Serer-Noon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Serer-Noon also called Noon (sometimes spelt Non or

None) are an ethnic people who occupy western Senegal. They
are part of the Serer people though they do not speak the
Serer-Sine language natively.

Serer Kings

Contents
1 Territory
2 Population

Serer kings of Sine (left right): Maad a Sinig Ama

Joof Gnilane Faye Joof and
Maad a Sinig Kumba
Ndoffene Fa Ndeb Joof.

3 History
4 Culture
4.1 Language
5 Religion
6 See also
6.1 Related peoples
7 Notes
8 Bibliography
8.1 External reading

Territory
They are found primarily in Senegal in the region of Thies in areas like Fandne, Peykouk,
Silman, Diankhne and Dioung.[1] As well as being present in Senegal, they are also found
in the Gambia.

Population
In the Thies area alone, their population is 32,900.[2] Collectively, the Serer people make-up
the third largest ethnic group in Senegal.[3]

History
In his Sketches of Senegal (1853), Abb Boilat described them as "the most beautiful black
people... tall and beautiful posture... who are always well dressed, very strong and
independent"[4] During the 19th century muslim marabout jihads in Senegambia, the

Serer-Noon resisted being islamized and continued to practice their beliefs to present.[5] In
the 1860s, Pinet Laprade, then the French governor of Senegal, and Captain Vincent
described the Serer-Noon men as "fierce and cruel to foreigners" (the French).[6] They only
traded with other Serers through barter and recented the authority of foreigners. Of all the
Senegambian ethnic groups, the Noons were among the most independent during the
colonial period. The Noons also refused to pay taxes to the French administration of
Senegal in the 19th century and launched many wars and massacres of the French.[6] To
force them to pay tax to the French administration in Senegal, sometimes violence was
used against them.[6] In Noon country, their head of state were the Lamanes. The Lamane
managed the Noon towns and villages, and each village was an independent republic. The
Lamanes in Noon country were the oldest men chosen from particular families. Although
these Lamanes must not be confused with the ancient Serer Lamanes (the old powerful
kings and landed gentry), the Lamanes in Noon country were very powerful during the
colonia period.[6]

Culture
The Serer-Noon are mostly farmers who grow millet, peanuts, cotton etc. They tend to

follow monogamy. Like many of the Serer group, the Noons rarely marry out.[6] They
usually marry among themselves or other groups of the Serer race, but rarely outside the

Serer group.[6] Noon culture forbids mix-marriages. Where a young Serer-Noon has left his
or her village for more than three months, on their return, they were subjected to prove
their sexual purity. The head griot would offer them a beverage that they must drink. If
vomit after drinking it, they were found guilty and sentence to celibacy. This test was just
one of many tests carried out by the head griot. The head male griot would test the young
man whilst the head female griot would test the young woman.[6]

Language
They speak the Noon language, which is one of the Cangin languages rather than a dialect
of the Serer-Sine language. Their language is closely related to Saafi and the Laalaa
language.[7]

Religion
Like many of the Serer group to which they belong, the Noon were very resistant to
Islamization, and still adhere to the tenets of Serer religion.[8][9] The Serer religion
involves cosmology, making offerings to Serer ancestral spirits and saints (i.e. the

Pangool).[8][9][10] The Noon refer to the supreme being as Kokh Kox (probably derived
from the deity Kooh).[1][11]

See also
Related peoples
Serer people
Serer-Ndut people
Saafi people
Niominka people
Serer-Laalaa
Palor people

Notes
1. (French) Ndiaye, Ousmane Smou, "Diversit et unicit srres: lexemple de la rgion de This",
thiopiques, no 54, vol. 7, 2e semestre 1991 [1] (http://ethiopiques.refer.sn/spip.php?
page=imprimer-article&id_article=1253)
2. Lewis, M. Paul (ed.), 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Sixteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL
International. Ethnologue.com. Languages of the world. A language of Senegal. 2007 figures
(http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=senegal)
3. Agence Nationale de la Statistique et de la Dmographie (2012)
4. Abb Boilat, Esquisses Sngalaises, Paris, Karthala, 1984, p.59.
5. M. Th Houtsma. First encyclopaedia of Islam: 1913-1936. BRILL, 1993. ISBN 90-04-09796-1. p 224
6. Ndiaye, Ousmane Smou, "Diversit et unicit Srres: L'Exemple Le de la Rgion de This", [in]
Ethiopiques n54, revue semestrielle, de culture ngro-africaine, Nouvelle srie volume 7., 2e
semestre (1991) [2] (http://ethiopiques.refer.sn/spip.php?page=imprimer-article&id_article=1253)
(French)

7. Guillaume Segerer & Florian Lionnet 2010. "'Isolates' in 'Atlantic'" (http://25images.ishlyon.cnrs.fr/player/player.php?id=72&id_sequence=431). Language Isolates in Africa workshop,
Lyon, Dec. 4
8. (French) Ferdinand de Lanoye, Voyages et expditions au Sngal et dans les contres
voisines (http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k343789/f38.image.r=r%C3%A9publique-desnones.langFR), in Le Tour du monde, vol. 3, 1861, 1er semestre, p. 35
9. Issa Laye Thiaw. "La Religiosite de Seereer, Avant et pendant leur Islamisation". Ethiopiques no:
54, Revue semestrielle de Culture Ngro-Africaine. Nouvelle srie, volume 7, 2e Semestre 1991
10. Gravrand, Henry, "La Civilisation Sereer - Pangool", Les Nouvelles Editions Africaines du Senegal

(1990), p 9, 189-216, ISBN 2-7236-1055-1

11. Gravrand, R. P. Henri (1973). "Le symbolisme Serer". Psychopathologie africaine (in French) IX (2):
237265.

Bibliography
Issa Laye Thiaw. La Religiosite de Seereer, Avant et pendant leur Islamisation.
Ethiopiques no: 54, Revue semestrielle de Culture Ngro-Africaine. Nouvelle srie,
volume 7, 2e Semestre 1991
Henry Gravrand. "La Civilisation Sereer" - Pangool, vol. 2. Les Nouvelles Editions
Africaines du Senegal (1990), ISBN 2-7236-1055-1
Gravrand, Henry, "Le Symbolisme sereer: Mythe du Saas et symboles", Revue de
Psycho-Pathologie vol. 9 No 2 Dakar (1971) (Published and reviewed under the title
"Le symbolisme serer" [in] Psychopath. Afric. 1973, IX, 2, 237-265 [in]
Psychopathologie africaine (http://psychopathologieafricaine.refer.sn/spip.php?
article284)) - (Link retrieved: 21 July 2012)
Ndiaye, Ousmane Smou, "Diversit et unicit Srres: L'Exemple Le de la Rgion de
This", [in] Ethiopiques n54, revue semestrielle, de culture ngro-africaine, Nouvelle
srie volume 7., 2e semestre (1991) [2] (French)
Senegambian Ethnic Groups: Common Origins and Cultural Affinities Factors and
Forces of National Unity, Peace and Stability. By Alhaji Ebou Momar Taal. 2010
Gambian Studies No. 17. People of the Gambia. I. The Wolof with notes on the Serer
and Lebou. By David P. Gamble & Linda K. Salmon with Alhaji Hassan Njie. San
Francisco 1985
Elisa Daggs. All Africa: All its political entities of independent or other status. Hasting
House, 1970. ISBN 0-8038-0336-2,

External reading
(French) Ferdinand de Lanoye, Voyages et expditions au Sngal et dans les

contres voisines
(http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k343789/f38.image.r=r%C3%A9publique-desnones.langFR), in Le Tour du monde, vol. 3, 1861, 1er semestre, p.35
(French) C. Becker, La reprsentation des Sereer du nord-ouest dans les sources
europennes (XVe-XIXe sicle)
(http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/jafr_03990346_1985_num_55_1_2093) in Journal des africanistes, 1985, tome 55 fascicule 1-2,
p.165-185
(French) Ousmane Smou Ndiaye, Diversit et unicit srres: l'exemple de la
rgion de This (http://www.refer.sn/ethiopiques/article.php3?id_article=1253), in
thiopiques, n 54, nouvelle srie, volume 7, 2e semestre 1991

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Categories: Serer people
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