Fallou Ngom
Biographic Data
| ID | 202635 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Fallou Ngom |
| GIVEN NAMES | Fallou |
| FAMILY NAME | Ngom |
| SIGNATURE | NGOM F |
| AFFILIATIONS | Boston University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2257-8386 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 36 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 18 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 2 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1970 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2023 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Introduction to Travelling Islam
At the core of this special issue, Travelling Islam: The Circulation of Ideas in Africa, lies the editors’ fascination with the circulation of ideas by means of African languages, texts and people in and from Islamic Africa. It draws inspiration from a previous work on “Travelling Texts Beyond the West,” co-edited by Clarissa Vierke and Annachiara Raia. Further input has been provided by a workshop organised in 2020 with the generous support of l…
The Geographic Spaces of ʿAjamī in West Africa
The article highlights the geographical dimensions of African ʿAjamī traditions, with an emphasis on the Wolof, Fula, Mandinka, and Hausa traditions. It examines the spatial variation of these traditions, as well as their specific uses in different geographical spaces, places, and realms. The article shows how ʿAjamī documents – both historic and contemporary archives – are ubiquitous across Muslim West Africa and have been uncovered in both priv…
ʿAjamī Literacies of Africa
African ʿAjamī literatures hold a wealth of knowledge on the history and intellectual traditions of the region but are largely unknown to the larger public. Our special issue seeks to enhance a broader understanding of this important part of the Islamic world, exploring the ʿAjamī literatures and literacies of four main language groups of Muslim West Africa: Hausa, Mandinka, Fula, and Wolof. Through increasing access to primary sources in ʿAjamī …
Mamadou Lo, Un Aspect de la Poésie “Wolofal” Mouride
Labor and Religious Tolerance in Two Senegalese Daaras
How do people create their religious selves and a religious culture through their everyday practices and discourses? This article examines residents of two rural daaras (Sufi religious communities) in Senegal and their focus on labor and tolerance as religious practice. It uses concepts of tradition, performativity, and citation to trace the themes of labor and tolerance through historical, political, and present-day applications in Senegal. How …
The Palgrave Handbook of Islam in Africa
Beyond African orality
This article focuses on the digital preservation of African sources written in Mandinka ʿAjamī, i.e., the enriched form of the Arabic script used to write the Mandinka language for centuries. ʿAjamī writing has been utilized to document intellectual traditions, histories, belief systems, and cultures of non‐Arab Muslims around the world. ʿAjamī texts have played critical roles in the spread of Islam in Africa and continue to be used for both reli…
The Trans-Saharan Book Trade
ʿAjamization of Islam in Africa
Conclusion
The conclusion synthesizes the foregoing chapters to elucidate the unsuspected role of ʿAjamī in the success story of the Murīdiyya, specifically in conveying effectively to the people the moving memories of the virtuous lived and mystical odyssey of Bamba, his sacrifice and teachings on equality between all human beings, nonviolence, morality, self-confidence, and perseverance and optimism—all which have made his movement tenacious and appealing…
Odyssey by Sea
This chapter examines hagiographic ʿAjamī chronicles of Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba’s life and spiritual experience during his seven-year exile in Gabon (1895–1902). These chronicles reveal the Murīd understanding of the tangible and spiritual causes of his initial conflict with the French administration; his unyielding pursuit of ethical and spiritual perfection during the conflict; the interpretation of his suffering as the spiritual investment for his…
Odyssey by Land
This chapter shows how hagiographic ʿAjamī sources present the last twenty-five years of Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba’s life. The period is termed the “odyssey by land” in Murīd sources and includes his second exile to Mauritania (1903–1907) and successive house arrests (1907–1927). This phase is now referred to in the academic literature as “the accommodation” phase because of the improved relations between Bamba and the French colonial administration du…
Muslims beyond the Arab World
The book deals with the vibrant tradition of writing African languages with the Arabic script called ʿAjamī and the rise of the Murīdiyya Ṣūfī order of Senegal, West Africa founded by Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba Mbakke (1853–1927). The book demonstrates that the development of the ʿAjamī literary tradition and the flourishing of the Murīdiyya as one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most powerful and dynamic Ṣūfī organizations are entwined. It offers a close readi…
Facts, Fiction, and African Creative Imaginations
Introduction Toyin Falola and Fallou Ngom Part I: Significance of African Popular Icons and Cultures 1. Whose Image of Whose Africa? Problems of Representation in Ryszard Kapuscinski's The Shadow of the Sun. Lena L. Khor 2. Prophetess: Aline Sitoe Diatta as a Contested Icon in Contemporary Senegal Robert M. Baum 3. Custom and Politics in Ghanaian Popular Culture Beverly J. Stoeltje 4. Tribal Marks among the Oyo Yoruba of Southwestern Nigeria in t…
Aḥmadu Bamba's Pedagogy and the Development of ʿAjamī Literature
While African literature in European languages is well-studied, ʿajamī and its significance in the intellectual history of Africa remains one of the least investigated areas in African studies. Yet ʿajamī is one of the oldest and most widespread forms of literature in Africa. This article draws scholars' attention to this unmapped terrain of knowledge. First, it provides a survey of major West African ʿajamī literary traditions and examines the n…
Ethnic identity and linguistic hybridization in Senegal
This paper examines how ethnic, regional, and religious identities are reflected in language use in Senegal (where Wolof is the major lingua franca). I argue that unlike "pure" Wolof, "urban" Wolof is a "convergence language" with no ethnic significance, as more and more "uprooted" members from other ethnic groups regard themselves as Wolof. Firstly, I provide a historical background of the interactions between languages in Senegal. Secondly, I s…
The social status of Arabic, French, and English in the Senegalese speech community
This study is part of a larger unpublished work. The data collection is based on the Labovian sociolinguistic interview: 200 randomly selected Wolof speakers were interviewed and recorded for 20 minutes in Senegal. They were divided into two groups: 100 subjects over 50 years old and 100 subjects between 20 and 30 years old. Each group comprised 50 males and 50 females. The number of loanwords from Arabic, French, and English in subjects' vernacu…
Linguistic Resistance in the Murid Speech Community in Senegal
The Murids form a community in which Islamic beliefs, linguistic behaviours, and patterns of conduct are associated with resistance against colonialism. The use of European-like linguistic or behavioural characteristics (especially French) are disapproved of in the community as they are equated with imperialism, while the use of pure Wolof or Wolof with Arabic influence are highly desired as they represent symbols of belonging to the community. T…
Linguistic borrowing as evidence of the social history of the Senegalese speech community
Article Linguistic borrowing as evidence of the social history of the Senegalese speech community was published on October 24, 2002 in the journal International Journal of the Sociology of Language (volume 2002, issue 158)
Ajami Scripts in the Senegalese Speech Community
Wolofal (from Wolof: Wolof language or ethnic group and ‘-al’: causative morpheme) is an Ajami writing (a generic term commonly used to refer to non-Arabic languages written with Arabic scripts) used to transliterate Wolof in Senegal. It results from the early Islamization of the major Muslim ethnic groups in the country, especially the Pulaar, the Wolof and the Mandinka. Although Senegal is considered to be a French-speaking country, ironically …
Muslims beyond the Arab World
The book deals with the vibrant tradition of writing African languages with the Arabic script called ʿAjamī and the rise of the Murīdiyya Ṣūfī order of Senegal, West Africa founded by Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba Mbakke (1853–1927). The book demonstrates that the development of the ʿAjamī literary tradition and the flourishing of the Murīdiyya as one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most powerful and dynamic Ṣūfī organizations are entwined. It offers a close readi…
Aḥmadu Bamba's Pedagogy and the Development of ʿAjamī Literature
While African literature in European languages is well-studied, ʿajamī and its significance in the intellectual history of Africa remains one of the least investigated areas in African studies. Yet ʿajamī is one of the oldest and most widespread forms of literature in Africa. This article draws scholars' attention to this unmapped terrain of knowledge. First, it provides a survey of major West African ʿajamī literary traditions and examines the n…
ʿAjamization of Islam in Africa
Linguistic Resistance in the Murid Speech Community in Senegal
The Murids form a community in which Islamic beliefs, linguistic behaviours, and patterns of conduct are associated with resistance against colonialism. The use of European-like linguistic or behavioural characteristics (especially French) are disapproved of in the community as they are equated with imperialism, while the use of pure Wolof or Wolof with Arabic influence are highly desired as they represent symbols of belonging to the community. T…
ʿAjamī Literacies of Africa
African ʿAjamī literatures hold a wealth of knowledge on the history and intellectual traditions of the region but are largely unknown to the larger public. Our special issue seeks to enhance a broader understanding of this important part of the Islamic world, exploring the ʿAjamī literatures and literacies of four main language groups of Muslim West Africa: Hausa, Mandinka, Fula, and Wolof. Through increasing access to primary sources in ʿAjamī …
Beyond African orality
This article focuses on the digital preservation of African sources written in Mandinka ʿAjamī, i.e., the enriched form of the Arabic script used to write the Mandinka language for centuries. ʿAjamī writing has been utilized to document intellectual traditions, histories, belief systems, and cultures of non‐Arab Muslims around the world. ʿAjamī texts have played critical roles in the spread of Islam in Africa and continue to be used for both reli…
Ajami Scripts in the Senegalese Speech Community
Wolofal (from Wolof: Wolof language or ethnic group and ‘-al’: causative morpheme) is an Ajami writing (a generic term commonly used to refer to non-Arabic languages written with Arabic scripts) used to transliterate Wolof in Senegal. It results from the early Islamization of the major Muslim ethnic groups in the country, especially the Pulaar, the Wolof and the Mandinka. Although Senegal is considered to be a French-speaking country, ironically …
Linguistic Resistance in the Murid Speech Community in Senegal
The Murids form a community in which Islamic beliefs, linguistic behaviours, and patterns of conduct are associated with resistance against colonialism. The use of European-like linguistic or behavioural characteristics (especially French) are disapproved of in the community as they are equated with imperialism, while the use of pure Wolof or Wolof with Arabic influence are highly desired as they represent symbols of belonging to the community. T…
Linguistic borrowing as evidence of the social history of the Senegalese speech community
Article Linguistic borrowing as evidence of the social history of the Senegalese speech community was published on October 24, 2002 in the journal International Journal of the Sociology of Language (volume 2002, issue 158)
The social status of Arabic, French, and English in the Senegalese speech community
This study is part of a larger unpublished work. The data collection is based on the Labovian sociolinguistic interview: 200 randomly selected Wolof speakers were interviewed and recorded for 20 minutes in Senegal. They were divided into two groups: 100 subjects over 50 years old and 100 subjects between 20 and 30 years old. Each group comprised 50 males and 50 females. The number of loanwords from Arabic, French, and English in subjects' vernacu…
Ethnic identity and linguistic hybridization in Senegal
This paper examines how ethnic, regional, and religious identities are reflected in language use in Senegal (where Wolof is the major lingua franca). I argue that unlike "pure" Wolof, "urban" Wolof is a "convergence language" with no ethnic significance, as more and more "uprooted" members from other ethnic groups regard themselves as Wolof. Firstly, I provide a historical background of the interactions between languages in Senegal. Secondly, I s…
Facts, Fiction, and African Creative Imaginations
Introduction Toyin Falola and Fallou Ngom Part I: Significance of African Popular Icons and Cultures 1. Whose Image of Whose Africa? Problems of Representation in Ryszard Kapuscinski's The Shadow of the Sun. Lena L. Khor 2. Prophetess: Aline Sitoe Diatta as a Contested Icon in Contemporary Senegal Robert M. Baum 3. Custom and Politics in Ghanaian Popular Culture Beverly J. Stoeltje 4. Tribal Marks among the Oyo Yoruba of Southwestern Nigeria in t…
Aḥmadu Bamba's Pedagogy and the Development of ʿAjamī Literature
While African literature in European languages is well-studied, ʿajamī and its significance in the intellectual history of Africa remains one of the least investigated areas in African studies. Yet ʿajamī is one of the oldest and most widespread forms of literature in Africa. This article draws scholars' attention to this unmapped terrain of knowledge. First, it provides a survey of major West African ʿajamī literary traditions and examines the n…
Conclusion
The conclusion synthesizes the foregoing chapters to elucidate the unsuspected role of ʿAjamī in the success story of the Murīdiyya, specifically in conveying effectively to the people the moving memories of the virtuous lived and mystical odyssey of Bamba, his sacrifice and teachings on equality between all human beings, nonviolence, morality, self-confidence, and perseverance and optimism—all which have made his movement tenacious and appealing…
Odyssey by Sea
This chapter examines hagiographic ʿAjamī chronicles of Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba’s life and spiritual experience during his seven-year exile in Gabon (1895–1902). These chronicles reveal the Murīd understanding of the tangible and spiritual causes of his initial conflict with the French administration; his unyielding pursuit of ethical and spiritual perfection during the conflict; the interpretation of his suffering as the spiritual investment for his…
Odyssey by Land
This chapter shows how hagiographic ʿAjamī sources present the last twenty-five years of Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba’s life. The period is termed the “odyssey by land” in Murīd sources and includes his second exile to Mauritania (1903–1907) and successive house arrests (1907–1927). This phase is now referred to in the academic literature as “the accommodation” phase because of the improved relations between Bamba and the French colonial administration du…
Muslims beyond the Arab World
The book deals with the vibrant tradition of writing African languages with the Arabic script called ʿAjamī and the rise of the Murīdiyya Ṣūfī order of Senegal, West Africa founded by Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba Mbakke (1853–1927). The book demonstrates that the development of the ʿAjamī literary tradition and the flourishing of the Murīdiyya as one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most powerful and dynamic Ṣūfī organizations are entwined. It offers a close readi…
ʿAjamization of Islam in Africa
The Trans-Saharan Book Trade
Beyond African orality
This article focuses on the digital preservation of African sources written in Mandinka ʿAjamī, i.e., the enriched form of the Arabic script used to write the Mandinka language for centuries. ʿAjamī writing has been utilized to document intellectual traditions, histories, belief systems, and cultures of non‐Arab Muslims around the world. ʿAjamī texts have played critical roles in the spread of Islam in Africa and continue to be used for both reli…
The Palgrave Handbook of Islam in Africa
Mamadou Lo, Un Aspect de la Poésie “Wolofal” Mouride
Labor and Religious Tolerance in Two Senegalese Daaras
How do people create their religious selves and a religious culture through their everyday practices and discourses? This article examines residents of two rural daaras (Sufi religious communities) in Senegal and their focus on labor and tolerance as religious practice. It uses concepts of tradition, performativity, and citation to trace the themes of labor and tolerance through historical, political, and present-day applications in Senegal. How …
Introduction to Travelling Islam
At the core of this special issue, Travelling Islam: The Circulation of Ideas in Africa, lies the editors’ fascination with the circulation of ideas by means of African languages, texts and people in and from Islamic Africa. It draws inspiration from a previous work on “Travelling Texts Beyond the West,” co-edited by Clarissa Vierke and Annachiara Raia. Further input has been provided by a workshop organised in 2020 with the generous support of l…
The Geographic Spaces of ʿAjamī in West Africa
The article highlights the geographical dimensions of African ʿAjamī traditions, with an emphasis on the Wolof, Fula, Mandinka, and Hausa traditions. It examines the spatial variation of these traditions, as well as their specific uses in different geographical spaces, places, and realms. The article shows how ʿAjamī documents – both historic and contemporary archives – are ubiquitous across Muslim West Africa and have been uncovered in both priv…
ʿAjamī Literacies of Africa
African ʿAjamī literatures hold a wealth of knowledge on the history and intellectual traditions of the region but are largely unknown to the larger public. Our special issue seeks to enhance a broader understanding of this important part of the Islamic world, exploring the ʿAjamī literatures and literacies of four main language groups of Muslim West Africa: Hausa, Mandinka, Fula, and Wolof. Through increasing access to primary sources in ʿAjamī …
Sociology (15 works) · Linguistics (9 works) · Political science (9 works) · African history and culture analysis (8 works) · African Studies and Geopolitics (8 works) · History (8 works) · Philosophy (8 works) · Anthropology (7 works) · Global Maritime and Colonial Histories (7 works) · Islam (7 works)