Sereer

Quick facts about the Sereer

Location: Senegal, Gambia
Status: Engaged by IMB
Population: 1,423,500
Primary Religion: Folk Islam
Number of Christians: unknown

Strong elements of traditional religion are included in most Sereer people’s concept of Islam.
Ancestral practices are very strong in the culture and turning from them is a great barrier in full acceptance to the gospel.
The Sereer do not believe that they can have direct access to God.
The Sereer also believe in jinns, or spirits, which are most often evil and desire bad things for man.

Pray that God would continue to open the hearts of the Sereer; that He would speak through dreams and visions to Sereer “men of Peace"; and that He would send more servants into fields that are ripe for harvest. Luke 10:2 - Jesus told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Learn more about the Sereer!

Many people argue that the story of the Sereer begins in Egypt. The ancestors of the Sereer, Wolof and Lebou peoples migrated from Egypt and across the Sahara. Resisting pressures to convert to Islam, brought by the Takrur leader who implemented Sharia law, the Sereer left the Mauritania area and migrated southward in the 11th century. The hold of Islam on the Sereer only took place in the last century. The Sereer have traditionally resisted both Catholicism as well as Islam in an attempt to hold on to their animistic beliefs. The Sereer are among the most open people groups to the gospel in Senegal and its church is relatively large compared to those of the other ethnic groups in Senegal. However, the Islamic strongholds of Senegal are becoming stronger among these people, and missionaries and other outreach efforts need to be strong now while the opportunity is still available.

There are six sub-groups of the Seerer:
Sereer Sine -- language: Sine-Sine
Sereer Saafen -- language: Saafi-Saafi
Sereer Noon -- language: Noon
Sereer Ndut -- language: Ndut
Sereer Lahar -- language: Lala
Sereer Falor -- language: Sili-Sili