Toubab
Encyclopedia
Toubab is a Central
and West Africa
n name for a person of Europe
an descent ("whites"). Used most frequently in the Gambia, Senegal
, and Mali
, the term does not have derogatory connotations by itself, though it is also frequently associated with "wealthy traveler" (if one can afford to travel, then he/she must be rich). The word can also be applied to any perceived traveler - even those of black African descent with an identifiably different phenotype
such as (whiter) Cape Verdeans
and (blacker) Nigerians
, up to foreign-raised locals (thus with a different accent) or a visiting expatriate
.
In God's Bits of Wood
, authored by Senegalese Sembene Ousmane, the natives call the French colonizers toubab (singular) or toubabs (plural).
The name has many suggested sources, including: a likely corruption of the Arabic
word Tabib meaning doctor; a verb in the Wolof language
meaning "to convert" ( the early doctors and missionaries during colonial times, being whites coming from Europe ); or that it is derived from the two bob (two shilling) coin of pre-decimalisation
United Kingdom currency. Another explanation is that it means 'from the sea' as the first whites arrived by ship.
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
and 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:...
n name for a person of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an descent ("whites"). Used most frequently in the Gambia, 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...
, and Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
, the term does not have derogatory connotations by itself, though it is also frequently associated with "wealthy traveler" (if one can afford to travel, then he/she must be rich). The word can also be applied to any perceived traveler - even those of black African descent with an identifiably different phenotype
Phenotype
A phenotype is an organism's observable characteristics or traits: such as its morphology, development, biochemical or physiological properties, behavior, and products of behavior...
such as (whiter) Cape Verdeans
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
and (blacker) Nigerians
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, up to foreign-raised locals (thus with a different accent) or a visiting expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
.
In God's Bits of Wood
God's Bits of Wood
God's Bits of Wood is a 1960 novel by the Senegalese author Ousmane Sembène that concerns a railroad strike in colonial Senegal of the 1940s. It was written in French under the title Les bouts de bois de Dieu. The book deals with several ways that the Senegalese and Malians responded to colonialism...
, authored by Senegalese Sembene Ousmane, the natives call the French colonizers toubab (singular) or toubabs (plural).
The name has many suggested sources, including: a likely corruption of the Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
word Tabib meaning doctor; a verb in the Wolof language
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...
meaning "to convert" ( the early doctors and missionaries during colonial times, being whites coming from Europe ); or that it is derived from the two bob (two shilling) coin of pre-decimalisation
Decimalisation
Decimal currency is the term used to describe any currency that is based on one basic unit of currency and a sub-unit which is a power of 10, most commonly 100....
United Kingdom currency. Another explanation is that it means 'from the sea' as the first whites arrived by ship.