
Episodes

Monday Apr 11, 2016
Monday Apr 11, 2016
On Saturday, 9th April 2016, the Seereer Resource Centre and Seereer Radio's Cosaan Seereer team interviewed Professor Maara Jon live on the radio on matters relating to Seereer religion, culture and history. The first interview conducted live on Seereer Radio took place on 2nd April 2016. This audio is the second part of that live interview conducted on 9th April 2016. Members of the interviewing team consisted of Tamsier Joof (London, UK), Demba Sene (Dakar, Senegal) and Mamadou Fall (Sheffield, UK).
Date of first broadcast on Seereer Radio : Saturday, 9th April 2016
Presenters : Tamsier Joof, Demba Sene and Mamadou Fall
Interviewee : Professor Maara Jon
Source language(s) : Saafi-Saafi, Seereer-Siin, English and Wolof
Subjects covered : Seereer religious festivals; Raampa script; Seereer prayers and Seereer history.
Radio program : Cosaan Seereer
Radio station : Seereer Radio
Owner : The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC)
Collection : The SRC Collection
Date of recording : Saturday, 9th April 2016
Location of interviewee : Médina, Dakar, Senegal
Medium : Audio recording
Additional information : This audio was recorded for the SRC Collection, with permission to broadcast granted to Seereer Radio | The Voice of the Seereer Community (our 24 hour stream radio station).
Information about Professor Maara Jon (née. Aliou Dione) : Professor Maara Jon (or Professor Mara Joon) is a linguist, historian, researcher and author. He graduated from the University of Cheick Anta Diop (French: Université Cheikh Anta Diop or UCAD) and since 1974 has been a prominent researcher and author of Seereer (particularly Saafi) history, culture and religion. Professor Jon also attended the Centre de Linguistique Appliquée de Dakar (CLAD) under the supervision of Professor Souleymane Faye, a professor of linguistics at UCAD and a member of the SRC team. Prior to his academic career, Professor Jon had success in acting. His name Maara derived from a film he was in where he played the role of a marabout. His real Seereer name is Jig Jam Jon.
Professor Jon has had several peer-reviewed papers under his name, and has authored, co-authored or contributed to several papers and books including assisting Professor David Maranz in his research on the Seereer-Saafi Raampa script (1992). Some of his work include :
- "Saafi, ɓoo fiisaat peɗmi ɓoo ɓap" (Saafi, lisons et écrivons notre langue maternelle), Société Internationale de Linguistique, BP 2075, Dakar, Sénégal, 2000 (réédité en 2004) (author: Rokhaya Seck, in collaboration with Aliou Dione, Carol Larsen and Jorunn Dijkstra)
- "Le mythe de l'origine de l'héritage chez les Saafi" ((in Saafi: Cosaan-in Iam Saafi) [in] Notes africaines, Issues 181-190, Institut français d'Afrique noire, Institut fondamental d'Afrique noire, Institut fondamental d'Afrique noire Cheikh Anta Diop, Institut français d'Afrique noire (1984) (see page 25 and from page 43).
- "Le thème de la mort dans la littérature Seereer: Essai", author : Amade Faye, Contributor : Agence de coopération culturelle et technique, Nouvelles éditions africaines du Sénégal (1997), Credit : Aliou Dione - page 212, note 306
Note: You can have your say about this audio by leaving a comment below. Keep it clean and relevant.
Download transcript « Télécharger la transcription » :
Visit the Seereer Resource Centre download page to download a transcript of this audio in English, French, Seereer a Sinig, Saafi-Saafi, Ndut, Sili-Sili, Noon and Laalaa.

Saturday Mar 26, 2016
Saturday Mar 26, 2016
In December 2015, the Seereer Resource Centre in collaboration with our radio station (Seereer Radio) sent its research team to several parts of Seereer country to interview some notable and knowledgeable Seereer elders, historians / scholars on matters relating to Seereer religion, history and culture, so that we can document and preserve this before it is too late. This team was headed by Tamsier Joof and Demba Sene.
This is the first part of the interview they conducted with Professor Issa Laye Thiaw at his house in Diamagane Sicap. Dakar, Senegal. This audio is in two parts.
Date of first broadcast on Seereer Radio : Saturday, 26th March 2016
Presenters : Tamsier Joof, Demba Sene and Mamadou Fall
Interviewers : Tamsier Joof and Demba Sene
Interviewee : Professor Issa Laye Thiaw
Other panel members : Njaga Gaye and Momodou Secka
Source language(s) : Seereer-Siin, Saafi-Saafi, English, French and Wolof
Subjects covered : Seereer symbolism ; Ndut, Seereer surnames; The importance and representation of birds in Seereer traditions.
Radio program : Cosaan Seereer
Radio station : Seereer Radio
Owner : The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC)
Collection : The SRC Collection
Date of recording : 14th December 2015
Location : The compound of Professor Issa Laye Thiaw in Diamagane Sicap. Dakar, Senegal. Medium : Audio recording
Additional information : This audio was recorded for the SRC Collection, with permission to broadcast granted to Seereer Radio | The Voice of the Seereer Community (our 24 hour stream radio station). The research team was headed by Tamsier Joof (founder of the SRC and Seereer Radio) and Demba Sene. It was recorded on 14th December 2015 at Professor Thiaw's house. Apologies for the noisy background..
Information about Professor Issa Laye Thiaw : Professor Issa Laye Thiaw, also known as Mbañik Caw (his Seereer name, Thiaw is spelled Caw in Seereer) is a scholar of Seereer religion and history, but perhaps better known for his work on Seereer religion and culture. His work has been cited by several international scholars writing about Seereer religion and culture. Along with his writing, Professor Thiaw has also appeared as guest speaker on several inter-religious dialogue meetings. He is the author of that celebrated book "La femme Seereer." Other papers authored by Thiaw include:
- La religiosité Seereer, avant et pendant leur Islamisation
- Mythe de la création du monde selon les sages sereer
Professor Thiaw supports the Seereer Resource Centre (SRC) where he currently serves as Consultant on Seereer religion, History and Culture. Working in partnership with the Seereer Resource Centre, Professor Thiaw and the SRC are in the process of building a huge complex in Sanghe (or Sangue) - Senegal, which will be called "The Seereer Resource Centre and the Temple of Initiated Women." It will be the flagship office of the SRC where Seereer ancient religion, culture and medicine will be taught to those interested in these subjects. To learn more about this project and how you can part take in it, visit the Seereer Resource Centre's website or e-mail us at info@seereer.com.
Note : You can have your say about this audio by leaving a comment below. Keep it clean and relevant.
Download transcript « Télécharger la transcription » :
Visit the Seereer Resource Centre download page to download a transcript of this audio in English, French, Seereer a Sinig, Saafi-Saafi, Ndut, Sili-Sili, Noon and Laalaa.
Websites :
The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC) - www.seereer.org
Seereer Radio - www.seereerradio.com

Thursday Feb 04, 2016
Thursday Feb 04, 2016
In January 2015, the Seereer Resource Centre sent its research team to several parts of Seereer country to interview some notable and knowledgeable Seereer elders, historians / scholars on matters relating to Seereer religion, history and culture, so that we can document and preserve this before it is too late. This team was headed by Tamsier Joof and Demba Sene.
This is the second part of the interview they conducted with Professor Issa Laye Thiaw at his house in Diamagane Sicap. Dakar, Senegal. This audio is in two parts.
Date of first broadcast on Seereer Radio : Saturday, 30th January 2016
Presenters : Tamsier Joof and Demba Sene
Interviewee : Professor Issa Laye Thiaw
Other panel member : Njaga Gaye
Source language(s) : Saafi-Saafi, Seereer-Siin, Wolof, French and English
Subjects covered : The Battle of Fandane-Thiouthioune (or Battle of Somb); The proclamation of saltigis at the Battle of Somb; Saltigi Laba Jëën Ngum - his fame and wisdom; Saltigi Jaye Chas, Seereer festivals : Gamou, Gamou Kahone, Ndut, Mbooye, Tobaski, Njuud, Sowing and Harvest; Origin, meaning and etymology of Gamou; Etymology of the word julit (a term used by Senegambians to designate a Muslim); Seereer songs when a person dies; How the Seereer view death; Seereer funeral ceremony (Mbooye) and rituals when a person dies; Juuf, Joof or Diouf family consolation song when a member of the that family dies; Seereer view of heaven and death through songs; Prayers by patrilineal and matrilineal clan members when a member of that clan dies and the associated rituals; The Juuf family prayer; The Thiaw family prayer; The ritual when the deceased is being interred (for men and women and relation to Seereer numerology); Seereer paternal and maternal culture and the importance of matrilineality; Origin of Seereer matrilineality; Seereer creation myth : First human couple (female, then male) - including their names; Origin of Tobaski, Seereer Calendar (Yuuk in Seereer, Reeh in Saafi) – an agricultural calendar; The year the Seereer were supposedly driven out of Ancient Egypt : 522 BC; Kechan, Manja and Cosaan in reference to the Seereer Calendar; Seereer and Jola : The oldest inhabitants in Senegambia and the ones who brought civilisation to the Senegambia region.
Radio program : Cosaan Seereer
Radio station : Seereer Radio
Owner : The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC)
Collection : The SRC Collection
Date of recording : 8th January 2015
Location : Diamagane Sicap. Dakar, Senegal
Medium : Audio recording
Additional information : This audio was recorded for the SRC Collection, with permission to broadcast granted to Seereer Radio | The Voice of the Seereer Community (our 24 hour stream radio station). The research team was headed by Tamsier Joof (founder of the SRC and Seereer Radio) and Demba Sene. It was recorded on 8th January 2015 at Professor Thiaw's house. Apologies for the noisy background from other members of the household.
Information about Professor Issa Laye Thiaw : Professor Issa Laye Thiaw, also known as Mbañik Caw (his Seereer name, Thiaw is spelled Caw in Seereer) is a scholar of Seereer religion and history, but perhaps better known for his work on Seereer religion and culture. His work has been cited by several international scholars writing about Seereer religion and culture. Along with his writing, Professor Thiaw has also appeared as guest speaker on several inter-religious dialogue meetings. He is the author of that celebrated book "La femme Seereer." Other papers authored by Thiaw include:
- La religiosité Seereer, avant et pendant leur Islamisation
- Mythe de la création du monde selon les sages sereer
Professor Thiaw supports the Seereer Resource Centre (SRC) where he currently serves as Consultant on Seereer religion, History and Culture. Working in partnership with the Seereer Resource Centre, Professor Thiaw and the SRC are in the process of building a huge complex in Sanghe (or Sangue) - Senegal, which will be called "The Seereer Resource Centre and the Temple of Initiated Women." It will be the flagship office of the SRC where Seereer ancient religion, culture and medicine will be taught to those interested in these subjects. To learn more about this project and how you can parttake in it, visit the Seereer Resource Centre's website or e-mail us at info@seereer.com.
Note : You can have your say about this audio by leaving a comment below. Keep it clean and relevant.
Download transcript « Télécharger la transcription » :
Visit the Seereer Resource Centre download page to download a transcript of this audio in English, French, Seereer a Sinig, Saafi-Saafi, Ndut, Sili-Sili, Noon and Laalaa.
Websites :
The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC) - www.seereer.org
Seereer Radio - www.seereerradio.com

Thursday Feb 04, 2016
Thursday Feb 04, 2016
In January 2015, the Seereer Resource Centre sent its research team to several parts of Seereer country to interview some notable and knowledgeable Seereer elders, historians / scholars on matters relating to Seereer religion, history and culture, so that we can document and preserve this before it is too late. This team was headed by Tamsier Joof and Demba Sene.
This is the first part of the interview they conducted with Professor Issa Laye Thiaw at his house in Diamagane Sicap. Dakar, Senegal. This audio is in two parts.
Date of first broadcast onSeereer Radio : Saturday, 23rd January 2016
Presenters : Tamsier Joof and Demba Sene
Interviewee : Professor Issa Laye Thiaw
Other panel member : Njaga Gaye
Source language(s) : Saafi-Saafi, Seereer-Siin, Wolof, French and English
Subjects covered : Meaning and origin/etymology of the word Seereer; Meaning and etymology of the diverse Seereer groups (Seeh, Saafi, Ndut, Waro, Noon,Laalaa, Jegem); Seereer surnames; Why the Seereer groups speak different languages?; Wisdom in Classical Ndut teachings; Seereer - the earliest inhabitants of Jolof and Waalo; The Xoy Ceremony and other Seereer religious festivals; The original reason for Xoy; Seereer prayers against flooding;The great griot – Hama Juma and wisdom to acquire rain by the Saltigi class; The honour of real Saltigi in ancient times (they used to commit suicide if their predictions did not come to fruition); Saltigi wisdom was either acquired or born with; Why in Seereer culture a child deemed to be wise should have his head and eyes covered; The sacred sangool stick that the Saltigi used to used during the Xoy to announce their predictions; Seereer prayers, ways of praying and the reasons why Seereer pray; Prayers and offerings to the ancestors; The great Saltigi Laba Jeen Ngum (19th-century) and his prayer to Roog; Prayers to Roog.
Radio program : Cosaan Seereer
Radio station : Seereer Radio
Owner : The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC)
Collection : The SRC Collection
Date of recording : 8th January 2015
Location : Diamagane Sicap. Dakar, Senegal
Medium : Audio recording
Additional information : This audio was recorded for the SRC Collection, with permission to broadcast granted to Seereer Radio | The Voice of the Seereer Community (our 24 hour stream radio station). The research team was headed by Tamsier Joof (founder of theSRC and Seereer Radio) and Demba Sene. It was recorded on 8th January 2015at Professor Thiaw's house. Apologies for the noisy background from other members of the household.
Information about ProfessorIssa Laye Thiaw : Professor Issa Laye Thiaw, also known as Mbañik Caw (his Seereer name, Thiaw isspelled Caw in Seereer) is a scholar of Seereer religion and history, but perhaps better known for his work on Seereer religion and culture. His work has been cited by several international scholars writing about Seereer religion and culture. Along with his writing, Professor Thiaw has also appeared as guest speaker on several inter-religious dialogue meetings. He is the author of that celebrated book "La femme Seereer." Other papers authored by Thiaw include:
- La religiosité Seereer, avant et pendant leur Islamisation
- Mythe de la création du monde selon les sages sereer
Professor Thiaw supports the Seereer Resource Centre(SRC) where he currently serves as Consultant on Seereer religion, History and Culture. Working in partnership with the Seereer Resource Centre, Professor Thiaw and the SRC are in the process of building a huge complex in Sanghe (or Sangue) - Senegal, which will be called "The Seereer Resource Centre and the Temple of Initiated Women." It will be the flagship office of the SRC where Seereer ancient religion, culture and medicine will be taught to those interested in these subjects. To learn more about this project and how you can part take in it, visit the Seereer Resource Centre's website or e-mail us at info@seereer.com.
Note : You can have your say about this audio by leaving a comment below. Keep it clean and relevant.
Download transcript « Télécharger la transcription » :
Visit the Seereer Resource Centre download page to download a transcript of this audio in English, French, Seereer a Sinig, Saafi-Saafi, Ndut, Sili-Sili, Noon and Laalaa.
Websites :
The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC) - www.seereer.org
Seereer Radio - www.seereerradio.com

Sunday Jan 31, 2016
Sunday Jan 31, 2016
In December 2015, the Seereer Resource Centre in collaboration with our radio station (Seereer Radio) sent it's research team to several parts of Seereer country to interview some notable and knowledgeable Seereer elders, historians / scholars on matters relating to Seereer religion, history and culture, so that we can document and preserve this before it is too late. This team was headed by Tamsier Joof and Demba Sene.
This is the second part of the interview they conducted with Saltigi Biram Puuy at his house in Joobaas, Senegal. This audio is in two parts.
Date of first broadcast on Seereer Radio : Tuesday, 5th January 2016
Presenters : Tamsier Joof and Demba Sene
Interviewee : Saltigi Biram Puuy
Other panel members : Professor Issa Laye Thiaw; Momodou Secka and Njaga Gaye
Source language(s) : Saafi-Saafi, Wolof, Seereer-Siin, French and English
Subjects covered : Seereer religion, Seereer history, Seereer traditional medicine and plants in Seereer medicine; Seereer cosmology; Seereer calendar; Seereer astronomy; Seereer cosmogony; wisdom of animals; values of saltigi (or saltigue); the devil; death in Seereer society; protection against evil; Seereer symbolism, signs / writing; initiation and rites of passage (ndut); canonization and sainthood.
Radio program : Cosaan Seereer
Radio station : Seereer Radio
Owner : The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC)
Collection : The SRC Collection
Date of recording : 15th December 2015
Location : Joobaas, Senegal
Medium : Audio recording
Additional information : This audio was recorded for the SRC Collection, with permission to broadcast granted to Seereer Radio | The Voice of the Seereer Community (our 24 hour stream radio station). The research team was headed by Tamsier Joof (founder of the SRC and Seereer Radio) and Demba Sene.
Information about Saltigi Biram Puuy : Saltigi Biram Puuy is one the last remnants of the old traditional Seereer priestly class. Saltigi (or Saltigue) is a Seereer religious title denoting a high priest or priestess. He was initiated into the secret order of the Seereer priestly class and adhere to the tenets of Seereer religion, both of which are fundamental for one to be deemed a "true saligi". Saltigi Puuy comes from a long line of Seereer priests. He is well versed in Seereer religious doctrines, history, traditional medicine, secrets of ndut classical teachings which includes the cosmos and the paranomal. Saltigi Puuy rarely give interviews, preferring to focus more of his time on Seereer history and culture than the usual role associated with the Seereer priestly class (saltigi).
Note: You can have your say about this audio by leaving a comment here. Keep it clean and relevant.
Download transcript « Télécharger la transcription » :
Visit the Seereer Resource Centre download page to download a transcript of this audio in English, French, Seereer a Sinig, Saafi-Saafi, Ndut, Sili-Sili, Noon and Laalaa.
Websites :
The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC) - www.seereer.org
Seereer Radio - www.seereerradio.com

Sunday Jan 31, 2016
Sunday Jan 31, 2016
This is the first part of the interview they conducted with Saltigi Biram Puuy at his house in Joobaas, Senegal. This audio is in two parts.
Date of first broadcast on Seereer Radio : Tuesday, 5th January 2016
Presenters : Tamsier Joof and Demba Sene
Interviewee : Saltigi Biram Puuy
Other panel members : Professor Issa Laye Thiaw; Momodou Secka and Njaga Gaye
Source language(s) : Saafi-Saafi, Wolof, Seereer-Siin, French and English
Subjects covered : Seereer religion, Seereer history, Seereer traditional medicine and plants in Seereer medicine; Seereer cosmology; Seereer calendar; Seereer astronomy; Seereer cosmogony; wisdom of animals; values of saltigi (or saltigue); the devil; death in Seereer society; protection against evil; Seereer symbolism, signs / writing; initiation and rites of passage (ndut); canonization and sainthood.
Radio program : Cosaan Seereer
Radio station : Seereer Radio
Owner : The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC)
Collection : The SRC Collection
Date of recording : 15th December 2015
Location : Joobaas, Senegal
Medium : Audio recording
Additional information : This audio was recorded for the SRC Collection, with permission to broadcast granted to Seereer Radio | The Voice of the Seereer Community (our 24 hour stream radio station). The research team was headed by Tamsier Joof (founder of the SRC and Seereer Radio) and Demba Sene.
Information about Saltigi Biram Puuy : Saltigi Biram Puuy is one the last remnants of the old traditional Seereer priestly class. Saltigi (or Saltigue) is a Seereer religious title denoting a high priest or priestess. He was initiated into the secret order of the Seereer priestly class and adhere to the tenets of Seereer religion, both of which are fundamental for one to be deemed a "true saligi". Saltigi Puuy comes from a long line of Seereer priests. He is well versed in Seereer religious doctrines, history, traditional medicine, secrets of ndut classical teachings which includes the cosmos and the paranomal. Saltigi Puuy rarely give interviews, preferring to focus more of his time on Seereer history and culture than the usual role associated with the Seereer priestly class (saltigi).
Note: You can have your say about this audio by leaving a comment here. Keep it clean and relevant.
Download transcript « Télécharger la transcription » :
Visit the Seereer Resource Centre download page to download a transcript of this audio in English, French, Seereer a Sinig, Saafi-Saafi, Ndut, Sili-Sili, Noon and Laalaa.
Websites :
The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC) - www.seereer.org
Seereer Radio - www.seereerradio.com