Agnam-Goly
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Agnam-Goly is a
Sahel The Sahel region (; ), or Sahelian acacia savanna, is a Biogeography, biogeographical region in Africa. It is the Ecotone, transition zone between the more humid Sudanian savannas to its south and the drier Sahara to the north. The Sahel has a ...
ian village in north-eastern
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 ...
with a population of inhabitants. The village is located in the Matam Department of Matam Region, approximately to the northeast of
Dakar Dakar ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The Departments of Senegal, department of Dakar has a population of 1,278,469, and the population of the Dakar metropolitan area was at 4.0 mill ...
, on the bank of 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 ...
.


History


Founding

Agnam-Goly was founded by the Thioye family well before the year 1529. The Thioye began to inhabit caves in the ''dieri'' to the south of the village, over above the ground. These caves, protected from the elements by large rocks, can still be visited today. The early inhabitants of Agnam-Goly left behind a
mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...
surrounded by a stone wall before moving north to the ''walo'', which is the site used by the village today for
agriculture 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 ...
and
fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...
. At first, the village consisted of a single
hearth A hearth () is the place in a home where a fire is or was traditionally kept for home heating and for cooking, usually constituted by a horizontal hearthstone and often enclosed to varying degrees by any combination of reredos (a low, partial ...
surrounded by huts, each of which housed one family. This arrangement served to strengthen family ties and encourage
solidarity Solidarity or solidarism is an awareness of shared interests, objectives, standards, and sympathies creating a psychological sense of unity of groups or classes. True solidarity means moving beyond individual identities and single issue politics ...
between neighbors. These early structures, some of which are still standing, are located in the center of the modern village of Agnam-Goly. The village contains six traditional quarters, each with its own prominent family: Cooyɓe-e-Kuñ'njooɓe, Jalluɓe-e-Gaajooɓe, Jooɓɓe-e-Barooɓe, Salsalɓe-e-Mbaayɓe and Sinc'cu-e-Caareen. When Fouta was conquered by Koli Teŋella in the 16th century, Agnam-Goly – like the other Agnam villages – was already a fair-sized town. As Oumar Kane notes: “The West Booseya extends from Hoorefoonde to Bokijawe. This is a stretch of village communities, some of which are true towns: the Aañam uro-Moolo, Goli, Liiduɓe, Coɗay, Wuro-Sira, Siwol, Godo, Tulel-Calle, Ɓaarga the large grouping of Cilon, Daabia Odeeji, Kobillo, Gudduɗe-Joobbe and Gudduɗe Ndueetɗe, Voki-Jawe.”


Myth of Dooroy and Boda-ngal

The
myth Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...
of Dooroy and Boda-ngal is still alive in Agnam-Goly: “Dooroy” is located in the ''walo'' and “Boda-ngal” in the ''dieri''. These two mythical places are inhabited by the spirit of the legendary "Mbaroodi Dooroy" who migrates back and forth between Dooroy and Boda-ngal with the
flooding A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are of significant concern in agriculture, civi ...
and receding of the Sénégal River. Whether he is in Dooroy or in Boda-ngal, the Mbaroodi Dooroy can never live anywhere but in a
well A well is an excavation or structure created on the earth by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water. The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The ...
or spring. The Dooroy contains a little
stream A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a strea ...
running through a dense forest of acacia trees, not far from Tain-ngu pond. The Boda-ngal contains the Biidal pond and the
cemetery A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite, graveyard, or a green space called a memorial park or memorial garden, is a place where the remains of many death, dead people are burial, buried or otherwise entombed. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek ...
. This Mbaroodi Dooroy is a male spirit, who lost his male organs in a fight with the “Mbaroodi Maayel Barga”, taking one of his opponent's eyes in revenge. The two spirits are separated by the Barga pond. During a long dry season, the Mbaroodi Dooroy tried in vain to conquer this pond. And using a dream as an intermediary, he commanded the villagers to dig a well for him in the Dooroy and to pour milk into it as an offering. At the same time, he issued this warning: “You shall not wash your mats and pots there, newly married and pregnant women shall not approach the well, and above all, you shall not urinate there.” When the Sénégal River floods, his favorite spot, “Boorti Thioura”, is always in motion: the water moves and its depth is unimaginable. At times of need, the wise elders of the village invoke the Mbaarodi Dooroy by means of a secret formula that begins with the words “Yaa Dooroy, yaa Boda-ngal...”, and their sacred clay.


Geography


Location

Agnam-Goly is located in north-eastern
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 ...
, on the southern bank of 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 ...
. It is traversed by the N2 highway, which links Matam (to the southeast) with Dagana (to the northwest), passing between the villages of Thilogne and Pete Ngour. The village belongs to the rural community and to the district of Agnam Civol, in the Ranérou Ferlo Department of the Matam Region. The altitude, which ranges from ten to thirteen meters (32 to 42 feet), averages . The village is located between the ''walo'', a clayey, flood-prone area, to the north and the ''dieri'', formed by sand dunes studded with rocks, to the south. Professor Oumar Kane of the Cheikh Anta Diop University, a Fouta-Toro specialist, describes the importance of water in this region, which draws much of its resources from flood-based agriculture: "From Duumga to Mbaan, the low floodplain spreads as far as the eye can see, extending over 50 kilometers. This explains the dense concentration of ''jeejegol'' villages between Duumga and Hoorefoonde: Vokijawe, Dabia-Koɓvillo, Cilon, Kaaƴe-Pawe, Ɓaarga, Tulel-Calle, Godo, Siwol, Wuro-Siree, Coɗay, Goli, Wuro-Molo, Liiduɓe, Asnde Balla, Njaakir, Hooƴo, etc."


Climate

Agnam-Goly is located in the
Sahel The Sahel region (; ), or Sahelian acacia savanna, is a Biogeography, biogeographical region in Africa. It is the Ecotone, transition zone between the more humid Sudanian savannas to its south and the drier Sahara to the north. The Sahel has a ...
region 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 ...
. It has a
tropical climate Tropical climate is the first of the five major climate groups in the Köppen climate classification identified with the letter A. Tropical climates are defined by a monthly average temperature of or higher in the coolest month, featuring hot te ...
with a dry period that divides the year into two seasons, with continuous sunlight throughout. The
dry season The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The t ...
lasts from early November to late June. This is when the
harmattan The Harmattan is a season in West Africa that occurs between the end of November and the middle of March. It is characterized by the dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind, of the same name, which blows from the Sahara over West Africa into th ...
, a hot, dry wind from the east, drives back the ''alizé'', a cool, humid wind from the south-southwest. The harmattan brings heat – with temperatures above – and dryness, so that there is little or no precipitation. The
wet season The wet season (sometimes called the rainy season or monsoon season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally, the season lasts at least one month. The term ''green season'' is also sometimes used a ...
lasts from early July to late October. During this time, the ''alizé'' comes from the southwest, bringing
monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...
winds that cool the air, and heavy rain. Wet season temperatures alternate between hot and cool, with lows reaching . Almost all of Agnam-Goly's precipitation falls during the wet season, but the rains begin slightly earlier, in August. For many years, rainfall has been decreasing, and the first rains arrive later in the season, which is a source of worry for the local people.


Infrastructure and Public Services

The village of Agnam-Goly is traversed by the N2 national highway and possesses the following infrastructure and services: * A school with twelve classrooms, six of which were built by the village with locally raised funds, with partial connection to electricity; * A health clinic equipped with an ambulance that is currently out of service; * A borehole and six wells; * A credit and savings mutual, managed by the women of Agnam-Goly (DGL MEC Felo Agnam); * A
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
field, where the village plans to build a stadium; and * A central
market Market is a term used to describe concepts such as: *Market (economics), system in which parties engage in transactions according to supply and demand *Market economy *Marketplace, a physical marketplace or public market *Marketing, the act of sat ...
and a weekly market. Remittances from relatives who have emigrated have allowed many of Agnam-Goly's residents to build living quarters on the roof or second floor of their houses.


Demography

In 2003, Agnam-Goly had a population of inhabitants, divided among 318 households.


Religion

The presence of traditional myths does not interfere with the practice of
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
, which is the principal religion of the village.


Government and Society


The Council of Elders

Governing power belongs to the Council of Elders, which is composed of prominent members of the six traditional quarters of the village. The Council of Elders selects the Chief of the village and removes him in the case of serious incapacity, or if he proves incompetent in his duties of mediating disputes between villagers. The Council of Elders also has jurisdiction over agriculture, social issues, sanitation, education, etc., and thus serves as the ultimate judge and manages the daily government of the village.


The Chief of the Village

The Chief of the village is traditionally chosen by the Council of Elders from the “royal” Sall family.Djibril Diop, « Le village et les quartiers », in ''Décentralisation et gouvernance locale au Sénégal. Quelle pertinence pour le développement local ?'', Paris, L'Harmattan, 2006, p. 119 The Chief serves for life, but in case of incapacity, he is obliged to return his status to the Council of Elders, as the position is not hereditary. The Sarr family organizes the traditional inauguration of the Chief, which is a great ceremony. If there is a dispute over his successor, the chieftainship is turned over to this family until the Council of Elders agrees on the selection of a new Chief. The Chief of the village carries the title “Diagaraph”, and every man of the Sall family carries the title of “Lawahé” or Prince. The Chief works in concert with the Council of Elders. He represents the village on administrative issues, and can act in its name. The Chief has the right to convoke the Council of Elders, who must respect his summons. He keeps the Great Drum of the village, along with a town crier. The Chief owns great fields of fertile land, and can call upon the work of every villager. He delivers the verdicts of the Council of Elders.


The seasonal village of Ndoussoudji

Ndoussoudji is an extension of the village that is located in the ''dieri'', from Agnam-Goly. Approximately ten families go there in wagons during the
wet season The wet season (sometimes called the rainy season or monsoon season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally, the season lasts at least one month. The term ''green season'' is also sometimes used a ...
to cultivate the land and graze their livestock. Ndoussoudji has now become a small village, with a large well and herds of livestock. The buildings there are made of baked earth thatched with dry grass, except for the mosque which is built in cement. The
water tower A water tower is an elevated structure supporting a water tank constructed at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system, distribution system for potable water, and to provide emergency storage for fire protection. Water towe ...
ensures a supply of potable water for the village.


Culture


Education

The elementary school of Agnam-Goly was founded in 1960. It originally had two classrooms. Today, it has twelve classrooms, some of which have electricity; a small library; two large courtyards for recreation; toilets and living quarters for the director of the school. 593 children attended the school in the 2006–2007 school year: 221 girls and 372 boys, divided into twelve classes with one teacher per class. Learning conditions are difficult for many reasons: overcrowding (three students share a bench and a single book), high student/teacher ratio, lack of teaching materials, and limited resources of the Parents Association which supports the school. The village's 67 junior high school students attend the Agnam high school, three kilometers' (1.5 miles') walk from the village, while the 27 high school students attend the high schools of Matam and Thilogne. Most of the village's 21 university students attend the Cheikh Anta Diop University in
Dakar Dakar ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The Departments of Senegal, department of Dakar has a population of 1,278,469, and the population of the Dakar metropolitan area was at 4.0 mill ...
, and study liberal arts, social sciences, law, economics, medicine, natural sciences and engineering. It is often difficult for them to find lodging and participate fully in university life. The Coranic school also contributes to the education of the young people of the village. For decades the students of Agnam-Goly have left their studies for migrant work. Nevertheless, the village has many students today thanks to its promotion of education: building classrooms, providing electricity and teaching materials for the school, organizing workshops in
Dakar Dakar ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The Departments of Senegal, department of Dakar has a population of 1,278,469, and the population of the Dakar metropolitan area was at 4.0 mill ...
to introduce its students to computers and the Internet, and building a ten-room house for volunteer teachers.


Traditions

Tradition and modernity coexist in Agnam-Goly. Fula literacy teachers are very active in promoting culture through theater, awareness days, and traditional ceremonies.


Economy and Development

The villagers of Agnam-Goly cultivate
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 ...
,
corn Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout Poaceae, grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago ...
,
beans A bean is the seed of some plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) used as a vegetable for human consumption or animal feed. The seeds are often preserved through drying (a ''pulse''), but fresh beans are also sold. Dried beans are tradition ...
and
watermelons The watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Cucurbitaceae, that has a large, edible fruit. It is a scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, and is widely cultivated worldwide, with more than 1,000 ...
in the ''walo'' following the seasonal flooding of the Sénégal River. During the
wet season The wet season (sometimes called the rainy season or monsoon season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally, the season lasts at least one month. The term ''green season'' is also sometimes used a ...
,
millet Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most millets belong to the tribe Paniceae. Millets are important crops in the Semi-arid climate, ...
,
beans A bean is the seed of some plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) used as a vegetable for human consumption or animal feed. The seeds are often preserved through drying (a ''pulse''), but fresh beans are also sold. Dried beans are tradition ...
, '' bissap'',
melon A melon is any of various plants of the family Cucurbitaceae with sweet, edible, and fleshy fruit. It can also specifically refer to ''Cucumis melo'', commonly known as the "true melon" or simply "melon". The term "melon" can apply to both the p ...
, and
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 ...
are grown in the ''dieri''. Agriculture in the village is undergoing a crisis, because rainfall has decreased, irrigation is insufficient, the soil is depleted of nutrients, the price of fertilizer is high, and locusts and other pests attack crops. Nevertheless, horticulture gardening is expected to benefit the village over the coming years. In addition to agriculture, the villagers engage extensively in livestock herding, consisting mainly of cattle, sheep, and goats. Poultry raising is uncommon, as is commercial trading. The village depends on migrant labor for its subsistence. These migrants support their families by sending monthly remittances, which are used to buy food and pay for school and health care.


Village Associations

* Association des ressortissants d'Agnam-Goly en France (ARAGF) * Association des jeunes d'Agnam-Goly (AJAG) ; * Association des femmes d'Agnam-Goly (AFAG) ; * Association des élèves et étudiants ressortissants d'Agnam-Goly (AEERAG) ; * Dental Agnam-Goly en France.


References


External links


The Agnam-Goly official websitePellital Microfinance Institution of Agnam-Goly

Agnam-Goly community development

Agnam-Goly at GeoNet names server
{dead link, date=October 2016 , bot=InternetArchiveBot , fix-attempted=yes Populated places in Matam region 1529 establishments in Africa