The Surfer by Judith Wright
Wolof Tribe Background The Wolof Tribe is located in the western part of Africa in the Senegambia Region which comprises of Gambia and Senegal. The tribe has a population of over five million. The tribe is spread through a few countries in Africa and the country with the biggest concentration is Gambia. They speak the Wolof language. The Mandinka and Fulani are the neighbouring people and they trade, marry with, fight and depend on the Serer, Mandinka, Fulani, Tukulors and Jolas. Most of the people of the Wolof tribe are architectural but some deal in cattle. The houses normally have an iron or a wooden bed, a sponge or a grass stuffed mattress with pillows stuffed with feathers or cotton. In the corner there might be a water jar with one cup on the top. After the defeat of the Empire of the Ghana in the 11th century the ancestors of the Wolof Tribe migrated west to the coast from Mali. Surprisingly, much of the Wolof history has been kept in oral praise songs which are recited by professional praise singer called griots. The Europeans began to come into contact with the Wolofs after the 15th century and they made a fort on Gorée Island off the coast, of what is currently called, Dakar. This fort served as a primary point of departure for slaving vessels travelling to the Americas. Numerous conquests and revolts happened after Europeans contacted the Wolofs as competing rules challenged one another for kingship. These rulers played a major part in the slave trade and directed slave raids and they sold captured people from the inland to the Europeans on the coast. This happened until the late 19th century. In the Wolof area the north is almost desert-like and the southern region is almost tropical rainforest. Their staple crops are sorghum and millet but tomatoes, peppers, peanuts and beans are also grown. Rice has become a staple of urban Wolof diets and fish is very important in many meals. Traditionally, the rulers were several powerful headmen who were from high ranking lineages which were based on the length of time that they had resided in the area. A supreme leader would then be elected from several candidates in the lineages. After the death of a leader, fighting would usually break out due to the intense competition between people over the position for the job.