THE SEREER (SERER) OF SENEGAL

Population:

848,000 (CRWM)

Religion

44% ATR, 40% Muslim, .6% Protestant

Protestant denominations are the Finnish Lutheran Mission, Assemblies of God, and Conservative Baptist. 49 Protestant missionaries active, though only one Finnish Lutheran couple and one couple and one single from the Conservative Baptists are active as church planters. The Assemblies of God would like to expand but are short staffed (CRWM).

"Originally animist by religion, they (the Serer) are now becoming increasingly either Muslim or Roman Catholic" (EB, 856).

Population Density:

65-195 persons/sq. mile (EB)

"The Sere are densely settled in the western part of the southern Ferlo region" (EB, 856).

Ethnicity and Language

Much of the outer tribal area is mixed with Wolof peoples according to a 1971 ethnic map of Senegal

Language groupings for Senegal are imprecise. The Atlantic or West Atlantic group includes Wolof, Lebu, Sereer, Tenda, and Diola peoples (EB).

Other Info:

"They are experienced farmers, practicing both cultivation and cattle raising" (EB, 856).

EB=Encyclopedia Britanica CRWM=Larry Verderaa, "A Survey of for Christian and Reformed World Missions of Missions and Churches in West Africa," May 1991