] The Wolofization phenomenon has taken over all facets ofSenegal and encroaching onGambian soil.[3] This phenomenon has caused other Senegambian ethnic groups great concern and resulted in taking steps to preserve their languages and culture. In this regard, theSerer ethnic group who have hada long history fighting against Islamization and Wolofization have been taking active steps in the past decades by setting up associations and other organisations in order to preservetheir languages, culture and "ancient religious past."[4][5][6] Haalpulaar speakers, namely theFula andToucouleur have also been taking steps to preserve their language.[7]
Many people argue that since Wolof is the lingua franca in Senegal, it should be the official language.[8]
The Wolofization phenomenon taking place inSenegal and encroaching onGambian soil has been criticised by manySerer,Mandinka and Haalpulaar (Fula andToucouleur) intellectuals.[9][4][10][11][12][13] Serer historian and authorBabacar Sedikh Diouf view Wolofization as destructive to the languages and cultures of the other Senegambian ethnic groups such as Serer,Jola, Mandinka, Fula, etc., and calls for a "controlled osmosis" betweenWolof and other ethnicities. In his view, Diouf regards Wolofization as a form of “uncontrolled” homogenization of Senegal by the Wolof.[11][12][9] His fellow Serer intellectualMarcel Mahawa Diouf, along with Mandinaka intellectualDoudou Kamara, and Haalpulaar intellectualsYoro Doro Diallo andCheikh Hamidou Kane share Diouf's sentiments.[9] The historian and author Marcel Mahawa Diouf offers a more drastic solution for dealing with the "Wolofization problem". Since the Wolof are a mixture of the various ethnic groups of theSenegambia region, and that, even their language (theWolof language) is not actually the language of the Wolof in origin, but the original language of theLebu people, Marcel Mahawa calls for an alliance between all non-Wolofs who have had historic alliances with each other. In effect, that would be the Serers, Toucouleurs,Soninke people (Sarakolés), Sossés (Mandinka), Jola, and Lebou. The sole purpose of revisiting these ancient alliances (where one tribe calls for help and another answers, commonly known in Senegambia asgamo, from the old Serer termgamohou orgamahou ("to find the lost heart", itself an ancientSerer religious festival[14]) is to disconnect the Wolof thereby disinheriting them from the Senegambia region and its history.[9]
| Official language | ||
|---|---|---|
| Indigenous languages | ||
| Sign languages | ||
| Immigrant languages | ||
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