Yoro Dyâo
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Yoro Boly Dyao, Yoro Boly Jaw, or Yoro Booli Jaw (born in Xumma,
Waalo Waalo () was a kingdom on the lower Senegal River in West Africa, in what is 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 emirates; to the ...
, - April 3, 1919) was a
Wolof Wolof or Wollof may refer to: * Wolof people, an ethnic group found in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania * Wolof language, a language spoken in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania * The Wolof or Jolof Empire, a medieval West African successor of the Mal ...
historian, author, noble, and scion of
Senegambia The Senegambia (other names: Senegambia region or Senegambian zone,Barry, Boubacar, ''Senegambia and the Atlantic Slave Trade'', (Editors: David Anderson, Carolyn Brown; trans. Ayi Kwei Armah; contributors: David Anderson, American Council of Le ...
, in northern
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 ...
. He was the son of Fara Penda, who was a
Waalo Waalo () was a kingdom on the lower Senegal River in West Africa, in what is 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 emirates; to the ...
noble, as well as a direct descendant of Laman Jaw, who was the king of the Jolof in 1285. Yoro was in command of the canton of Foss-Galodjina and was set over Wâlo (Ouâlo) by
Louis Faidherbe Louis Léon César Faidherbe (; 3 June 1818 – 29 September 1889) was a French general and colonial administrator. He created the Senegalese Tirailleurs when he was governor of Senegal. Early life Faidherbe was born into a lower-middle-cla ...
, where he served as a chief from 1861 to 1914.


Biography

Dyao graduated in 1860 as one of the earliest graduates of Governor Faidherbe's Ecole des Otages, which was founded in 1855. He was one of many
West Africa West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...
n authors during the
colonial era Colonial period (a period in a country's history where it was subject to management by a colonial power) may refer to: Continents *European colonization of the Americas * Colonisation of Africa * Western imperialism in Asia Countries * Col ...
who wrote chronicles on the history (e.g., Wolof history) and culture of the people (e.g., Wolof) of Senegal, to have their works translated by
Maurice Delafosse Maurice Delafosse (20 December 1870 – 13 November 1926) was a French ethnographer and colonial official who also worked in the field of the languages of Africa. In a review of his daughter's biography of him he was described as "one of the most ...
, Octave Houdas, and Henri Gaden. His ''Histoire des Damels de Cayor'' was published in ''Moniteur du Senegal'' (1864). Among the people interviewed and works reviewed by Eunice A. Charles, Dyao's account of the Jolof Empire, published in ''Legendes et Coutumes Senegalaises, cahiers de Yoro Dyao'', known in English as ''Senegalese legends and customs: notebooks of Yoro Dyâo'', was regarded as the most detailed. It was also regarded as a valuable and remarkable contribution to ''Revue d'Ethnographie et de Sociologie''. Dyao's notebooks detail indigenous Senegalese philosophy, life, and tradition, as well as the basic elements of Wolof society and institutions, such as the family structure, the caste system, and degrees of nobility. For instance, his work described
griots A griot (; ; Manding: or (in N'Ko: , or in French spelling); also spelt Djali; or / ; ) is a West African historian, storyteller, praise singer, poet, and/or musician. Griots are masters of communicating stories and history orally, w ...
, who, within the social hierarchy of artisans (nyeenyo), there were musicians (sab-lekk), drummers (tamakat), and xalmbaan, who used violin-like instruments to play their music. The works of Dyao also detailed the Ndyadyane Ndyaye legend, the Jolof Empire's founding, and the inauguration of kings in Senegal. His works highlighted the existence of a customary belief that supernatural forces reconstitute the Jolof Empire under the Buurba as well as indicated that the normal growth and development of planted anointed seeds were regarded as key to the prosperity of the Jolof Empire. Senegalese historian, Boubacar Lam, a disciple of
Cheikh Anta Diop Cheikh Anta Diop (29 December 1923 – 7 February 1986) was a Senegalese historian, anthropologist, physicist, and politician who studied the human race's origins and pre-colonial African culture. Diop's work is considered foundational to the the ...
, also encountered the compiled and collected work of Yoro Dyao, such as his works on migrations from the
Nile Valley The Nile (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the longest river i ...
to
West Africa West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...
. Yoro Dyao indicated that there was a widespread oral tradition among the peoples of
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 ...
and Senegambia: "The general opinion in all of
Senegambia The Senegambia (other names: Senegambia region or Senegambian zone,Barry, Boubacar, ''Senegambia and the Atlantic Slave Trade'', (Editors: David Anderson, Carolyn Brown; trans. Ayi Kwei Armah; contributors: David Anderson, American Council of Le ...
being that our country owes its peopling to migrations out of
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
, from which descend all of its population." In ''Chronicles of Senegalese Foùta'', Dyao gave account of six population migrations from Egypt to Senegambia: * In the first migration, composed of the Dya'go, Dyao highlighted that they migrated out of Egypt armed with metal (hogo) assegais, sabers, daggers, and knives, bringing along with them armor, as well as their industrious wisdom of
metallurgy Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are known as alloys. Metallurgy encompasses both the ...
; they inaugurated the
sorghum ''Sorghum bicolor'', commonly called sorghum () and also known as great millet, broomcorn, guinea corn, durra, imphee, jowar, or milo, is a species in the Poaceae, grass genus ''Sorghum (genus), Sorghum'' cultivated for its grain. The grain i ...
culture to prevent flooding from the
Senegal River The Senegal River ( or "Senegal" - compound of the  Serer term "Seen" or "Sene" or "Sen" (from  Roog Seen, Supreme Deity in Serer religion) and "O Gal" (meaning "body of water")); , , , ) is a river in West Africa; much of its length mark ...
; the migration took place under the King of Egypt, identified as "Pate Lamine"; the words, whether used separately or together, are used among the
Mandinka Mandinka, Mandika, Mandinkha, Mandinko, or Mandingo may refer to: Media * Mandingo (novel), ''Mandingo'' (novel), a bestselling novel published in 1957 * Mandingo (film), ''Mandingo'' (film), a 1975 film based on the eponymous 1957 novel * ''Man ...
, the Peuls, the Khassonké, the Sarakhollé, and to some extent, among the
Wolof Wolof or Wollof may refer to: * Wolof people, an ethnic group found in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania * Wolof language, a language spoken in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania * The Wolof or Jolof Empire, a medieval West African successor of the Mal ...
. * In the second migration, composed of the Manna (named after their chief leader), which was caused by the vexations of the King of Egypt, Sossé Touré, Dyao notes that they were much more numerous than the Dya'go; they sojourned through the desert, settled near the Senegal River, and peopled Fouta; as they seized political power from the Galos, their leaders bore the title of Fari (Emperor), which is used among the Wolof and Peul. The Bambara,
Malinké The Mandinka or Malinke are a West African ethnic group primarily found in southern Mali, The Gambia, southern Senegal and eastern Guinea. Numbering about 11 million, they are the largest subgroup of the Mandé peoples and one of the largest eth ...
, Soninké, and Khassonké are also said to have come along with this migration. * In the third migration, composed of the Tondyon people, Dyao made note of their migration being more important than the Dya'go and Manna migrations, as they had seized the titles and rights to rule from the Fari and bestowed it upon their leaders, the Farang; Farang was a title used for their rulers, as well as the King of Egypt, who caused them to expatriate due to the continuous menial tasks they were being commanded to perform; as part of an extended Farang Empire, some of the migrants settled near the Senegal River, in the Sokhotoro, Kindila, Gangari, and Tambo-Dougoura, and became known as Soninké. The Bambara, Malinké, and Khassonké are also said to have come along with this migration. * In the fourth and fifth migrations, composed of Tourmiss and Koli-Tenguella, respectively, which was caused due to the excessive demands of the Farang of Egypt, it was noted by Dyao as being comparatively smaller than the Dya'go, Manna, and Tondyon migrations; while partly composed of Soninké, Bambara, Malinké, Khassonké, and other Manding, these migrations were largely composed of
Fulani The Fula, Fulani, or Fulɓe people are an ethnic group in Sahara, Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region. Inhabiting many countries, they live mainly in West Africa and northern parts of Central Africa, South Sudan, Darfur, ...
, to which the leader, Tourmiss, belonged, and ultimately, resulted in the spread of the Fulani throughout the six countries of Senegambia. * In the sixth migration, composed of the Turi-Siny, or Lam-Toro (also the title of its leader), Moussa departed with some of the group he would travel with, from Tripi Sing, near
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
, and others from the group in Egypt; he arrived as a cavalry in Senegal, overthrew Ymido, defeated the Kalimou quarter, and proclaimed himself king, which led to subsequent migrations and state formations in the region.


Selected works

* Cahiers de Yoro Dyâo * Légendes et coutumes sénégalaises : cahiers de Yoro Dyâo * Légendes et coutumes sénégalaises, Revue d'ethnographie et de sociologie * Légendes et coutumes sénégalaises. Cahiers de Yoro Dyao : publiés et commentés par Henri Gaden


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dyao, Yoro 19th-century historians Wolof people 1840s births 1919 deaths 20th-century historians