Cosaan Seereer : PART 1: Exclusive interview with Alhaji Sulaye Nyang | PART 2 : Alhaji Dodou Nying Koliyandeh and Alhaji Sait Camara - by The Seereer Resource Centre and Seereer Radio

Tamsier Joof, founder of the Seereer Resource Centre and Seereer Radio has been documenting Seereer and Senegambian history for the past few decades. This is the interview he conducted with his great uncle Alhaji Sulaye Nyang, great grandson of the Saluum historical figure - Wally Nyang.  For the history of Wally Nyang see our interview with Alhaji Alieu Ebrima Cham Joof (aka : Cham Joof). 

This audio is in two parts. Part 1 relates to the genealogy / descendants  of Wally Nyang - narrated by Alhaji Sulaye Nyang. The interviewer was Tamsier Joof. Part 2 relates to the history of Maad a Sinig Kumba Ndoofeen Famaak Juuf (king of Siin) and the surprise attack at Kerr Ngoor by the Muslim Marabout forces of Tafsir Maba Jaaxu Bâ and Lat Joor Ngoneh Latir Joop leading to the death of Bukary Ngoneh Juuf, and the ultimate Battle of Fandane-Thiouthioune more commonly known as the Battle of Somb (1867) in which the Seereers defeated the Muslim forces and was Maba killed. Part 2 was narrated by the late Seereer-Gambian griot and broadcaster Alhaji Dodou Nying Koliyandeh and the late Gambian historian Alhaji Sait Camara -, courtesy of Uncle Johnny Secka of Unique FM.

Date of first broadcast on Seereer Radio : Saturday, 20^th February 2016

Presenters : Tamsier Joof and Demba Sene 

Interviewees : Part 1: Alhaji Sulaye Nyang, Part 2 : Alhaji Dodou Nying Koliyandeh and Alhaji Sait Camara

Interviewers : Tamsier Joof of the Seereer Resource Centre and Seereer Radio; and  Uncle Johnny Secka of Unique FM, Gambia

Source language(s) :  Wolof, Saafi-Saafi and English

Subjects covered : Part 1 : Descendants of Wally Nyang by Alhaji Sulaye Nyang; Part 2: History of Maad a Sinig Kumba Ndoofeen Famaak Juuf (king of Siin), The Great Bukary Ngoneh Juuf, Lat Joor Ngoneh Latir Joop and Tafsir Maba Jaaxu Bâ at Kerr Ngoor and at the Battle of Fandane Thioutioune (aka : Battle of Somb) 18^th July 1867. This part is narrated by Alhaji Dodou Nying Koliyandeh and Alhaji Sait Camara.

Radio program : Cosaan Seereer

Radio station : Seereer Radio (and Unique FM, Gambia - part 2)

Owner : The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC) and Unique FM, Gambia

Collection : The SRC Collection

Date(s) of recording : 11^th March 2010

Location : Part 1: The compound of Alhaji Sulaye Nyang in Latri Kunda, The Gambia, Part 2: Unique FM Studios, Gambia

Medium : Audio recording

Additional information : This audio (part 1) 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). In parts of the interview, Tamsier decided to give the microphone to Alhaji Sulaye Nyang and allowed him to speak freely. Part 2 of the audio - courtesy of Uncle Johnny Secka of Unique FM, Gambia. Our thanks to Uncle Johnny Secka and the Unique FM team.

Information about the narrators: 

Alhaji Sulaye Nyang is the great grandson of Wally Nyang, the 19th-century historical figure of Saluum. The late Alhaji Dodou Nying Kuli Yandeh was a Seereer-Gambian griot and broadcaster. He was a regular on the Chossanie Senegambia [History of Senegambia] program between Radio Gambia and Radio Senegal which ran from 4th October 1973. He was known for playing the xalam during his narrations. The late Alhaji Sait Camara was also a notable Gambian oral historian and musician. He was also a xalam player. 

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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

Unique FM - www.uniquefm.gm