Brak

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Brak (or Braque ) was the title of the kings of the kingdom Waalo (or Oualo) and Biffeche on Senegal in Senegal and Mauritania in West Africa during the 19th century. The main Brak was the king of Waalo with capital Diourbel north of the river and later at Santander on the west coast of the Guiers Lake . The "Petit Brak" was the king or liege lord of the Kingdom of Biffeche with a united capital at Maka on the Senegal River near Saint-Louis (Senegal) .

The kingdoms of Waalo and Biffeche have been named "Brak" or "Braque" on some French maps of the area to avoid confusion with the boggy area called Brakna north of the Senegal River. Waalo was conquered by France in the middle of the 19th century.

The Waalo braks were chosen from the three leading families of Dyoos, Teedyo and Logar and were ruled by a gathering of various officials with various assigned roles. It was claimed that the Waalo Brak ruled through some local type of traditional African democracy, but the power was clearly hereditary monarchical in character in terms of maternal and paternal ancestry. What was needed was the descent from the legendary first brak by Waalo and Jolof , Njajan Njay .

The word brak may be derived from the Arabic word for "high".

List of braks from Waalo

  • 1674–1708: Naatago Aram Bakar Mbodj
  • 1708-1733: Ndiak Aram Bakar Teedyek Mbodj
  • 1733-1734: Yerim Nadate Boubou Mbodj
  • 1734-1735: Meu Mbody Koumba Khedy Mbodj
  • 1735-1736: Yerim Khode Fara Mbodj
  • 1736-1780: Ndiak Khouri Yop Mbodj
  • 1780–1795 ?: Fara Penda Tegg Rell Mbodj
  • 1795-1805: Ndiak Koumba Khouri Yaye Mbodj
  • 1805-1810: Saayodo Yassine Mbodj
  • 1810-1816: Kouli Mbaaba Mbodj
  • 1816-1825: Amar Faatim Mborso Mbodj
  • 1825 – December 1827: Yerim Mbagnik Tegg Rell Mbodj
  • December 1827–1830: Fara Penda Adam Sall Mbodj (1st government period)
  • July 7, 1830–1832: Kherfi Khari Daaro Mbodj (1st government period)
  • 1832–1833: Fara Penda Adam Sall Mbodj (2nd government period)
  • July 21, 1833–1835: Kherfi Khari Daaro Mbodj (2nd government period)
  • 1835-30. October 1840: Fara Penda Adam Sall Mbodj (3rd government period)
  • November 1840 – February 1855: Mö Mbodj Maalik Mbodj