The Sereer society is built upon strong family ties and tradition. Farmers and herders, the Sereer live on a subsistence basis, relying on good crop yields for a prosperous year. The men cultivate peanuts and millet for the subsistence of his family and community. After this season the men often go to the cities to work. There is often a network of friends and family in the city for men to live with. When the growing season is over for the main crops, women plant gardens of peas, okra, onions and tomatoes on her husband's land or a small plot of her own. She may form irrigation ditches around these plantings or carry the water to the garden herself.
While the men leave for the city to work, women stay at home caring for her family. The women work very hard, starting before daybreak preparing breakfast and working far into the evening preparing dinner and cleaning. They haul water, work in fields, and care for nursing infants. Young girls are expected to care for their siblings while the boys work in the fields with their father.
Celebrations among the Sereer include marriages and baby naming ceremonies. Both of these celebrations involve feasts and gifts of money. The Sereer enjoy song and dance and it is not limited to special occasions. Funerals are a process that starts when a person dies. Wailing and mourning continues until the burial. A month later a feast is given for the friends and family of the deceased.
Most Sereer adhere to traditional beliefs while some have converted to Islam and others are Roman Catholic. The Sereer have been very gradual in accepting religions outside of their traditional beliefs. Even though people claim to have accepted Islam there are still many traditional beliefs included. Combining these two systems of beliefs is called "folk Islam". All systems of belief among the Sereer include a type of charm. The Muslims wear a picture of a Marabou (a holy Islamic man) and a portion of Quaranic scripture in their charm. This is believed to give the charm power and bless the wearer. Catholic believers wear a necklace with a picture of Christ or a Diocese in their charm. Animists wear a charm with a bone, shell or dried portion of an animal or ancestor who died long ago. Pray that the Sereer may find the true freedom in Christ. There is little isolation or persecution of those who turn from traditional beliefs. This is unusual and special among the various Senegalese groups. Pray that the Sereer will embrace this freedom and start churches that will grow and reproduce in cities and villages.
Scripture Prayers for the Serer-Sine in Gambia.
Profile Source: West Africa Gateway |
People Name General | Serer-Sine |
People Name in Country | Serer-Sine |
Alternate Names | Sereer; Serere |
Population this Country | 64,000 |
Population all Countries | 1,784,000 |
Total Countries | 3 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 2 ● |
Unreached | No |
Frontier People Group | No |
GSEC | 1 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | |
People ID | 14866 |
ROP3 Code | 108862 |
ROP25 Code | 307396 |
ROP25 Name | Sereer (Serer-Sine) |
Country | Gambia | ||
Region | Africa, West and Central | ||
Continent | Africa | ||
10/40 Window | Yes | ||
Persecution Rank | Not ranked | ||
Location in Country | North Bank division: northwest. Source: Ethnologue 2016 |
Country | Gambia |
Region | Africa, West and Central |
Continent | Africa |
10/40 Window | Yes |
Persecution Rank | Not ranked |
Location in Country | North Bank division: northwest.. Source: Ethnologue 2016 |
Primary Religion: | Islam |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 2.00 %) |
8.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
14.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
78.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
Primary Language | Serer-Sine (64,000 speakers) |
Language Code | srr Ethnologue Listing |
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
Primary Language | Serer-Sine (64,000 speakers) |
Language Code | srr Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
People Groups | Speaking Serer-Sine |
Primary Language: Serer-Sine
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1979-1995) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1987) |
Bible-Complete | Yes (2007-2008) |
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) | Online |
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) | Online |
Possible Print Bibles | |
---|---|
Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name | Source |
---|---|---|
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching | Global Recordings Network |
Audio Recordings | Story of Jesus audio | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Serer-Sine | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | LUMO film of Gospels | Bible Media Group/LUMO |
General | Bible for Children | Bible for Children |
General | Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video | Faith Comes by Hearing |
General | Gospel resources links | Scripture Earth |
General | YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | Android Bible app: Serer-Sine | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | iOS Bible app: Serer-Sine | YouVersion Bibles |
Text / Printed Matter | Literacy primer for Serer-Sine | Literacy & Evangelism International |
Photo Source | West Africa Gateway |
Profile Source | West Africa Gateway |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |