Cosaan Seereer : Part 1 of 2 : Exclusive interview with Professor Issa Laye Thiaw (December 2015) by The Seereer Resource Centre and Seereer Radio

In December 2015, the Seereer Resource Centre in collaboration with our radio station (Seereer Radio) sent its research team to several parts of Seereer country to interview some notable and knowledgeable Seereer elders, historians / scholars on matters relating to Seereer religion, history and culture, so that we can document and preserve this before it is too late. This team was headed by Tamsier Joof and Demba Sene.

This is the first part of the interview they conducted with Professor Issa Laye Thiaw at his house in Diamagane Sicap. Dakar, Senegal. This audio is in two parts.

Date of first broadcast on Seereer Radio : Saturday, 26th March 2016

Presenters : Tamsier Joof, Demba Sene and Mamadou Fall

Interviewers : Tamsier Joof and Demba Sene

Interviewee : Professor Issa Laye Thiaw

Other panel members : Njaga Gaye and Momodou Secka

Source language(s) :  Seereer-Siin, Saafi-Saafi, English, French and Wolof

Subjects covered : Seereer symbolism ; Ndut, Seereer surnames; The importance and representation of birds in Seereer traditions.

Radio program : Cosaan Seereer

Radio station : Seereer Radio

Owner : The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC)

Collection : The SRC Collection

Date of recording : 14th December 2015

Location : The compound of Professor Issa Laye Thiaw in Diamagane Sicap. Dakar, Senegal. Medium : Audio recording 

Additional information : This audio was recorded for the SRC Collection, with permission to broadcast granted to Seereer Radio  | The Voice of the Seereer Community (our 24 hour stream radio station). The research team was headed by Tamsier Joof (founder of the SRC and Seereer Radio) and Demba Sene. It was recorded on 14th December 2015 at Professor Thiaw's house. Apologies for the noisy background..

Information about Professor Issa Laye Thiaw  : Professor Issa Laye Thiaw, also known as Mbañik Caw (his Seereer name, Thiaw is spelled Caw in Seereer) is a scholar of Seereer religion and history, but perhaps better known for his work on Seereer religion and culture. His work has been cited by several international scholars writing about Seereer religion and culture. Along with his writing, Professor Thiaw has also appeared as guest speaker on several inter-religious dialogue meetings. He is the author of that celebrated book "La femme Seereer." Other papers authored by Thiaw include:

• La religiosité Seereer, avant et pendant leur Islamisation

• Mythe de la création du monde selon les sages sereer

Professor Thiaw supports the Seereer Resource Centre (SRC) where he currently serves as Consultant on Seereer religion, History and Culture. Working in partnership with the Seereer Resource Centre, Professor Thiaw and the SRC are in the process of building a huge complex in Sanghe (or Sangue) - Senegal, which will be called "The Seereer Resource Centre and the Temple of Initiated Women." It will be the flagship office of the SRC where Seereer ancient religion, culture and medicine will be taught to those interested in these subjects. To learn more about this project and how you can part take in it, visit the Seereer Resource Centre's website or e-mail us at info@seereer.com.

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Download transcript « Télécharger la transcription » :

Visit the Seereer Resource Centre download page to download a transcript of this audio in English, French, Seereer a Sinig, Saafi-Saafi, Ndut, Sili-Sili, Noon and Laalaa.

Websites :

The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC) - www.seereer.org

Seereer Radio - www.seereerradio.com