Readers
People and words
Who is who in each part, the words of the Senebian world, and how to say the names. Taken from the back of the book.
The people and places
Part One: the Republic of Awdagha
Madina, a village in the dry north. Bakoro, the capital.
Talib, a weaver's son, apprenticed to the plant
Ibrahim, his father, a weaver. Hawa, Talib's sister, a student nurse in Bakoro
Adam Sterling, a systems engineer, and the face of the Proxima Fund. Mark, his director at Proxima
Aisha, an engineer sent by Minister Khresay
Malik, the village blacksmith
Samba, a farmer and elder
Yero, leader of the Magribe clan. Hamadi, head of the rival Mashrik clan
Mustapha, the Ministry's registered signatory for Madina
Balla, a griot, keeper of the histories
Neneh, a woman of Madina, whose son went to Bakoro for work
Khresay, Minister of Rural Hydraulics, and Balla's patron
Dunia, Minister of Energy. Yusuf Dunia, her brother, a banker
Ebou, Minister of Finance. Nabil, Deputy Administrator of the National Energy Fund
Part Two: the Republic of Tekuru, ten years later and six hundred kilometres south
Nafawol, on an abandoned floodplain, and its neighbours Sirawol, Talawol and Kumbawol. Port Walada, the capital.
Kadiatou, the Yaara-Jaxo, or Water-Keeper, of Nafawol
Mariam, her granddaughter. Jainaba, Mariam's elder sister. Halima, Jainaba's daughter, Kadiatou's great-granddaughter
Sankung, alkalo of Nafawol. Mamadou, its senior elder. Lamin, Mamadou's grandson
Ousman, an elder, who has grown groundnuts on the light ground all his life
Bakary, a master weaver
Fatou, a trader
Isatou, head of the women's kafo, and keeper of its osusu. Haja, an old widow of Nafawol
Hassan, a young man of Nafawol, who learns fast and knows it
Nyma, a mill operator. Edrisa, a builder. Alie, a senior technician
Demba, a young road-builder. Fanta, a weaver
Bintu, a student of the academy, who reads what others skim
Dr Arramata, Proxima's environmental and systems engineer, born in Nafawol
Musa, alkalo of Sirawol
Yaya, alkalo of Kumbawol. Jankero, an old man of Kumbawol. Aminatu, a young leader from Talawol
The Teranu, a family of Nafawol, by the east channel
Sulayman, Minister of Rural Development, Republic of Tekuru
Evelyn Reed, a businesswoman with TransGlobal Agriculture
Words from the Senebian world
Senebia and its language of administration and trade, Nabari, are fictional. The peoples who live there are real: Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, Jola, Sarahule, Serer and others, and most of the words here are borrowed from them. Words, names and customs that belong to the novel’s fiction are marked (fictional).
- A siren niah SEE-ren nee
- Sarahule for "It is good."
- Alhamdulillahal-HAM-doo-lil-lah
- "Praise be to God." Said after eating or drinking, and at any good news.
- Alkaloal-KAH-loh
- The head of a village, who settles its everyday matters and speaks for it to the district.
- Aminah-MEEN
- "Amen." Said in answer to a prayer or a blessing.
- Attayaah-TAH-yah
- Strong green tea with sugar and mint, brewed in a small pot and often served in three rounds, each sweeter than the last.
- BalafonBAH-lah-fon
- A West African xylophone with wooden keys, played by Mandinka griots.
- Bantababahn-TAH-bah
- The village meeting place, often a raised platform under a big shade tree, where people sit, talk and settle village matters.
- BenachinBEN-ah-chin
- Rice cooked in one pot with fish or meat and vegetables, often served at celebrations.
- Bismillahbis-MIL-lah
- "In the name of God." Said before eating, drinking or beginning any task.
- CherehCHEH-reh
- Steamed millet, eaten with a sauce or with milk and sugar; the dish of Tamkharit night.
- Coffer Fund
- Fictional
Nafawol's shared fund, owned by the community, with its accounts open for anyone to read. - Domodadoh-MOH-dah
- A stew of groundnut paste with meat or fish and vegetables, served over rice.
- FatihaFAH-tee-hah
- The opening chapter of the Qur'an, recited in every prayer and at the start of important gatherings.
- FindiFIN-dee
- Fonio: a tiny-grained cereal, one of West Africa's oldest crops, quick to ripen on poor ground and prized for feast-day dishes.
- FulaFOO-lah
- A people found right across West Africa, with a long tradition of herding and farming; also called Fulani or Peul.
- GamoGAH-moh
- The name used across the region for the Prophet's birthday (Mawlid), kept with prayer, recitation of the Qur'an and gifts to the poor.
- Grand boubougrahn BOO-boo
- A long, wide robe made from one length of cloth, worn by men and women on formal occasions.
- GriotGREE-oh
- A West African keeper of history, genealogy and memory, who holds the past in speech and song, and who carries kola and messages between families. The Mandinka word is jali, the Wolof gewel, the Sarahule gesere. Balla is Minister Khresay's griot.
- Haa deeHAH deh
- Mandinka for "Yes, indeed."
- HajaHAH-jah
- A title for a woman who has made the pilgrimage to Mecca, often used as her name.
- Harmattan
- The dry, dusty wind that blows south from the Sahara in the dry season.
- Imamee-MAHM
- The man who leads the prayers at the mosque, ties marriages, names children and leads the burial prayer.
- Insha Allahin-SHAH-al-lah
- "If God wills." Said of anything hoped for or planned.
- Jërëjëfjuh-ruh-JEF
- Wolof for "thank you".
- JolaJOH-lah
- A people of the southern Gambia and Casamance, with a long tradition of growing rice in the wet low ground.
- JolofJOH-lof
- The old Wolof empire, which the Wolof remember as their own.
- KaabuKAH-boo
- The old Mandinka empire, which the Mandinka remember as their own; their griots still sing its fall.
- KabaKAH-bah
- The sour, orange-fleshed fruit of a wild vine of the bush and forest edges, sold in heaps from the hot months into the first weeks of the rains and eaten with sugar or a pinch of salt.
- KafoKAH-foh
- An association, often of people of the same age and sex, which turns out together for communal work such as clearing land or building.
- KalKAHL
- Wolof for the bond between joking cousins: certain peoples or families (Serer and Jola, for example) who may tease each other freely without giving offence. The Mandinka word is sanawuya.
- Kola
- A bitter nut, shared and given as a sign of respect, welcome or apology.
- KoraKOH-rah
- A West African harp-lute with twenty-one strings, played above all by Mandinka griots, the jali.
- Kori tana te? / Tana teKOR-ee TAH-nah teh / TAH-nah teh
- Mandinka for "Is there no trouble?" and its answer, "No trouble."
- KoritehKOR-ee-teh
- The name used across the region for Eid al-Fitr, the feast at the end of Ramadan, with prayers, new clothes and visits to family and neighbours.
- LumoLOO-moh
- A weekly market in a village or small town, to which traders and buyers come from all the surrounding villages.
- Major
- French for the nurse or midwife in charge of a hospital ward, and the title everyone on the ward calls her by, doctors included.
- Mandinkaman-DING-kah
- A people of the Gambia and its neighbours, with a long tradition of farming and trade. Their griots keep the memory of Kaabu.
- MaraboutMAH-rah-boo
- A Muslim teacher and holy man. In Nafawol, the marabout teaches children the Qur'an.
- Mashrik and Magribe
- Fictional
The two clans of Madina. The names come from the Arabic words for east and west. They began as the names of the village's two quarters, and hardened into clans over a grazing line. - Nabarinah-BAH-ree
- Fictional
The regional language of administration and trade, widely spoken alongside each people's own language. - Naka nga def? / Mangi fi rekNAH-kah ngah DEF / MAHN-gee fee REK
- Wolof for "How are you?" and its usual answer, "I am here, nothing more", meaning "I am well".
- ñan-kaleNYAHN-kah-leh
- Fictional
A public challenge settled by results rather than argument. - Nuwarinoo-WAH-ree
- Sarahule for "thank you".
- Osusuoh-SOO-soo
- A rotating savings group: each member pays in a fixed sum at regular intervals, and each takes the whole pot in turn.
- Planting of the First Word
- Fictional
An old custom, long unused, for opening a place of learning: each student is given a millet seed to plant. - Proxima Fund
- Fictional
A pooled fund: money gathered from many contributors into one ("many purses in one", as Adam puts it). It draws on governments, charities, development banks and ordinary people. - RamadanRAH-mah-dahn
- The month of fasting from dawn to sunset, ninth in the Islamic year.
- Sabarsah-BAR
- A Wolof and Serer drum played with one hand and one stick, at weddings and festivals.
- Sahelsah-HEL
- The dry belt of land south of the Sahara, from the Atlantic to the Red Sea.
- Salaam aleikum / Maleikum salaamsah-LAHM ah-LAY-koom / mah-LAY-koom sah-LAHM
- "Peace be upon you" / "And upon you, peace": the greeting and its answer, used across the region.
- Sarahulesah-RAH-hoo-leh
- The name used throughout this novel for the Soninke: a people with a long tradition of farming and trade, who remember Wagadu as their own.
- Senebiaseh-NEH-bee-ah
- Fictional
The peoples' own name for the wider region, from the dry north to the floodplain; older than the border between Awdagha and Tekuru. Its people are Senebians. - Sererseh-REHR
- A people of Senegal and the Gambia, with a long tradition of farming, fishing and wrestling.
- SeyfoSAY-foh
- A district chief, above the alkalos of the villages in a district, who hears disputes over land, marriage and inheritance.
- Stone vote
- Fictional
A vote in which each voter is given a white stone and a black one, and drops one into a clay pot and the other into a covered basket. The stones in the pot are then counted in front of everyone. - Superkanjasoo-per-KAHN-jah
- An okra stew made with palm oil, often with smoked fish, served with rice.
- TamkharitTAHM-khah-rit
- The name used across the region for Ashura, the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic year, when families eat chereh and children go from door to door singing for coins and grain.
- Tobaskitoh-BAS-kee
- The name used across the region for Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, at the end of the pilgrimage to Mecca, when families sacrifice a ram and share the meat with neighbours and the poor.
- TubabTOO-bahb
- A foreigner from Europe or America. In Nafawol, the name for Adam.
- WagaduWAH-gah-doo
- The old empire the Sarahule remember as their own, rich from the trade that crossed its land. Some of their neighbours share the memory; others keep their own stories of where they began.
- WolofWOH-lof
- A people of Senegal and the Gambia, heirs of the old Jolof empire, with a long tradition of trade; their language is heard in markets across the region.
- WonjoWON-joh
- A sweet red drink made by steeping roselle (hibiscus) flowers, with sugar and mint, served cold.
- Yaara-JaxoYAH-rah JAH-khoh
- Fictional
The Water-Keeper: the person responsible for a village's well, a title passed down through the women of Kadiatou's family.
Saying the names
Approximate guides only. Stressed syllables are in capitals. The kh sound is like the ch in the Scottish loch; in Nabari words it is written x.
- Aisha
- AH-ee-shah
- Alie
- AH-lee
- Aminatu
- ah-mee-NAH-too
- Arramata
- ah-rah-MAH-tah
- Awdagha
- OW-dah-gah
- Bakary
- BAH-kah-ree
- Bakoro
- bah-KOH-roh
- Balla
- BAH-lah
- Bintu
- BIN-too
- Dawda
- DOW-dah
- Demba
- DEM-bah
- Dunia
- DOO-nee-ah
- Ebou
- EH-boo
- Edrisa
- eh-DREE-sah
- Fanta
- FAHN-tah
- Fatou
- FAH-too
- Halima
- hah-LEE-mah
- Hamadi
- hah-MAH-dee
- Hassan
- HAH-sahn
- Hawa
- HAH-wah
- Ibrahim
- ib-rah-HEEM
- Isatou
- ee-SAH-too
- Jainaba
- jy-NAH-bah
- Jankero
- jahn-KEH-roh
- Kadiatou
- kah-DYAH-too
- Khresay
- KHREH-say
- Lamin
- LAH-min
- Madina
- mah-DEE-nah
- Magribe
- mah-GREE-beh
- Maimuna
- my-MOO-nah
- Malik
- MAH-lik
- Mamadou
- MAH-mah-doo
- Mariam
- MAH-ree-ahm
- Mashrik
- MASH-rik
- Musa
- MOO-sah
- Mustapha
- MOOS-tah-fah
- Nabil
- nah-BEEL
- Neneh
- NEH-neh
- Nyma
- NYEE-mah
- Ousman
- OOS-man
- Saikou
- SY-koo
- Samba
- SAHM-bah
- Sankung
- SAHN-koong
- Sulayman
- soo-lay-MAHN
- Talib
- TAH-lib
- Tekuru
- teh-KOO-roo
- Teranu
- teh-RAH-noo
- Walada
- wah-LAH-dah
- Yaya
- YAH-yah
- Yero
- YEH-roh
- Yusuf
- YOO-suf
The -wol villages (-wol rhymes with bowl): NAH-fah-wol, SEE-rah-wol, TAH-lah-wol, KOOM-bah-wol, KEH-reh-wol
