Njom

Last Updated:
2019-04-30
Mammal, Art, Watercolor paint, Finger, Mouth, Hand, Black, Mouth, Muscle
Captured:
2005-02-16 ~ 2005-10-26
Sandicoly, Fatick, Senegal Senegal flag

Njom traditional wrestling from Senegal is a sport that includes many rituals of music, song, dance and magic that are at the heart of Serer culture.

You can read more about the game below or jump to this video, Dancing Baobab, all about the traditional wrestling of Njom.

Njom Combat

Introduction

In the Serer village of Sandicoly, Senegal, I found the great tradition and sport called Njom. However, Njom is much more than just wrestling. It includes many rituals that are at the heart of Serer culture. In fact Njom actually comes from the Serer word for heart.

Preparation

Many preparations are made for an Njom ceremony. The entire village works towards the event, making sure everything is taken care of and goes to plan. Typically, boys and men go out to plough in the fields,

Donkey Ride To Fields

whilst in the village girls and women sweep floors clean, beat millet, pull water from the well,

Carrying Water

sew garments, pick cashews or mangoes from the trees, and cook the night's feast for the hungry mbeer (wrestlers).

Marabou

One important preparation for Njom wrestlers is their visit with the village marabou, who is also the local imam,

Ibrahima Fall - Marabou Of Sandicoly Close

and who invokes their all-important Gri-gri to help them achieve their ambitions in combat.

Writing For Gri Gri Macro

I interviewed the village marabou about his involvement with the sport:

"Wrestlers come to visit us marabou, because their confidence in us is as strong as our faith in god. They hope that when we pray for them god will help us bring their ambitions. Yes in my time I really loved Njom ceremonies, I was myself a wrestler. At that time I was a young man with strength, It was a kind of sport that really educated you in your heart, so it gave you good heart, it helped you to be vigorous, it helps you to know how to deal with a peer, and how you may defeat him, it's a real game of knowing the other.

Marabout Interview

A wrestler can be defeated sometimes, but doesn't get angry, or he may win and be joyful, really ecstatic. But if as a wrestler you don't accept defeat, your life will be difficult. So in other words it's a way of preparing your future life in the community. You often wrestle with young men of your age group, your opponents, growing up sharing everything together, perhaps becoming friends. Later, living apart, you may happen to meet, start chatting, asking about family. This is very good for our education. Njom can improve many things in a person's life. For example wrestlers in this area would go to the other villages and sometimes stay there for a whole month before coming back and bring back all the cattle they had won there. Njom can also give you great dignity and honour and make you famous in all the land."

Champion

It was to my great surprise and honour to be introduced to Maame Ebou Thior, AKA "The Doctor", a wrestler who reined 3 years as unbeaten champion of all Sin Saloum, living right here in Sandicoly.

Mame Ebu Thior & Friends

He graciously accepted my invitation to to interview him about his experience with Njom.

"My name is Ebu Thior, but my name in the Njom ceremonies was "The Doctor". What I most like about Njom is that you become a representative of your village. Every village hopes its wrestler will be the winner and you must honour your village, because if they are happy, you are yourself delighted.

Mame Ebu Thior (The Doctor) Interview

When we were chosen to wrestle for the village it was a real honour for us, and when the village has made all efforts to afford you the best possible conditions, it is now up to you to summon all your courage. With you and the wrestler you are challenging, it is your own part. Now you should put your heart in it. That is the reason why Njom is based on the word jom (heart). I grew very famous in this area, even though I did not benefit financially I became acquainted with many people,and many people trusted me. It is something that I will never lose."

Ceremony

With the palisade and final preparations in place, children sit eagerly and wait patiently for the ceremony to begin. Njom ceremonies usually run for 4 to 5 nights and can last 5 hours or more each night, throughout which many activities take place to help invigorate and inspire the wrestlers. Drummers beat intricate booming rhythms.

Master Tam Tam Player

Singers call out messages of good luck.

Njom Singers

Women dance fervently in their magnificent robes of unbridled colour.

Dancing Women

The wrestlers themselves perform many magic rituals as instructed earlier by their marabou.

Njom Ritual With Horn

Last but not least the wrestlers perform their own special dance to show their heart, courage and strength.

Njom Dance

They are so strong they make the ground shake and tremble. Whilst the ceremony continues, wrestlers are called, take up positions, and commence combat.

Combat

The aim for the wrestlers is to throw their opponent down to the ground without kicking or punching. However, in recent times the "wrestling" in Dakar now allows bare fisted punching which is a spectacle designed to create commercial interest for television sponsors. This new rule has completely undermined the original meaning and honour of this Senegalese wrestling tradition.

Njom Grip Lock

Some wrestlers take time to appreciate their opponent's stature, whilst others make haste in hope of an early victory. For these men who train every day of the year, from as early as 6 years old, the contest is hard won. The tremendous effort they expend makes the victory and the experience of taking part all the more rewarding.

Conclusion

I have never seen men with more physical force than the wrestlers of Njom, yet simultaneously they carry an earthly wisdom and knowledge of their fellow men, in the strength of their hearts.

Culture: Serer
Era: Unknown ~ Present
Properties: DexterityStrengthAgilityIncantationRitualDanceMusicSongs
Components: Ring of fireGri-griBlessed waterGoat's horn

Author

Tim Jules Hull
Games Explorer

Tim is a computer games developer turned games explorer, documenting indigenous games and sports as he travels around the world via motorcycle.