Unit 2: Modou Faty Sarr

Videos
Community Images
Pedagogical Activities

Metadata

TitleConversation with Modou Faty Sarr
InterviewerFallou Ngom
SubjectMedicinal plants, the value of writing books in Wolof Ajami 
ContentIn this interview, Modou Faty Sarr (or Móodu Faati Saar in the standard Wolof Latin script orthography) talks about his family history, educational trajectory, professional activities, and reflects on how he learned Wolof Ajami locally called Wolofal. Mr. Sarr was born in 1957 in Diourbel, Senegal. He discusses the legacy of his grandfather, Sëriñ Móodu Géy Jëmmóoy, who lived an exceptionally long life of over one hundred years. His grandfather was a prominent follower of Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba (1853-1927), the founder of the Muridiyya Sufi order in Senegal. Mr. Sarr also discusses how he became a tailor and his travels to Benghazi (Libya) and Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire). He describes how he became interested in writing books in Wolof Ajami dealing with medicinal plants, astrology, calendars, and the calculation of time. He said that he was inspired by the work of Dr. Kawusu Sambu (pronounced in Wolof as Gëwsu Sàmbu), a famous medical doctor in Fann Hock in Dakar who promoted the medicinal virtues of local plants. In addition to Wolof, Mr. Sarr has recorded the names of important local plants with medicinal virtues in other larger Senegalese local languages such as Pulaar, Mandinka (Soose), Joola, and Séeréer. His books include drawings of medical plants that help local healers to correctly identify them. He laments that the current Senegalese education system only focuses on teaching “language” (mostly French), from elementary school to university, rather than teaching “knowledge” (substantive topics). He advocates for the teaching of substantive topics to students early on and in their native languages to successfully convey the local knowledge and its significance. Mr. Sarr also reflects on his experience with learning Wolof Ajami, suggesting that this was easier in the past when people communicated mostly through letter writing, and not through phone calls or social media like nowadays. 
LanguageWolof
ScriptWolof Ajami (locally called Wolofal)
LocationTouba, Senegal
Pedagogical content/applicationIncludes relevant linguistic, stylistic and cultural skills as identified in our assessment guidebook/ ACTFL guidelines
Access condition and copyrightThese materials are subject to copyright and are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 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).
ContributorsFallou Ngom, Ablaye Diakite, Elhadji Djibril Diagne, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Gana Ndiaye, Alison Parker, and Frank Antonelli.
Required citation informationFallou Ngom (PI), Ablaye Diakite, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Elhadji Djibril Diagne, Gana Ndiaye, and other contributors. 2023. “Conversation with Modou Faty Sarr.” https://sites.bu.edu/ria/wolof/wolof-unit-2/

Videos

Wolof with English Subtitles

Wolof with Latin Script Subtitles

Community Images

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  • Nataal bi ñu def ci ab yoon wu mag ci Ndakaaru ngir soññ nit ñi ci xeex jàngaroy Corona. || A mural on a major underpass in Dakar urging people to fight against the Coronavirus.

  • Sëriñ Muntaxaa Mbàkke, kelifay Murid yi, tàkk na maskaam ngir soññ nit ñi ñu aar seen bopp ak seeni njaboot ci jàngaroy Corona. || Serigne Mountakha Mbacké, the leader of the Muriddiya, wearing his mask to urge people to protect themselves and their families from the Coronavirus.

  • Liggéeyu benn fajkat ci Wolofal:“Fajum cosaan, garabi siti, ak emoriit, estomaak, ak yeneen.” || One healer’s specialty in Wolof Ajami: “Traditional healing, dermatology treatment, hemorrhoids, stomachache, and others.”

  • Liggéeyu benn fajkat ci Wolofal:“Fii danu fiy bàcc bët, ak muurle, ak dindi weñ wu sarax.” || One healer’s specialty in Wolof Ajami: “Here we treat eye problems, women’s breast health problems, and we remove flies that accidentally enter people’s noses.”

  • Yëgle ci Wolofal:“Dañu fiy aaye ku fi dugal dàll ak ku fi tuur ñam.” || Announcement in Wolof Ajami: “Forbidden to wear shoes or leave leftover food here.”

  • Nataalu jaaykat yi nekk ci tali bu mag boobu tudd 28 ca Tuubaa. || Image of merchants on the main road, called 28, in Touba.

  • Waa-kër Móodu Saar: Ñaari jigéen a ngiy waxtaan te kenn ki di wol ñam. || Modou Sarr’s family: Two women chatting, with one pounding food.

  • Bindkat bi tudd Móodu Saar a ngi won Ablaay Jakite liggéeyam. || The writer called Modou Sarr showing his work to Ablaye Diakité.

  • Nataalu Sëriñ Mbay Saar, di maamu Móodu Saar, bindkat. Sëriñ Mbay Saar taalube Sëriñ Tuubaa la woon, doon ko taxanal. Nataal bii ci biir këru Móodu Saar day màggal liggéey ba maamam daan defal Sëriñ Tuubaa. || The image of Serigne Mbaye Sarr, the grandfather of Modou Sarr, the writer. Serigne Mbaye Sarr was a disciple of The Master of Touba (Bamba) and used to fetch firewood for him. This image in Modou Sarr’s house commemorates the work his grandfather used to do for The Master of Touba.

  • Nataal bi day màggal ñi jàngaroy Covid 19 lor. || An image honoring Covid 19 victims.

Pedagogical Activities

Glossary
Notes
Exercises
Wolof Keyboard

Glossary

  1. Daaray Alxuraan b-: Quranic school
  2. Garab g-:  Tree. Garab b-: medicine, remedy.
  3. Gëstu: To investigate, research, inquire, look back
  4. Haal-pulaar or Haalpulaar b-: Pulaar speaker
  5. Jaar-jaar b-: Experience, trajectory, background, itinerary
  6. Jàng: To learn, study, read, study
  7. Jébbalu or Jébbulu: To pledge allegiance, become a disciple, devote oneself to
  8. Jëfandukaay g-: Tool, apparatus, equipment
  9. Lasraar b-: Divination (from Arabic Asrār)
  10. Ñaw: To sew. Ñawkat b- (tailor)
  11. Ndakaaru or Dakar: Capital city of Senegal
  12. Nettali: To narrate, to recount, or report
  13. Paj m-: Traditional healing, medicine, cure. When used as a verb (faj): to cure
  14. Taxan màtt: To collect firewood
  15. Wér-gi yaram g-: Health of the body, health
  16. Wuutu: To succeed, replace someone in leadership
  17. ʿIlmu l-Nujūm: Knowledge of stars, astrology and astronomy (from Arabic)

Notes

  1. Daaray tarbiyya b-: Working school in Sufi communities in which students receive spiritual education and work on the farms of their religious leaders.
  2. Gane àdduna: Literally, to visit the world. A Wolof expression meaning to be born. The expression is rooted in the Muslim belief that life on earth is fleeting and that humans are only here as visitors. True life is believed to be in the hereafter. Similarly, génn àdduna (to leave this world) is used for dying.
  3. Joolaa: One of the major ethnic groups in the southern region of Senegal, traditionally known as Casamance, which borders the Gambia and Guinea Bissau.
  4. Ndënd m-: A large drum that was widely used in traditional Wolof society as a medium of communication and a musical instrument. Today, it is primarily used as a musical instrument.
  5. Njaaréem: Also called Jurbel or Diourbel is the name of a region located in central Western Senegal. It was where Shaykh Amadu Bamba, the founder of the Muridiyya was put under house arrest by the French colonial administration from 1912-1927. The city of Tuubaa (Touba in the French-based spelling), the epicenter of the Muridiyya Sufi order, is located in the region.
  6. Sant w-: Family name, last name. When used as a verb it means to thank, appreciate, or to be grateful. When people meet for the first time in Wolof communities, it is common to ask each other’s last name. This is because repeating each other’s last name when greeting one another is an important Wolof tradition. If they happen to be joking kin, they might exchange some jokes when greeting each other.
  7. Séeréer: One of the ethnic groups of Senegal. The first president of Senegal, Léopold Sédar Senghor (1906-2001), belonged to this ethnic group.
  8. Sëriñ Mbay Saar or Serigne Mbaye Sarr: A prominent Murid figure who served as drummer, announcer, and bard of Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba (1853-1927), the founder of the Muridiyya Sufi order, when the latter was under house arrest by the French colonial administration in Njaréem (Diourbel). 
  9. Xalifa or khalifa b-: From Arabic khalīfa (Caliph), a title given to the highest religious authorities of the main Sufi orders in Senegal: The Qadiriyya, Tijaniyya, Layène, and Muridiyya.

Exercises:

Comprehension || Writing || Listening / Speaking and Conversation || Cultural Competence

Comprehension: Video

Comprehension: Image

Writing

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Listening / Speaking and Conversation

  • Ay laaj yu gàtt: Bindal ay laaj yu gàtt ci li widewoo bi ëmb. Soo noppee, indi leen ci daara ji ngir laajante ci ak say naataango.

Cultural Competence

  • Jëlal ci widewoo bi ay fànn te nga tënk leen. Boo noppee, na nga méngale leen ak fànn ya ñu nirool ca fa nga dëkk. Na nga wone li fànn yi bokk ak li leen wuutale.