Lebou
Encyclopedia
The Lebou are an ethnic group of Senegal
, West Africa
, living on the peninsula of Cap-Vert
. The Lebou are primarily a fishing community, but they have a substantial business in construction supplies. They speak Wolof
. Their political and spiritual capital is at Yoff
, just north of Dakar
. They have a religious sect and theocracy, the Layene
, headquartered there.
The traditional date of the founding of Yoff is 1430. Although they were conquered by the Kingdoms of Jolof (Diolof) and Cayor
, and later the French
in the 19th century, and were incorporated into modern Senegal
, since 1815 they have had a special legal autonomy as a special kind of "theocratic republic".
Lebou society empahasizes piety and respect for elders. Lebou families include not only living people but also associated ancestral spirits. The Lebou are noted for their public exorcism dances and rituals, often attended by tourists.
In addition to Yoff, other Lebou centres are nearby Ouakam
and Ngor
.
, Les Lébous de la presqu'île du Cap-vert. Essai sur leur histoire et leurs coutumes, Dakar, Éd. La Maison du livre, 143 p. Birahim Ba, La société lébu. La formation d’un peuple. La naissance d’un État, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1972, 206 p. (Mémoire de Maîtrise) Georges Balandier
et Pierre Mercier, Particularisme et évolution: les pêcheurs Lébou (Sénégal), IFAN, Saint-Louis du Sénégal, 1952 Adama Baytir Diop, La prise de position de la collectivité lebu en faveur du “oui” lors du référendum de 1958. Essai d’interprétation, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1985, 51 p. (diplôme d’études approfondies) Adama Baytir Diop, La communauté lebu face aux développement de la politique coloniale : la question des terrains de Dakar (1887-1958), Dakar, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, 1995, 277 p. (thesis) Claude Laborde, La confrérie layenne et les Lébous du Sénégal. Islam et culture traditionnelle en Afrique, Karthala, 1997 ISBN 2865377121 Colette Le Cour Grandmaison, Rôles traditionnels féminins et urbanisation. Lébou et wolof de Dakar, Paris, EPHE, 1970, 4+310+23 p. (Thèse de 3e cycle, publiée en 1972 sous le titre Femmes dakaroises: rôles traditionnels féminins et urbanisation, Abidjan, Annales de l’Université d’Abidjan, 249 p.) M. Mbodji, "Tiané, une jeune fille en quête d'initiation: rêver chez les Wolof-Lébou, ou comment communiquer avec les ancêtres?", dans Psychopathologie africaine, 1998-1999, vol. 29, n° 1, p. 7-21 Mariama Ndoye Mbengue, Introduction à la littérature orale léboue. Analyse ethno-sociologique et expression littéraire, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1983, 378 p. (Thesis) Médoune Paye, La collectivité lebu de Dakar : organisation, rôle politique dans les élections municipales de 1925 à 1934, Dakar, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, 2001, 118 p. (Master's thesis) Ousmane Silla, Croyances et cultes syncrétiques des Lébous du Sénégal, Paris, EPHE, 1967, 517 p. (Thèse de 3e cycle) Assane Sylla, Le Peuple Lébou de la presqu'île du Cap-Vert, Dakar, Les Nouvelles Éditions africaines du Sénégal, 1992, 135 p. Tamsir Sylla, Introduction à un thème négligé : révoltes et résistances en milieu lebou au XIXe siècle. Approche critique des sources, Dakar, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, 1990, 36 p. (Mémoire de DEA) Ibrahima Thiam, Ousmane Diop Coumba Pathé, personnalité politique lebu : 1867-1958, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1987, 46 p. (Diplôme d’Études Approfondies) Guy Thilmans, "Étude de quelques crânes lébou (Sénégal)", Bulletin de l'IFAN, 1968, t. 30, série B, 4, p. 1291-1297
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, living on the peninsula of Cap-Vert
Cap-Vert
Cap-Vert is a peninsula in Senegal, and the westernmost point of the continent of Africa and of the Old World mainland. Originally called Cabo Verde or "Cape Green" by Portuguese explorers, it is not to be confused with the Cape Verde islands, which are some further west...
. The Lebou are primarily a fishing community, but they have a substantial business in construction supplies. They speak Wolof
Wolof language
Wolof is a language spoken in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania, and is the native language of the Wolof people. Like the neighbouring languages Serer and Fula, it belongs to the Atlantic branch of the Niger–Congo language family...
. Their political and spiritual capital is at Yoff
Yoff
Yoff is a town part of the city of Dakar. It lies north of downtown Dakar and immediately north of Dakar Airport . The town is built along the broad beach at Yoff Bay...
, just north of Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
. They have a religious sect and theocracy, the Layene
Layene
The Layene are a politically autonomous religious community of the Lebou people, who live in fishing communities on the Cap-Vert peninsula, north of Dakar, Senegal. The Layene brotherhood is one of the smaller Muslim brotherhoods of Senegal and is ruled in religious and temporal matters by their...
, headquartered there.
The traditional date of the founding of Yoff is 1430. Although they were conquered by the Kingdoms of Jolof (Diolof) and Cayor
Cayor
The Kingdom of Cayor was the largest and most powerful kingdom that split off from the Empire of Jolof , in what is now Senegal. Cayor was located in north and central Senegal, southeast of Waalo, west of the kingdom of Jolof and north of Baol and the Kingdom of Sine.In 1549, the king, or...
, and later the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the 19th century, and were incorporated into modern Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, since 1815 they have had a special legal autonomy as a special kind of "theocratic republic".
Lebou society empahasizes piety and respect for elders. Lebou families include not only living people but also associated ancestral spirits. The Lebou are noted for their public exorcism dances and rituals, often attended by tourists.
In addition to Yoff, other Lebou centres are nearby Ouakam
Ouakam
Ouakam is a commune d'arrondissement of the city of Dakar, Senegal. The town is the birthplace of French politicians Ségolène Royal and Rama Yade and Senegalese writer and politician Birago Diop.-History:...
and Ngor
Ngor, Dakar
Ngor is a commune d'arrondissement of the city of Dakar, Senegal. As of 2007 it had a population of 11,600....
.
Sources
Armand-Pierre AngrandArmand-Pierre Angrand
Armand Pierre Angrand was a Senegalese politician, nobleman and writer and mayor of Gorée and Dakar in 1934. Son of Leopold Angrand , descendant of a prominent Métis Signares Goree. Grand son of Pierre Angrand , a rich merchant and shipowner and Helene de Saint-Jean , granddaughter of Estoupan of St...
, Les Lébous de la presqu'île du Cap-vert. Essai sur leur histoire et leurs coutumes, Dakar, Éd. La Maison du livre, 143 p. Birahim Ba, La société lébu. La formation d’un peuple. La naissance d’un État, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1972, 206 p. (Mémoire de Maîtrise) Georges Balandier
Georges Balandier
Georges Balandier is a French sociologist, anthropologist and ethnologist noted for his research in Sub-Saharan Africa...
et Pierre Mercier, Particularisme et évolution: les pêcheurs Lébou (Sénégal), IFAN, Saint-Louis du Sénégal, 1952 Adama Baytir Diop, La prise de position de la collectivité lebu en faveur du “oui” lors du référendum de 1958. Essai d’interprétation, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1985, 51 p. (diplôme d’études approfondies) Adama Baytir Diop, La communauté lebu face aux développement de la politique coloniale : la question des terrains de Dakar (1887-1958), Dakar, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, 1995, 277 p. (thesis) Claude Laborde, La confrérie layenne et les Lébous du Sénégal. Islam et culture traditionnelle en Afrique, Karthala, 1997 ISBN 2865377121 Colette Le Cour Grandmaison, Rôles traditionnels féminins et urbanisation. Lébou et wolof de Dakar, Paris, EPHE, 1970, 4+310+23 p. (Thèse de 3e cycle, publiée en 1972 sous le titre Femmes dakaroises: rôles traditionnels féminins et urbanisation, Abidjan, Annales de l’Université d’Abidjan, 249 p.) M. Mbodji, "Tiané, une jeune fille en quête d'initiation: rêver chez les Wolof-Lébou, ou comment communiquer avec les ancêtres?", dans Psychopathologie africaine, 1998-1999, vol. 29, n° 1, p. 7-21 Mariama Ndoye Mbengue, Introduction à la littérature orale léboue. Analyse ethno-sociologique et expression littéraire, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1983, 378 p. (Thesis) Médoune Paye, La collectivité lebu de Dakar : organisation, rôle politique dans les élections municipales de 1925 à 1934, Dakar, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, 2001, 118 p. (Master's thesis) Ousmane Silla, Croyances et cultes syncrétiques des Lébous du Sénégal, Paris, EPHE, 1967, 517 p. (Thèse de 3e cycle) Assane Sylla, Le Peuple Lébou de la presqu'île du Cap-Vert, Dakar, Les Nouvelles Éditions africaines du Sénégal, 1992, 135 p. Tamsir Sylla, Introduction à un thème négligé : révoltes et résistances en milieu lebou au XIXe siècle. Approche critique des sources, Dakar, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, 1990, 36 p. (Mémoire de DEA) Ibrahima Thiam, Ousmane Diop Coumba Pathé, personnalité politique lebu : 1867-1958, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1987, 46 p. (Diplôme d’Études Approfondies) Guy Thilmans, "Étude de quelques crânes lébou (Sénégal)", Bulletin de l'IFAN, 1968, t. 30, série B, 4, p. 1291-1297