Song of the Champion, Sëriñ Fallu (Bàkk wi)
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| Title | Song of the Champion, Sëriñ Fallu (Bàkk wi) |
| Author or Owner | Serigne Moussa Ka (author), Fallou Ngom (owner) |
| Subject | Praise Poetry, Murid Society, Muridiyya, Wolof Society |
| Content | The poem was written by the most prolific Wolof Ajami poet, Serigne Moussa Ka also known as Muusaa Ka (1889-1963). He invented this genre of poem. The genre is not based on the traditional Arabic poetic genres used in West Africa. The poem consists of 143 verses modeled on the Wolof praise poetry traditionally recited to cheer for wrestlers. Traditional wrestling is one of the most important sports in Senegambia. The poet includes numerous Wolof metaphors, Arabic phrases, and Sufi concepts to praise Sëriñ Fallu (1888-1968) who is also known as Serigne Fallou or Serigne Falilou. The poem is a cheer for him as he served as Caliph of the Muridiyya Sufi order from 1945 to his death. Serigne Falilou is one of the most famous Murid leaders. He is fondly remembered as a generous and inclusive leader who embraced all people, and especially took care of children, the poor, and those marginal in society. He is also remembered as someone who was close to God and whose prayers always materialized. The poem invites people to follow in his steps. |
| Genre | Poetry |
| Language | Wolof |
| Script | Wolof Ajami |
| Manuscript condition | Handwritten, good condition |
| Type | Handwritten and copied |
| Publisher | Market edition |
| Provenance | Touba, Senegal |
| Source Reference | Fallou Ngom’s personal collection |
| Access condition and copyright | These materials are subject to copyright and are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 License, which permits non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. For use, distribution or reproduction beyond these terms, contact Professor Fallou Ngom (fngom@bu.edu). |
| Contributors | Fallou Ngom, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Elhadji Djibril Diagne, Gana Ndiaye, Eric Schmidt, Margaret Rowley, Cheikh Mouhamadou S. Diop, Alison Parker, Frank Antonelli, Shawn Provencal, and Mark Lewis. |
| Required citation information | Fallou Ngom (PI), Elhadji Djibril Diagne, Cheikh Mouhamadou S. Diop, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Margaret Rowley, and other contributors. 2022. “Song of the Champion, Sëriñ Fallu.” http://sites.bu.edu/nehajami/the-four-languages/wolof/wolof-manuscripts/bakk-wi/ |
Manuscript
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Transcription and Translations
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Multimedia