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Xooy



The Xooy divination ceremony is a traditional ceremony prior to the rainy season.

This annual Serer divination ceremony is held in Fatick, west-central Senegal is called the Xooy (spelled Xoy or Khoy as it is pronounced in Serer, meaning macerate).

A national event in Senegal's cultural calendar, the Xooy is an important and widely known ceremony in the Serer religion and attracts government officials and dignitaries from across the country.

A large crowd attends the Serer pangool ceremony at the Centre Malango in Sine, Senegal, every year. It is somewhat of an annual pilgrimage since Serers are from neighboring Gambia and the diaspora. In homage to their Serer ancestors, the Lebou also attend the ceremony.

The ceremony takes place during the Xooy around late May or early June before the rainy season to divine the future. During these ceremonies, there is a master of ceremonies, and every Saltigue, in turn, enters the circle and gives his or her divination on matters pertaining to the weather, politics, economics, health, etc.

The ceremony is held over two days (more) that is accompanied by the sound of drums throughout the night. Since the Serer people are farmers, cattle herders, boat builders, and fishermen, this ceremony fulfills both religious and agricultural functions.

The Serer high priests and priestesses, dressed in their traditional dresses and hats, each step into a designated circle to deliver predictions. They are accompanied by the drumming of a rapturous audience while they deliver answers to key community issues such as the rain, plagues or illnesses, and remedies.

The Saltigues play a vital role in the Xooy and preserve the esoteric knowledge that is important to the ceremony. They also mediate between the people, the Supreme Being, nature, and the genies. They also regulate society and ensure harmony between men, women, and the environment. They have knowledge of plants that they use in traditional therapies, which are effective in alleviating suffering.

Recently, Serer followers as well as Serer groups like the Seereer Resource Center and Seereer Radio have complained that the organizers of MALANGO's sacred ceremony have over-commercialized it, and have made it seem unauthentic to how the Serer ancestors used to perform this ceremony.

In this regard, the Seereer Resource Center has been very vocal in its perception of some of the Saltigues allowed to participate in this sacred ceremony, some of whom claim to be bona fide saltigues, but who are actually practicing charlatans. As saltigis, they emphasize that they are neither initiated into Seereer/African spirituality nor adhere to its principles.

References

(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/xooy-a-divination-ceremony-among-the-serer-of-senegal-00878) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xooy)


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