Brak (or Braque) was the title of the kings of the kingdoms of

Waalo Walo ( wo, Waalo) was a kingdom on the lower Senegal River in West Africa, in what are now Senegal and Mauritania. It included parts of the valley proper and areas north and south, extending to the Atlantic Ocean. To the north were Moorish emirat ...

(or Oualo) and Biffeche on the Senegal River in

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...

and Mauritania in West Africa until the 19th century. The word ''brak'' possibly derive from

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...

and mean "high," or from the Arabic word ''baraka'' (divine blessing)Amadou Wade, « Chronique du Wâlo sénégalais », ''Bulletin de l'IFAN'', Série B, tome 26, n° 3-4, juillet-octobre 1964, p. 451–452) The main Brak was the king of the Kingdom of Waalo with capital at Ndiourbel north of the river, and later at Nder on the west shore of Lac de Guiers. The 'Petit Brak' was the king or seigneur of the Kingdom of Biffeche, with his capital compound at on the Senegal River, near Saint-Louis. The kingdoms of Waalo and Biffeche were labelled as 'Brak' or 'Braque' on some French maps of the area, not to be confused with the moorish realm of

Brakna Brakna ( ar, ولاية البراكنة) is a region in south-west Mauritania. Its capital is Aleg. Other major cities/towns include Boghé. The region borders the Mauritanian regions of Tagant to the north-east, Assaba and Gorgol to the sou ...

north of the Senegal River. Waalo was conquered by the French in the mid-19th century. The Braks of Waalo were chosen from three leading families of Dyoos, Teedyo and Logar, and ruled through a council consisting of various officials with specific delegated functions. It has been claimed that the Brak of Waalo ruled through a local kind of African traditional democracy, but the rulership had definite patrilineal and matrilineal hereditary restrictions. They claimed descent from the legendary first Brak of Waalo and Jolof, Ndiadiane Ndiaye.

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