The Xooy (meaning "macerate" in Serer, sometimes spelled XoyAfrica Consultants International (2000), ''Yëgóo: magazine d'échanges inter-culturels, Issues 0-11'', p. lix or Khoy) is a Serer

divination Divination () is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic ritual or practice. Using various methods throughout history, diviners ascertain their interpretations of how a should proceed by reading signs, ...

ceremony held once a year in Fatick,

Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...

. The Xooy is one of the most important and well known ceremonies in the Serer religious calendar, and is a national event in Senegal's cultural calendar which attracts government officials and dignitaries. The ceremony is held yearly at the Centre MALANGO in Sine, Senegal and attracts a large crowd from Senegal, and Serers from neighbouring

Gambia The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. Geographically, The Gambia is the List of African countries by area, smallest country in continental Africa; it is surrounded by Senegal on all sides except for ...

and the diaspora. It is somewhat of a yearly pilgrimage. The Lebou also attend the ceremony in homage to their Serer ancestors. The Lebou ''genies'' are actual the Serer pangool. The Xooy takes place around late May early June before the rainy season where the Serer high priests and priestesses—the Saltigue dressed in their traditional gowns and hats takes centre stage to divine the future. There is a master of ceremonies, and as the public are seated in a circle, each Saltigue enters the circle in turn and give their divination on matters relating to the weather, politics, economics, health, etc. The ceremony goes on for two days (sometimes more)—and throughout the night—accompanied by the rhythm of drums.Kalis, Simone, ''Médecine traditionnelle, religion et divination ches les Seereer Siin du Sénégal'' – ''La connaissance de la nuit'',

L'Harmattan Éditions L'Harmattan, usually known simply as L'Harmattan (), is one of the largest French book publishers. It specialises in non-fiction books with a particular focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named after the Harmattan, a trade wind in W ...

(1997), pp. 51, 60, 139, 173, 177, 213 The Serer people have traditionally been farmers, cattle herders, boat builders and fisher people. The Xooy therefore serves both a religious and

agricultural Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created f ...

function. The Xooy should not be confused with the Raan festival, which is another major event in the Serer religious calendar. The Xooy is organized by MALANGO, whilst the Raan is organized and presided over by the Joof family—at their ancestral home in Tukar. The Xooy takes place in late May early June, whilst the Raan takes place yearly on the second Thursday in April after the appearance of the new moon On the last day of the Xooy ceremony, the Serer cosmological star '' Yoonir'' is drawn on the ground and surrounded by saltigues and watchers. A fire is lit, and a calabash containing sacred water is placed by its side. A priest would then sip some of the water and blow it onto the fire. This ritual pays homage to the elements of

earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...

, water and

fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...

, and the significance of the star in Serer primordial time. This in essence signals the beginning of the Serer New Year which starts in the month of ''O nGool ɓetaafoleng'' (in Serer; ''Gam'' in Saafi)—corresponding to the month of June in the Gregorian calendar. The Serer saying ''Ngam jam, o yas jam'' (Rain in peace! Sow in peace!) are the first words Serer farmers say to one another during the first rain. It is also the way Serers wish each other Happy New Year! This saying is also a prayer. The late Saltigue Biram Pouye from Diobass, Senegal, was one of the renowned saltigues of his generation. However, he stopped attending the event, but instead, used to send his messenger every year to Fatick MALANGO to deliver his divination to the public. Saltigue Khane Diouf is another revered Saltigue who historically have had a high accuracy record in her predictions. The Xooy was added to

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

's Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2013.Biagetti, Stefano; Lugli, Francesca; ''The Intangible Elements of Culture in Ethnoarchaeological Research'',

Springer Springer or springers may refer to: Publishers * Springer Science+Business Media, aka Springer International Publishing, a worldwide publishing group founded in 1842 in Germany formerly known as Springer-Verlag. ** Springer Nature, a multinationa ...

(2016), p. 78,

(retrieved 3 March 2020)

Controversy

In recent years, some followers of Serer religion, as well as Serer organizations like the Seereer Resource Centre (SRC) and Seereer Radio have criticised the organizers (MALANGO) for their over-commercialization of this sacred ceremony, and for the ceremony not being a true reflection of how their Serer ancestors used to do it. In this regard, the Seereer Resource Centre has been extremely vocal about some of the Saltigue allowed to participate in this sacred ceremony, who proclaim themselves as bona fides saltigues—but whom the SRC refer to as "charlatans proclaiming themselves as genuine saltigis." Yet, "have neither been initiated nor do they adhere to the tenets of Seereer/ traditional African religions, African spirituality."The Seereer Resource Centre, Seereer Radio and Seereer Heritage Press, ''Our special tribute to Saltigi Biram Pouye''. 16 September 1940 (Sanghe, Jooɓaas) - 2 February 2019 (Sanghe) nSeereer Radio (9 February 2019

(retrieved 3 March 2020)

References

Bibliography

*Kalis, Simone, ''Médecine traditionnelle, religion et divination ches les Seereer Siin du Sénégal – La connaissance de la nuit'',

(1997), pp. 51, 60, 139, 173, 177, 213. 300 *

, ''Xooy, a divination ceremony among the Serer of Senegal''. UNESCO Culture Secto

(retrieved 3 March 2020) *Biagetti, Stefano; Lugli, Francesca; ''The Intangible Elements of Culture in Ethnoarchaeological Research'',

(2016), p. 78,

(retrieved 3 March 2020) *Africa Consultants International (2000), ''Yëgóo: magazine d'échanges inter-culturels, Issues 0-11'', p. lix *Dione, Salif, ''L'appel du ndut: ou, L'initiation des garçons seereer'', Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire, IFAN (2004), pp. 43, 144, *Galvan, Dennis Charles, ''The State Must Be Our Master of Fire:'' How Peasants Craft Culturally Sustainable Development in Senegal. Berkeley, University of California Press, 2004, p. 202, * Gravrand, Henry, ''La Civilisation Sereer'' - " Pangool", vol. 2. Les Nouvelles Editions Africaines du Senegal (1990),

External links

*Xooy on

's official YouTube Channel: ''Xooy, a divination ceremony among the Serer of Senegal'

(retrieved 3 March 2020) *''Xoy'' : 5 June 2016;;, by The Seereer Resource Centre and Seereer Radio on the Seereer Resource Centre and Seereer Radio's official YouTube Channe

(retrieved 3 March 2020) *Sene News, ''Les « Saltigués » sérères prédisent la réélection de Macky Sall et annoncent un décès'' (25 June 2018

(retrieved 3 March 2020) *''Meurtres à la chaîne: "le Sénégal sous l'emprise des djinns'' (30 Nov 2016

(retrieved 3 March 2020) *The Seereer Resource Centre, Seereer Radio and Seereer Heritage Press, ''Our special tribute to Saltigi Biram Pouye''. 16 September 1940 (Sanghe, Jooɓaas) - 2 February 2019 (Sanghe) nSeereer Radio (9 February 2019

(retrieved 3 March 2020) *LeQuotidien, ''Séance de xoy : Les Saltigués voient le pire partout'' (25 Jun 2018

(retrieved 3 March 2020)

Controversy

See also

References

Bibliography

External links

Further reading