The materials is a collection of Arabic and Wolofal (Wolof Ajami) poems of Serigne Samba Diarra Mbaye (1870-1917). There are more Arabic poems than Wolofal in the materials. Wolofal poems include page 208-211, 364-369, and 387; Arabic and Wolof poems include 374-376; and Arabic poems include 212-363, 370-373, and 377-386, among others. The themes discussed in the material include praises dedicated to Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, his spiritual stature, his traits, and blessings and miracles, among others. Based upon the interview with Serigne Abdoulaye Sarr, the current owner of the material, these poems were written in Mauritania around 1903 when the poet visited his spiritual guide (Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba) who was exiled there by the French colonial administration from 1903 and 1907.
Physical characteristics of original material: Despite the age of the documents and ink stains, all pages are readable. Red, black, purple, blue, and green ink are used in the material. The red ink is used for vocalization and for key words, phrases and verses.
1 set of bound paper manuscripts of 163 pages. Date of orginal: c 1903.
Author: Serigne Samba Diarra Mbaye. Scribe: unknown. Language: Arabic and Wolof (with Wolof Ajami poems, mixed Arabic-Ajami poems, and Arabic-only poems). Script of material: Wolof Ajami (Wolofal) and Classical Arabic.
