The Kal, joking kinship

Depuis les temps anciens · Sénégambie

In Senegal, families, lineages and peoples are bound by the Kal, joking kinship: it is called Kal or gàmmu among the Wolof, kalir or massir among the Serer, dendiraagal among the Halpulaaren, sinankuya in Mali. This very old practice rests on one rule: no dispute between the groups concerned must escalate, and respect for the other comes first. The Diop and the Ndiaye tease each other; so do Serer and Fulani, Serer and Diola, or people and blacksmiths. The legend of Aguène and Diambogne illustrates it: two sisters separated by a shipwreck near Sangomar, one settling in the Saloum islands among the Serer, the other in the south among the Diola. According to one source, sinankuya was established in the time of the Mali Empire. The Kal is today recognised as a factor of peace and social stability, helping to ease conflicts between ethnic groups, lineages and families.

Sources

• Persée — Parenté à plaisanterie et régulation sociale chez les Wolof du Sénégal
• Cairn — « Pactes, alliances et plaisanteries » (Cahiers d’études africaines, 2006)
• Cairn — « Senghor voulait qu’on soit tous des Senghor » (Vingtième siècle, 2013)

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