Saltigue

The Saltigue (other spelling: Saltigué, Saltigui or Saltigi in Serer ), are Serer high priests and priestesses who preside over the religious ceremonies and affairs of the Serer people, such as the Xooy (or Xoy) ceremony, the biggest event in the Serer religious calendar. They usually come from ancient Serer paternal families, and the title is inherited by birthright. In Serer country, Saltigue are always diviners.

Amongst the Fula of Futa Toro, the term Silatigi or Satigi, was also used, borrowed from Mande by the Fula.

Etymology
In Serer, saltigue and its spelling variation derive from two Serer words: "sal" and "tigui"; sal means "meeting point of two ways, place where one branch branches into two other branches. And by analogy, beam on which the roof of the hut rests." Tigui means "resting the roof of the hut." The combination of these two terms gave its name to "saltigue" (a metaphor). The term is also reported to be of Serer origin meaning "soothsayer". In Serer society, the term is reserved for those who communicate with the invisible world.

In Mande, the term "silatigi" is used, which according to Oumar Kane derives from the Mande term "sili" meaning road, and "tigi" meaning master or leader. Thus, in Mande, the "silatigi" is the one who leads the community in following the right path, physical or spiritual. The Fula borrowed the term from the Mande.

Amongst the Serer Palor people (a subgroup of the Serer), the term "Sili" or "Sili-Sili" is the name for their language, Palor, which is one of the Serer Cangin languages. In their language, "Sili" mean Serer.

Role of Saltigues in Serer society
The Saltigues were responsible for predicting the future of kings, the weather, any natural disaster or political catastrophe that could befall the country, etc. As such, they were frequently consulted by the Serer kings (the Maad, Maad a Sinig, and Maad Saloum, and previously, the Teigne) preferably at the beginning of the rainy season.

Before a king launched a war, he would consult the great assembly of Saltigues to predict the outcome of the battle.

The assembly of Saltigues would predict the outcome, offer precautionary advice on when to launch the attack, the route to take to the battlefield and the animals to be sacrificed, etc. The role of Saltigue was not political. They were not government ministers or politicians, but spiritual advisors and elders. They are the Serer "hereditary rain priests" – guardians of the Serer religion and customs, a birthright they inherited from their ancient Serer Lamanic ancestors.

Raan Festival
In the precolonial period, during the Raan Festival which takes place in Tukar annually on the second Thursday after the onset of the new moon in April, the kings (during the Guelowar period, 1350-1969, and 2019―present) attended the Festival, making their way from the capital of Diakhao. The king was extremely careful never to arrive before the Lamane and always avoided direct encounters with the Lamane of Tukar. Whilst the Lamane was busy meditating, touring Tukar and making offerings to the pangool, Jegan Joof, the Chief Saltigue and his associates drink sum-sum alcohol all morning before the Festival. It is reported that drinking sum-sum improves the Saltigue's vision of the future and the supernatural world. Having prepared himself sufficiently, the Saltigue and his close associates leave the house and mount their horses, then start their own tour of some of the sacred places of the country. The Saltigué's tour is programmed to follow the king, but ultimately to cross his path at a location known as "Nenem". In this location, the king, aware that the Saltigue is coming, stops the royal entourage. The king and the royal entourage must wait for the Saltigue and his companions to pass. After these high priests and priestesses have passed, the king then gives the signal to the royal entourage to pass as they proceed to their next destination. This is the kind of respect that is afforded to the Saltigue.

Some notable Serer Saltigues
(Pre and post independent Senegal)


 * Maye Diatt, Sine-Saloum, independent Senegal (post 1960). Member of the MALANGO Centre  (an organisation that works with Serer saltigues).
 * Khane Diouf, Sine-Saloum, independent Senegal. One of the most revered Saltigues of her generation (as at 2011)
 * Laba Diène Ngom, one of the best known Saltigues from Siin, during the reign of Maad a Sinig Kumba Ndoffene fa Maak Joof (1853 - 1871). He was amongst the great Saltigues of Sine brought in divine the possible outcome of the Battle of Fandane-Thiouthioune prior to the battle in 1867.
 * Ndar Ngom, Sine-Saloum, independent Senegal. Head Saltigue of MALANGO Centre (as at 2011).
 * Biram NJaay, of Poxaam, Kingdom of Sine, during the reign of Maad a Sinig Mahecor Joof (1924-1969), (June 1969 : active in the Xooy ceremony of Njaanjaay (Ndiaye-ndiaye) at Fatick
 * Kotaan NJaay, healer.
 * Biram Pouye, of Diobass (16 September 1940 - 9 Feb 2019), a member of the Serer Saafi ethnic group.
 * Lat Mosu Saar, - Kingdom of Sine. Grandfather of Njoogu Yaasiin Saar
 * Maalick Saar, ancestor of Njoogu Yaasiin Saar
 * Mbissin Saar, of Sine-Saloum, Senegal, 26th July 1975 at the Nbuj-naaxar
 * NJoogu Yaasiin Saar, the great Saltigue of Sine-Saloum, Senegal. 1975 : active in the Xooy ceremony of NGalan at  Mbeel-Bure. Guardian of Mbeel-Bure at Ngalan-koƃ
 * Wassaly Sene, Kingdom of Sine, during the reign of Maad a Sinig Kumba Ndoffene fa Maak Joof (1853 - 1871) (as Jaraaf)

Silatigi amongst the Fula
The rulers of the Empire of Great Fulo  were known as Silatigi. According to Kane, this term, similar to the etymologically related Saltigue, originally meant a religious leader who was privy to the highest secrets of initiation and tasked with performing the rituals necessary to appease the spirits.