 | ||
Country Kingdom of BaolKingdom of SineKingdom of SaloumTakrur (the Serers of Tekrur through the Lamanic lineageSenegal (present-day)Gambia (former colony of Saloum)Mauritania (previously as Lamanes) Titles LamaneMaadMaad a SinigTeigneMaad SaloumBour Final ruler Maad a Sinig Mahecor Joof (King of Sine, 1924-69)Maad Saloum Fode N'Gouye Joof (King of Saloum, 1935-69)Lamane Njaga Dibor Ndoffene Joof (Lamane Diaga Dibor Ndofene Diouf) - Lamane of Tukar (2004) Cadet branches The Royal House of Boureh Gnilane JoofThe Royal House of Jogo Siga JoofThe Royal House of Semou Njekeh Joof | ||
Joof (English spelling in the Gambia) or Diouf (French spelling in Senegal and Mauritania) is a surname typically Serer. This surname is also spelt Juuf or Juf (in the Serer language). They are the same people. The differences in spelling is because Senegal was colonized by France, while the Gambia was colonized by Britain. Although spelt differently, they are pronounced the same way. The totem and symbol of the Joof family is the antelope, the symbol of grace, royalty, wisdom, hard work and protection in Serer mythology. The name of their clan is "Njoofene" variations: "Njuufeen" or "Njufeen" (in Serer). Members of this family had ruled over many of the pre-colonial kingdoms of Senegambia, including the Kingdom of Sine, the Kingdom of Saloum and the Kingdom of Baol. The royal princesses (Lingeers) from the Joof family were also given in marriage to the pre-colonial kings and princes of Senegambia. Some of these included the kings of Jolof, kings of Waalo, kings of Cayor and Baol (after 1549 following the Battle of Danki). From these marriages, they provided many heirs to the thrones of these kingdoms. Although usually associated with Serer royalty, the Joof family also figure prominently in Serer religious affairs.
Contents
- The Wagadou period
- The Guelowar period
- Historic battles involving this family
- Genealogy
- Status in Serer religion
- Personalities with the surname Joof Diouf Juuf or Juf
- Kingdom of Baol
- Kingdom of Sine
- Kingdom of Saloum
- Kingdom of Jolof
- Kingdom of Cayor
- Royal houses Guelowar period
- Academic world
- Politics
- Legal profession
- Medicine
- Sports
- Visual arts
- Multi discipline
- Other
- References
The Wagadou period
The Joof family is one of the old families of Senegambia. Serer oral tradition speaks of a noble called Lamane Jegan Joof, owner of a large herd of livestock and estate who was also a farmer. He migrated from Lambaye following an argument with his relative, the king of Lambaye. The dispute concerned the governance of Lambaye and over-taxation of his herd which he considered unjust. As such, he decided to head south and founded Tukar with his younger brother Ndik Joof. The tradition then went on to say that, he had a son called Sosseh Joof (Socé Diouf) who was the heir of Tukar. Some scholars have proposed that, Tukar (and many of its surrounding villages such as Njujuf, Sob, etc., which were founded by Lamane Jegan Joof making them part of his estate and colony) now a rather large village in present-day Senegal, is an ancient village and well before the Guelowar period (1335 following the alleged Battle of Troubang, many variations in spelling, including Turubang) and placed the foundation of these villages in the 11th century, if not earlier. There was in fact no "Battle of Troubang". In reporting this tradition, Henry Gravrand did not notice that this is actually a description of the 1867 (or 1865) Battle of Kansala. The Joof family had ruled Tukar for many centuries, inherited from their ancestor Lamane Jegan Joof through the Serer Lamanic custom, a rather strict custom of Serer land law and inheritance. In 2004, Lamane Njaga Dibor Ndoffene Joof (Lamane Diaga Dibor Ndofene Diouf) was the last lamane of Tukar.
In the early history of the Ghana Empire to its end, the royal princesses of the Empire married into the Serer aristocratic families, some of these included Joof family. These royal princesses belonged to the maternal clan Wagadou (Bagadou in Serer language). With the Joof paternal clan, they ruled the Kingdom of Baol and provided many kings from the patrilineage Joof (the Joof paternal dynasty of Baol). Some of these kings include Boureh Joof (Bouré Diouf), Guidiane Joof (Guidiane Diouf), Ma Joof, Jinak Dialane [probably Gnilane] Joof, Maguinak Joof, etc. These kings preceded the Guelowar period by at least two or three centuries and long before the Fall paternal dynasty of Baol and Cayor who inherited the throne around 1549 after the Battle of Danki. The general consensus is that, after the demise of the Joof paternal and Wagadou maternal dynasties of Baol with other Serer paternal dynasties who jointly ruled Baol, the Fall paternal dynasty succeeded them, hence the first Damels and Teignes (titles of the kings of Cayor and Baol, respectively) from the Fall patrilineage were of Wagadou maternal descent. They simply married into the old royal family and succeeded to the throne.
The Guelowar period
The Guelowar period starts from 1350 during the reign of the first Guelowar king of Sine - Maad a Sinig Maysa Wali and ends in 1969 after the death of the last king of Sine and Saloum (Maad a Sinig Mahecor Joof and Maad Saloum Fode N'Gouye Joof respectively).
Maysa Wali and his family (the maternal clan Guelowar) fled Kaabu in 1335 after the Battle of Troubang. They were defeated by the Ñaanco maternal dynasty of Kaabu (their extended relatives) and were granted asylum in the Kingdom of Sine by a Serer noble Council called The Great Council of Lamanes. Having served as legal advisor to this noble Council for 15 years, Maysa Wali managed to win the confidence and trust of the Council and the common people. He was nominated and elected by the Council and the people as king of Sine. He was the first Guelowar king of Sine. He gave his sisters in marriage to the Serer nobility which sealed the union between Serer and Guelowar. It was the offsprings of these marriages between the old Serer paternal noble clans and the Guelowar maternal clan of Kaabu that ruled the kingdom of Sine and later Saloum. In this Guelowar period, the Joof family (one of the oldest Serer paternal noble clans) provided many kings in the Kingdoms of Sine and Saloum (the Joof paternal dynasty of Sine and Saloum). The Joof family also founded three royal houses as follows (in the order of foundation) :
They all trace their descent to Maad Ndaah Njemeh Joof (also known as Bour Ndaah Ndiémé Diouf or Ndaah Njeeme Juuf) - the king of Laah (or Laa) in Baol, around the 13th century. Maad Ndaah Njemeh Joof was the father of Maad Niokhobai Joof (also king of Laa) who was the father of the Great Maad Patar Kolleh Joof (also: Bour or Buur Patar Kholé Diouf or Bour Patar Kholleh Diouf) - the conqueror of Baol. Maad Patar Kolleh Joof was the first of the Joof family to marry a Guelowar (Maad a Sinig Maysa Wali's niece). From that marriage he had Maad a Sinig Niokhobai Mane Nyan Joof (Niokhobaye Mane Niane Diouf) and Maad a Sinig Gejopal Mane Nyan Joof (Guédiopal Niane Mane Diouf), who were the first kings of Sine during the Guelowar period from the patrilineage Joof. Their brother Jaraff Boureh Gnilane Joof (Diaraf Bouré Gnilane Diouf) was not a king of Sine, but a Jaraff (equivalent of Prime Minister), who gave his name to the first Royal House of the Joof Dynasty (in the Guelowar period) and it is from that "The Royal House of Boureh Gnilane Joof" derived from, which provided several kings in Sine and Saloum. The Joof Dynasty that succeeded to the throne of Saloum came from Sine.
Historic battles involving this family
This table lists some of the historic battles of Senegambia involving the kings or princes belonging to this family :
Genealogy
A short genealogy showing the descendants of Maad Ndaah Njemeh Joof.
Maad Ndaah Njemeh Joof (king of Laa, Baol, c. 1290) │ Maad Niokhobai Joof (king of Laa, Baol) │ __________________________________________│ │ Maad Patar Kholleh Joof (The Conqueror) = ? = Lingeer Mane Nyan (king of Laa (Baol) and Teigne of Baol) │ (1) │ (daughter of Sine o Mev Manneh (Guelowar) │ │ (2) │ │_____________________________________________ │ │ Jaraff Boureh Gnilane Joof │ (Jaraff and prince of Sine) │ │ _________________________________________________________________________│ │ ┌───────────┴────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ Maad a Sinig Niokhobai Mane Nyan Joof │ Lingeer (king of Sine) │ Siga Pal Mane Nyan Joof │ Maad a Sinig Gejopal Mane Nyan Joof (king of Sine)Status in Serer religion
The Joof family figure prominently in Serer religion. Many of the Serer Pangool (saints and ancestral spirits) came from this family. Though associated with Serer royalty, this family's involvement in Serer religious affairs are found within the hermeneutics of Serer religion and traditions. Some of the sacred Serer sites regularly venerated were founded or headed by this family which underpins their involvement in the Pangool cult. Some of these venerated sites includes Tagdiam, residence of Maad Semou Njekeh Joof who is associated with the cult of Tagdiam; and Tukar, founded by Lamane Jegan Joof. In the Serer religious calendar, the Raan festival which takes place once a year after the new moon is held in Tukar.
Personalities with the surname Joof, Diouf, Juuf or Juf
The surname Joof, Diouf, Juuf or Juf is carried by several personalities, some of which include:
Kingdom of Baol
Kingdom of Sine
Kingdom of Saloum
Kingdom of Jolof
Kingdom of Cayor
Royal houses (Guelowar period)
Academic world
Politics
Legal profession
Some of these legal professionals have ventured into politics but they are more known for their legal than for their political occupation :
Medicine
Sports
Visual arts
The definition of art is very broad. This section list the names of visual artists (in its narrowest definition) who share this surname :
Multi-discipline
The following list gives the names of personalities with this surname who are experts in a variety of professions, and are equally known for each of these professions. Their professional life is so wide and varied that they can not be easily described by a single category :