Serer creation myth

The Serer creation myth is the traditional creation myth of the Serer people of Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania. Many Serers who adhere to the tenets of the Serer religion believe these narratives to be sacred. Some aspects of Serer religious and Ndut traditions are included in the narratives contained herein but are not limited to them.

The Serer people have many gods, goddesses^[1] and Pangool (the Serer saints and ancestral spirits represented by snakes),^[2] but one supreme deity and creator called Roog (or Koox in the Cangin languages^[3]).

Serer creation myth developed from Serer oral traditions, Serer religion, legends, and cosmogonies.^[4]^[5] The specifics of the myth are also found in two main Serer sources: A nax and A leep. The former is a short narrative for a short myth or proverbial expression, whilst the latter is for a more developed myth.^[6] Broadly, they are equivalent to verbs and logos respectively^{[clarification needed]}, especially when communicating fundamental religious education such as the supreme being and the creation of the Universe. In addition to being fixed-Serer sources, they set the structure of the myth.^[6]

The creation myth of the Serer people is intricately linked to the first trees created on Planet Earth by Roog. Earth's formation began with a swamp. The Earth was not formed until long after the creation of the first three worlds: the waters of the underworld; the air which included the higher world (i.e. the sun, the moon and the stars) and earth. Roog is the creator and fashioner of the Universe and everything in it. The creation is based on a mythical cosmic egg and the principles of chaos.^[5]^[7]

^ (in English) Kellog, Day Otis, and Smith, William Robertson, "The Encyclopædia Britannica: latest edition. A dictionary of arts, sciences and general literature", Volume 25, p. 64, Werner (1902)
^ Gravrand, Henry, "La Civilisation Sereer - Pangool", pp. 180, 305–402
^ (in French) Ndiaye, Ousmane Sémou, "Diversité et unicité sérères : l’exemple de la région de Thiès", Éthiopiques, no. 54, vol. 7, 2e semestre 1991 [1]
^ Cite error: The named reference Pangool pp 125-6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference Thiaw myth was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference Pangool pp 193-4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Pangool pp 194-5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Kellog-1] (in English) Kellog, Day Otis, and Smith, William Robertson, "The Encyclopædia Britannica: latest edition. A dictionary of arts, sciences and general literature", Volume 25, p. 64, Werner (1902)

[2] Gravrand, Henry, "La Civilisation Sereer - Pangool", pp. 180, 305–402

[Noon-3] (in French) Ndiaye, Ousmane Sémou, "Diversité et unicité sérères : l’exemple de la région de Thiès", Éthiopiques, no. 54, vol. 7, 2e semestre 1991 [1]

[Pangool_pp_125-6-4] Cite error: The named reference Pangool pp 125-6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Thiaw_myth-5] Cite error: The named reference Thiaw myth was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Pangool_pp_193-4-6] Cite error: The named reference Pangool pp 193-4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Pangool_pp_194-5-7] Cite error: The named reference Pangool pp 194-5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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