Unit 4: Fallou Kane

Videos
Community Images
Pedagogical Activities

Metadata

TitleConversation with Fallou Kane  
InterviewerFallou Ngom
SubjectEducation, Ajami literacy, poetry, travel and work experience 
ContentFallou Kane (Fàllu Kan in the standard Wolof Latin script spelling) was born in 1981 in Mbacké in the region of Diourbel, Senegal. He started his Quranic studies at the school of Serigne Mourtalla Mbacké in Touba. Later, he attended the Al-Azhar school in Touba where he learned Arabic, before enrolling in Serigne Cheikh Ly’s school in Mbacké to continue his education. He also spent a few years at the school of Serigne Khalil Mourtalla Mbacké, his teacher and spiritual leader in Touba-HLM. Fallou Kane was trained as a mason. After obtaining his masonry certificate, he spent three years in Mauritania working in the construction business. He also spent three years in Dakar, Senegal, working as a street vendor. Mr. Kane has also worked as a professional photographer. He is now a Wolof Ajami poetry singer and writer, and takes part in annual Wolof Ajami poetry competitions, which gather the best young Wolof Ajami poets in the country. In this conversation with Fallou Ngom, Mr. Kane discusses his work, reflects on how he became an Ajami poet, and talks about literary innovations that his generation is making in Wolof Ajami poetry.
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, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Elhadji Djibril Diagne, Gana Ndiayie, Alison Parker, and Frank Antonelli.
Required citation informationFallou Ngom (PI), Ablaye Diakite, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Elhadji Djibril Diagne, and other contributors. 2023. “Conversation with Fallou Kane.” https://sites.bu.edu/ria/wolof/wolof-unit-4/

Videos

Wolof with English Subtitles

Wolof with Latin Script Subtitles

Community Images

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  • Nataalu Seex Ahamdu Bamba, Boroom Tuubaa, mi sos yoonu Murid. || Image of Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba, the Master of Tuubaa, who founded the Muridiyya. Until recently, this iconic photograph was the only known photograph of Bamba.

  • Yoon wu mag wu bees wi tudd Illaa Tuubaa jaar Jurbel jëm Tuubaa. || The new major road called Illaa Tuubaa goes to Touba through Diourbel.

  • Fii mooy fi nu tabax daara ju kawe ju bees ji ñu tudde UCAB ca Tuubaa: Iniwersite Seex Ahmadu Bamba. || This is the site where the new university called UCAB in Touba is built: Université Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba.

  • Yoon wii wenn la ci yoon yi ñuy duggee dëkku Tuubaa. || This is one of the roads entering the city of Touba.

  • Benn ci palaasi jaaykati nataali sëriñi Murid yi, aki téere, ak yeneen ak yeneen ci Tuubaa. || One of the shops selling images of Murid leaders, books, and other things in Touba.

  • Jaaykatu téere ba a ngiy seet been téere Wolofal bu ko Sëriñ Fàllu Ngom laaj. || The bookseller is looking for a Wolof Ajami book that Mr. Fallou Ngom inquired about.

  • Nataalu juróom ñaari Sëriñ Fàllu Mbàkke and ak bu Sëriñ Tuubaa bi taalube Murid yi faral a wekk ci seeni néeg ngir barkeelu. || The seven images of Serigne Fallou Mbacké, with one of Serigne Touba (Bamba) [on the right] that Murid disciples often hang in their rooms for blessings.

  • Ab téere buy faramfàcce wàllu miraas te ñu bind ko ci Wolofal ngir tasaare xam-xam bi ci ñi ferul ijji ci Araab te fer ijji ci Wolofal. || A book that explains inheritance law written in Wolof Ajami to spread the knowledge among those who are illiterate in Arabic but literate in Wolof Ajami.

  • Sira Ngom dëkk ca Tuubaa bégg na lool ndax gis na ràkkam ja Fàllu Ngom mi dëkk Boston ca Amerik. || Sira Ngom, who lives in Touba, is very happy because she has seen her younger brother Fallou Ngom, who lives in Boston in America.

  • Bii benn la ci wunti dëkku Tuubaa yu bari yi. || This is one of the many entrances to the city of Touba.

Pedagogical Activities

Glossary
Notes
Exercises
Wolof Keyboard

Glossary

  1. Àddu: To reply, answer, respond
  2. Ambulant: From French marchand ambulant, street vendor
  3. Baj-baji: To shake, tremble
  4. Bayaan b-: From Arabic bayān, statement, exposition, eloquence
  5. Bitim réew: Overseas
  6. Caq b-: Pearl necklace
  7. Daamar j-: Car, synonym of wata or oto from French (voiture and automobile).
  8. Daara bu kawe b-: Institution of higher learning, a synonym of inwersite from French université (university)
  9. Dajale: To collect, gather, bring together, assemble
  10. Fàtte: To forget
  11. Fëgg-jaay b-: It literally means to “shake and sell,” secondhand clothes, thrift shop
  12. Gëm-gëm or ngëm-ngëm g-: Set of beliefs, mindset, mentality, conviction
  13. Kolobaan or Colobane: A neighborhood in Dakar with one of the largest flea markets
  14. Lang: To dwell in a place longer than planned, be stuck
  15. Lor: To harm, hurt
  16. Mantiq: From Arabic, logic
  17. Maxtume m-: Small satchel/purse worn around the neck in Wolof society
  18. Mayug Yàlla: A gift from God
  19. Mokkal: To master, know something by heart, memorize
  20. Mucc: To be saved from danger, be unharmed
  21. Naar: Moor, Arab, white Mauritanian  
  22. Ñukk: Name of a poetic genre invented by young Murid Ajami poets
  23. Nuwaaksot or Nouakchott: Capital of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
  24. Soññ: To encourage, urge, enjoin
  25. Soqikoo: To come from, originate from, stem from
  26. Takk: To marry a wife, tie the knot, or to wear jewelry. Not to be confused with tàkk, to catch fire, burn, start an engine
  27. Tette or teete: To lead children in their first steps, initiate, guide, lead
  28. Teyaatar b-: From French théâtre, theater, sketch
  29. UCAB: Université Cheikh Ahamdou Bamba (Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba University) in Touba, Senegal
  30. Woy or way: To sing. When used as a noun (woy w-), means song
  31. Wurus w-: Gold
  32. Xasida b-: From Arabic qaṣida, poem. Plural: xasaayid

Notes

  1. Al-azhar or Al Azhar: Named after Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Al Azhar is one of the largest private Islamic school systems in Senegal. It was founded by Sëriñ Murtalaa Mbàkke or Serigne Moutada Mbacké (1927-2004), the youngest son of Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba (1853-1927), the founder of the Muridiyya Sufi order.
  2. Génn àdduna: To leave this world, pass away. A Wolof expression rooted in the Muslim belief that life on earth is fleeting and that human beings are only here as visitors with a mission to be righteous and serve God. True life is believed to be in the hereafter. Similarly, gane àdduna (to visit this world) is used to mean to be born. Nelaw (to sleep), làqu (to hide) and wàcc liggéey (to finish work) are euphemisms for dying.
  3. Jannatul Mahwaa: A neighborhood in Tuubaa named after Jannat al-Maʾwā, the Arabic name for one of the eight levels of paradise in Islam.
  4. Njuuj-njaaj: Trickster, a poetic genre and the title of a poem by Sëriñ Muusaa Ka or Serigne Moussa Ka (1889-1967), the most prolific and famous Wolof Ajami poet and a follower of Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba.
  5. Sëriñ Mbay Jaxate: Also spelled as Serigne Mbaye Jaxate (ca 1876-1947), a famous Wolof Ajami poet, moralist, and satirist, and a follower of Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba.

Exercises:

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

Comprehension: Video

Comprehension: Image

Writing

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For exercises 1-6 below, open the Wolof Ajami keyboard, type text, and copy-paste it into the box.
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Listening / Speaking and Conversation

Sottante Xalaat:

  • Waxtaan leen ci fànn wii: Ndax jàng mbindum Wolofal ak taalif lu yomb la ak lutax?
  • Sottante leen xalaat ci njariñu Wolofal: Lan moo di njariñu Wolofal, ci seen xalaat?

Cultural Competence

  • Deferal ab teyaatar ci Wolof buy wone ab aada bu am solo boo jukkee ci widewoo bi.