Abstract:
The material is a collection of Wolof Ajami poems (Wolofal) by Serigne Samba Diarra Mbaye (1870-1917). There are insertions of Arabic words, phrases, and prayers, including in openings and closings. The material contains numerous poems, including praises dedicated to Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba and his contribution to the country of Senegal, his miracles in Mauritania, and the qualities of Cheikh Ibra Fall and how he surpassed his peers, among others. Based upon the interview with Serigne Abdoulaye Sarr, the owner of the material, these poems were written in Saint-Louis, Senegal around 1907.
Serigne Samba Diarra Mbaye was born in 1870 and died in 1917. He is buried in Saint-Louis, Senegal. Serigne Samba Diarra Mbaye is also a close relative of Serigne Mor Kayre (1869-1951), another leading Murid Wolofal scholar. Both lived together in Mauritania during their visit to their leader Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba who was exiled there by the French colonial administration from 1903 to 1907. Serigne Samba Diarra Mbaye worked as merchant in the city of Saint-Louis, Senegal. His Arabic manuscript dedicated to Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba was written in Mauritania, while the one in Wolofal (Ajami) was written in Saint-Louis, Senegal. His work has helped to disseminate Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba's teachings among the Wolof masses. His poetry has generated some Sufi songs, some of which are available on the internet today.
Digitized on 14 November 2011.
Despite the age of the documents and ink stains, all pages are readable. Red, black and purple ink are used in the material. The red ink is used for vocalization and for key words and phrases. A blue pen is also used on some pages.
Description:
The entire manuscript is available for download below as a single PDF file. Because of the large size of this manuscript, it is also available in three PDF files. In addition, each page is available as a separate, larger, JPG file. If higher-resolution JP2 files are needed (WARNING: files average 11-14MB in size), please contact dcommon-help@bu.edu.
Fieldwork Team: Dr. Fallou Ngom (PI), Cheikh Tidiane Fall (Co-applicant), Ablaye Diakite (Researcher), Birane Gassama (Researcher).
Technical Team: Roger Brisson (Head of Metadata Services, BU Libraries), Vika Zafrin (Institutional Repository Librarian, BU Libraries), Jack Ammerman (Associate University Librarian for Digital Initiatives and Open Access, BU Libraries), and Dr. Peter Quella.
This collection of Wolofal (Wolof Ajami) materials is copied as part of the EAP 334 Project (Digital Preservation of Wolof Ajami manuscripts of Senegal) led by Dr. Fallou Ngom in collaboration with WARA/WARC and Boston University Library. The project is funded by the British Library/Arcadia Endangered Archives.
Access Condition and Copyright: The materials are subject to copyright. Access is for research and educational purposes only. Materials are not to be reproduced without written permission.
Citation: Materials in this web edition may be cited as: Ngom, Fallou. 2011. African Ajami Library: EAP 334. Digital Preservation of Wolof Ajami Manuscripts of Senegal. Boston: Boston University Library: http://dcommon.bu.edu
For Inquires: Please, contact Professor Fallou Ngom (fngom@bu.edu)
