The Persecution of Serers is multifaceted and includes both ethnic and religious persecution of the Serer people of Senegal, the Gambia, and Mauritania, first, by Muslims, and later by Christians. The persecution of the Serer people can be reliably traced back to the 11th century, continuing from the medieval and European colonial era, to the 19th century, and resulting in the Battle of Logandème (against French colonialism), and the Battle of Fandane-Thiouthioune (against the Muslim jihads). Since the 20th century, the persecution of the Serers has been less visible; they are still the "objects of scorn and prejudice."Abbey, M T Rosalie Akouele, "Customary Law and Slavery in West Africa", Trafford Publishing (2011), pp. 481–482, Mwakikagile, Godfrey, "Ethnic Diversity and Integration in The Gambia: The Land, The People and The Culture," (2010), p. 241,
By Muslims The religious and ethnic persecution of the Serer people dates back to the 11th century, when King War Jabi usurped the throne of Tekrur (part of present-day Senegal) in 1030, and in 1035, introduced Sharia law and forced his subjects to submit to Islam.Clark, Andrew F., & Phillips, Lucie Colvin, "Historical Dictionary of Senegal". ed: 2, Metuchen, New Jersey : Scrarecrow Press (1994) p. 265 With the assistance of his son Leb, their Almoravid allies and other African ethnic groups who had embraced Islam, the Muslim coalition army launched jihads against the Serer people of Tekrur because they refused to abandon their Serer religion in favour of Islam.Page, Willie F., "Encyclopedia of African history and culture: African kingdoms (500 to 1500)", pp. 209, 676. Vol.2, Facts on File (2001), Streissguth, Thomas, "Senegal in Pictures, Visual Geography", Second Series, p. 23, Twenty-First Century Books (2009), Oliver, Roland Anthony, Fage, J. D., "Journal of African history", Volume 10, p. 367. Cambridge University Press (1969)Mwakikagile, Godfrey, "Ethnic Diversity and Integration in The Gambia: The Land, The People and The Culture," (2010), p. 11,
The Serer lamanic class, who also acted as the priestly class and guardians of Serer religion, are believed to have been at the forefront of resisting Islamization, partly to preserve their religion, and also their power and wealth as landowners. It was common for early Arab writers such as Al Bakri to refer to "non-believers" of Islam in their works as lamlam, lemlem, or damdam which may be a corruption of the Serer title lamaan.Chavane, Bruno A., "Villages de l’ancien Tekrour", Vol. 2, Hommes et sociétés. Archéologies africaines, KARTHALA Editions (1985), p. 38, Diop, Abdoulaye Bara, "Le tenure foncière en milieu rural Wolof (Sénégal): Historique et actualité." Notes Africaines, no. 118, (April 1968), IFAN, Dakar, pp. 48–52 The persecution of the Serers in the 11th century led to their first generally accepted exodus from Tekrur, moving southwards.Mwakikagile, Godfrey, Ethnic Diversity and Integration in the Gambia:, p. 224 Mwakikagile, Godfrey, The Gambia and Its People:, p 138Klein, Martin A., Islam and Imperialism in Senegal Sine-Saloum, 1847–1914, pp 7 & 63Gravrand, Henry, La Civilisation sereer: Cossan, vol. 1. pp 115–18Gravrand, Henry, La civilisation Sereer: Pangool, vol. 2, p. 13 The number of Serers who were killed is unknown, and the defeat of the Serers at Tekrur triggered their exodus from Tekrur to the south, where they were granted asylum by the Serer lamanes in the south. The Serer people are very diverse and the Serer Exodus from Tekruk only affected the Serers living in Tekrur at the time. The Tanzanians historian and author Godfrey Mwakikagile notes that: "...the Serer traversed vast expanses of territory during pre-colonial times and saw the entire region as their home, as their history of migration in the area clearly shows..."Mwakikagile, Godfrey, "The Gambia and Its People: Ethnic Identities and Cultural Integration in Africa", p 136. (2010),
In the 13th century, a civil war broke out in Tekrur. The descendants of the Serers who chose to remain in Tekrur during the first Serer Exodus decided to migrate southwest, first to the Ferlo, and then to Siin and Saloum rather than be converted to Islam.Colvin, Lucie Gallistel, "Historical dictionary of Senegal, Scare Crow Press Inc. (1981), p. 18, Ibrahima Thiaw advanced the claim that, this was the process by which a distinct 'Serer' identity first emerged, separate from the rest of the Takruri population. Professor Issa Laye Thiaw, Professor Cheikh Anta Diop, the 18th century French archaeologist Paul Pierret, and Professor Molefi Kete Asante et al. amongst other historians posits that the name 'Serer' is sacred and pre-Islamic, leading Asante et al. to conclude that, "they are an ancient people whose history reaches deep into the past..." and that would be consistent with their "strong connection to their ancient religious past".Thiaw, Issa Laye, La Religiosité des Sereer, avant et pendant leur Islamisation. Éthiopiques, No: 54, Revue Semestrielle de Culture Négro-Africaine. Nouvelle Série, Volume 7, 2e Semestre (1991).Pierret, Paul, "Dictionnaire d'archéologie égyptienne", Imprimerie nationale 1875, p. 198-199Pierret, Paul, "Dictionnaire d'archéologie égyptienne", Imprimerie nationale 1875, p. 198-199 [in] Diop, Cheikh Anta, Precolonial Black Africa., (translated by Harold Salemson), Chicago Review Press (1988), p. 65Asante, Molefi Kete; Mazama, Ama; Encyclopedia of African Religion, SAGE Publications (2008) (retrieved 29 March 2025)
The persecution of the Serer people continued from the medieval era to the 19th century, resulting in the Battle of Fandane-Thiouthioune where the Serers defeated the ally Muslim forces of the 19th century Senegambian jihadist, Muslim cleric and slave trader,Klein, Martin (1968). "Islam and Imperialism in Senegal Sine-Saloum, 1847–1914." Edinburgh University Press, p. 73, Maba Diakhou Bâ. Since the 20th century, the persecution of the Serers has been less visible though the object of "scorn and prejudice."
By Christians
The Serer people have a somewhat recent contact with Christianity compared to Islam which they vehemently and violently resisted for almost a thousand years, since the 11th century.Hopkins, J. F. P., & Levtzion, Nehemia, "Corpus of Early Arabic Sources for West African History", pp 77–79, Cambridge University Press (1981)Trimingham, John Spencer, "A history of Islam in West Africa", pp 174, 176 & 234, Oxford University Press, USA (1970) Serer contact with Christianity came via the Atlantic slave trade and European colonialism. Thus, Christian persecution of Serers who adhere to Serer spirituality (A ƭat Roog), was multi-faceted, and mainly motivated by European colonialists' greed and attempts to dehumanise the Serer. Many early European writers (and some modern writers), some of whom never entered Serer country, relied on information received from their Wolof translators, have works filled with anti-Serer sentiments including, and not limited to, viewing the Serer people as wicked; "idolaters of great cruelty"; pagans; evil; people without kings; unwelcoming; uncivilised; always sticking together; hostile; and not open to other cultures; etc.. French colonialists preferred Islam over Serer spirituality, especially when the Serer kings refused them permission to own land in Serer country or build Christian missions in brick masonry.Klein, Martin, "Islam and Imperialism in Senegal, Sine-Saloum", pp.46, 55-59, 106-9Diouf, Cheikh, "Fiscalité et Domination Coloniale: l'exemple du Sine: 1859-1940", Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (2005)
The earliest contact with European Christians was during the 15th century. In 1446, the Portuguese slave raider Nuno Tristão tried and failed to launch a slave raiding expedition with his Portuguese party in Serer territory. They all succumbed to Serer poisoned arrows except five young Portuguese (some sources say less). One of them was left to charter their caravel back to Portugal. Nuno was amongst those killed by the Serers for attempting slave raiding in Serer country.Hair, Paul Edward Hedley, "The Use of African Languages in Afro-European contacts in Guinea : 1440-1560", [in] "Sierra Leone Language Review", no. 5, 1966, p. 13, (retrieved 29 March 2025)Hair, Paul Edward Hedley, "Africa encountered: European contacts and evidence, 1450-1700", Variorum (1997), pp. 213-15 & 248,
In 1455, the Venetian slave trader, chronicler, and navigator Alvise Cadamosto parked his caravel in the water and sent his Wolof translator to the Serer community on shore―who stood guard looking menacing, to negotiate slave buying terms. Serer religion and culture forbids slavery.Thiaw, Issa Laye, "La Religiosité des Sereer, Avant et Pendant Leur Islamisation." Éthiopiques, No: 54, Revue Semestrielle de Culture Négro-Africaine. Nouvelle Série, Volume 7, 2e Semestre (1991)The Seereer Resource Centre, "Seereer Lamans and the Lamanic Era" (2015)Richard, François G., "Recharting Atlantic encounters. Object trajectories and histories of value in the Siin (Senegal) and Senegambia." Archaeological Dialogues 17(1) 1–27. Cambridge University Press (2010) The Wolof interpreter was brutally killed on the spot by the Serer people on guard for bringing European slave traders into their community. Cadamosto and his Portuguese party on board who witnessed the murder did not come out of the ship; he ordered the ship to be turned around, and headed towards the Gambia.
Cadamosto never set foot in Serer country. He failed to realise that he was approaching Serer country, and what was acceptable in Wolof country was not necessarily acceptable in Serer country who did not practice a slave culture due to their religious beliefs or at least not to the same extent as other groups, and each tribe have their own customs and traditions, as well as languages. He also failed to realise that the Serer people on the border of Wolof and Serer country viewed the Wolof as ardent enemies for their slave raiding and slave trading slaves activities with Europeans.
The Serer Cangin people (a subgroup of the Serer) viewed the Wolof as the agents of Portuguese slave traders, and their own community the victims of Wolof slave raiding. The Portuguese saw the Wolof as more agreeable and had a better slave trading relationship with them than with the Serer, whom they viewed as hostile.Tymowski, Michał, "Europeans and Africans: Mutual Discoveries and First Encounters." BRILL (2020), pp. 70-72, (retrieved 29 March 2025)Hall, Trevor P., "Before Middle Passage: Translated Portuguese Manuscripts of Atlantic Slave Trading from West Africa to Iberian Territories, 1513-26." Routledge (2016), p. 22-23, (retrieved 29 March 2025)
Michał Tymowski said that:
"The Wolof were just as determined as the Portuguese to ensure smooth and efficient trade."Tymowski, Michał, "Europeans and Africans: Mutual Discoveries and First Encounters." BRILL (2020), p. 72,