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Guelowar (or Gelwaar in Serer language), also spelled Gelwar, Guelwar, Guelware, Gueleware or Gueloware, was a maternal dynasty in the pre-colonial Serer people kingdoms of Sine and Saloum (in the Senegambia, but mainly in the western area of present-day Senegal). They were matrilineally from the Mandinka people ethnic group, and patrilineally of Serer origin. The offspring of Mandinka women and Serer men became the kings of Sine and Saloum. The dynasty lasted from the mid-14th century to 1969, the year both kings died.Alioune Sarr, Histoire du Sine-Saloum (Sénégal). Introduction, bibliographie et notes par Charles Becker. Version légèrement remaniée par rapport à celle qui est parue en 1986-87. p21Guy Thilmans, Cyr Descamps, Abdoulaye Camara, Senegalia, études sur le patrimoine ouest-africain : hommage à Guy Thilmans, Sépia (2006). . pp 220-221Martin A. Klein. Islam and Imperialism in Senegal Sine-Saloum, 1847-1914, Edinburgh University Press (1968). p XVMichael J. Sheridan, Celia Nyamweru. African sacred groves: ecological dynamics & social change. James Currey, 2008. . p 141 Parcours [1]
The terme "Guelwar", Anglicisation or Francization to "Guelwars", is the plural form. The singular is "Kelwar" (in Serer).Diouf, Marcel Mahawa, "Lances mâles: Léopold Sédar Senghor et les traditions sérères." Centre d'études linguistiques et historiques par tradition orale (1996), p. 247
Kaabu was governed by the noble paternal "Sanneh" and "Manneh" clans (variations : Sane and Mane), with the noble maternal clans of Ñaanco and Guelowar. However, almost all the kings of Kaabu came from the Ñaanco maternal clan. The Guelowars were extended maternal relatives of the Ñaanco and one of their greatest threat to the throne.
Here Gravrand has not noticed that this is actually a description of the 1867 (or 1865) Battle of Kansala, although the departure of the Guelowar can probably be explained by a war or a conflict of succession.Alioune Sarr, Histoire du Sine-Saloum (Sénégal) Introduction, bibliographie et notes par Charles Becker. 1986-87, p 235
Whatever the reason, they left Kaabu 1335.Alioune Sarr, Histoire du Sine-Saloum (Sénégal) Introduction, bibliographie et notes par Charles Becker. 1986-87, p 19 According to oral tradition they were a mixture of Mandinka people, descendants of Mansa Tiramang Trawally (many variations: Tiramakhan Traore, Tira Makhang Trawally, Tiramanghan Trawally or Tiramang Traore) of Mali and the Bainuk people nobility, from the patrilineages of Sanneh and Manneh ( Sané or Mané).Innes, Gordon; Suso, Bamba; Kanute, Banna; Kanute, Dembo, Sunjata: three Mandinka versions, p 128, Psychology Press, 1974. The Guelowars migrated to the Kingdom of Sine and were granted asylum by Lamane (the Serer nobility).Ngom, Biram,(Babacar Sédikh Diouf). La question Gelwaar et l’histoire du Siin, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1987, 69 p. The marriages between the Serer paternal clans such as Faye family and Joof family to the Guelwar women created the Serer paternal dynasties and a Guelowar maternal dynasty which replaced the old Wagadou maternal dynasty.For the old Serer paternal dynasties such as the Joof family etc., and the Wagadou maternal dynasty, including the Kingdom of Baol - an old Serer Kingdom, See : (Ning & Sain 1972) in Colvin, Lucie Gallistel, Historical Dictionary of Senegal, Scarecrow Press/ Metuchen. NJ – London (1981) Maad a Sinig Maysa Wali Jaxateh Manneh (many variations in spelling: Maissa Wali, Maissa Wally also known as Maysa Wali Jon or Maysa Wali Dione) - (reigned 1350)For Maysa Wali's reign, see : Sarr, Alioune, Histoire du Sine-Saloum (Sénégal), (introduction, bibliographie et notes par Charles Becker), in Bulletin de l'IFAN, tome 46, série B, nos 3-4, 1986–1987. p 19. See also : Éthiopiques, Volume 2, p 100-101, Grande imprimerie africaine (1984) was the first Guelowar king of Sine post Troubang (1335). Having served for several years as legal advisor to The Great Council of Lamans and assimilated into Serer culture, he was elected and crowned the first Guelowar king of Sine in (1350).Sarr, Alioune, "Histoire du Sine-Saloum" (Sénégal), (introduction, bibliographie et notes par Charles Becker), in Bulletin de l'IFAN, tome 46, série B, nos 3-4, 1986–1987. p 19 His sisters and nieces were married off to the Serer nobility and the offspring of these unions where the kings of Sine and later Saloum (Maad a Sinig and Maad Saloum respectively).Gravrand, Henry, Le Gabou dans les traditions orales du Ngabou, Éthiopiques 28 special issue No, socialist journal of Black African culture (1981)Sarr, Alioune, p 19
The mainstream view has been that Mandinka Guelowars of Kaabu conquered and subjugated the Serer people. Serer oral tradition speaks of no military conquest, but a union based on marriage; a marriage between the noble Guelowar maternal clan and the noble Serer paternal clans, the descendants of the old Serer Lamane. Almost all the kings of Sine and Saloum bore Serer not Mandinka. Maysa Wali's paternal descendants did not rule in Sine neither did they rule in Saloum. It was the paternal descendants of the ancient Serer Lamanic class who ruled. Serer language, culture, religion and tradition also prevailed in Sine and Saloum not Mandinka. The Guelowars were incorporated into Serer society and they saw themselves as Serers.Sarr, Alioune: Histoire du Sine-Saloum (Sénégal) . Introduction, bibliographie et notes par Charles Becker. Version légèrement remaniée par rapport à celle qui est parue en 1986-87. p 19Ngom, Biram (Babacar Sédikh Diouf): La question Gelwaar et l’histoire du Siin, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1987, p 69
Although Wolof culture is also very strong in Saloum, just as Serer culture, Wolof people were migrants to the Serer Kingdom of Saloum. The Kingdom of Sine was ethnically Serer. The Kingdom of Saloum was mixed, but the non-Serer population were migrants.Klein, Martin A: Islam and Imperialism in Senegal Sine-Saloum, 1847-1914. Edinburgh University Press (1968), p 7Diange, Pathé. Les Royaumes Sérères, Présence Africaines, No. 54. (1965). pp 142-172
Around the 17th century, there were three main branches of the Guelowar maternal clan in the Serer kingdoms. They were founded by three sisters. They were (queens or princesses) whose names are used to refer to their maternal descendants. They include:
The princes who belonged to these three maternal clans were engaged in several wars in Senegambia, in order to ensure the succession of their maternal clan. The Serer princes belonging to the clans Keway Begay and Jogop Begay were engaged in constant battles.Klein, Martin A: Islam and Imperialism in Senegal Sine-Saloum, 1847-1914. Edinburgh University Press (1968), pp 45, 75, 105, 157, 173
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