Ethnic groups in Senegal

Serer Kings

Left to right : Maad a Sinig Ama Joof Gnilane Faye Joof and Maad a Sinig Kumba Ndoffene Fa Ndeb Joof

• The largest group is the
  wolofisation" of Senegal.^[6]
• The
  rural exodus. Since Ahmed Sékou Touré became president of Guinea, many Guinean Fula have immigrated to Senegal, particularly from Fouta Djallon
  .
• The third group is the
  the Battle of Logandème. The Serer people includes, but not limited to : the Saafi, Ndut, Laalaa, Niominka, Palor, etc. Many of these speak the Cangin languages
  .

• 

  The Jola represent 4.2% of the country's population,^[1] and mostly live in Ziguinchor where they primarily make their living from rice cultivation and fishing. Traditionally animist, they have historically resisted the spread of both Islam and Christianity in the country.^[9] While much of the Jola population now adheres to either Islam or Christianity, many mix these religions with animist beliefs. The Jola hold their ethnic distinctiveness as of great importance.^[10]
• Other groups also live in the Ziguinchor Region. While these groups lead lifestyles that are very similar to the Jola, they speak different languages and are much less populous. This is the case of the
  Manjack, the Mankanya, the Karoninka, and the Bandial
  .
• Several small ethnic groups in Senegal are related to the
  Jakhanke
  .
• The
  Sénégal Rivers. This group has been experiencing a significant diaspora
  . The Soninke were Islamized earlier than most other groups in the country.

A few

• Senegal has among its population many Africans from other countries. There are small
  Ivorian communities in Dakar, as well as many Nigerians, most of which being Hausa. Malians go almost unnoticed in Senegal because their culture is so similar to that of the Senegalese. There is a large Cape Verdean community in Dakar. Moors, constituting 0.5% of the population of Senegal, have long invested in business in the country, residing mainly in cities in the north. The subgroup of the Darmankour
  , who have lived in Senegal for centuries, are present throughout the country.

Europeans and descendants of Lebanese migrants are fairly numerous in urban centres in Senegal, about 50,000. Most of the Lebanese originate from the Southern Lebanese city of Tyre, which is known as "Little West Africa" and has a main promenade that is called "Avenue du Senegal".^[11]

Minor groups

There are also many other smaller representations of other ethnic groups in Senegal, including the

The predominant ethnic groups in Senegal share a common cultural background so that, apart from their languages that also have many similarities, there are no effective cultural barriers between them. ^[dubious – discuss] This is why marriage between ethnic groups in Senegal is so common.^{[original research?]}

The Serer people who have vehemently resisted Islamization for almost a thousand years in order to preserve their religious beliefs and way of life have been historically persecuted by the Muslims.^{[12][13][14][15]} Since the 20th century, their religious and ethnic persecution is less visible. However, they are now viewed as the object of scorn and prejudice.^[16][17]

See also

Related articles

• Languages of Senegal
• List of African ethnic groups
• Timeline of Serer history
• Serer ancient history

Bibliography

• Mara A. Leichtman (2005). "The legacy of transnational lives: Beyond the first generation of Lebanese in Senegal". Ethnic and Racial Studies. 28 (4): 663–686.
  S2CID 144395215
  .
• Papa Oumar Fall, «The ethnolinguistic classification of Seereer in question», in Altmayer, Claus / Wolff, H. Ekkehard, Les défis du plurilinguisme en Afrique, Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Bern, Bruxelles, New York, Oxford, Wien, 2013, pp. 47–60

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ethnic groups of Senegal.

• (in French) The ethnic groups of Senegal

References