Introduction

WA KEUR MAMUT YASSIN CEESAY

www.keurmamutyassin.com

PANCHANG SANCHA TABA, THE GAMBIA

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

"Njabootu madi suka"

The family of Mamut Yassin Ceesay traces its lineage back to Mam Madi Suka.

All those who claim to belong to this family share a common ancestor in Mam Madi Suka. In Wolof, the word "Njabootu" means "family of." This lineage encompasses descendants from several key branches: Musa Yassin, Mamut Yassin, Sait Kani, Musa Begay, and Musa Ndumbeh.

Today, the grandchildren of these ancestors are spread across different parts of the world. Musa Yassin and Mamut Yassin descended from Sait Hincha Njomeh, while Sait Kani, Musa Begay, and Musa Ndumbeh were from Bakary Kura Gai. Both Sait Hincha Njomeh and Bakary Kura Gai were sons of Mam Madi Suka.

Further tracing reveals that Hal Nganda was the father of Madi Suka, and Hal Nganda’s father was Malick. Malick's father was Demba Kholeh, who was the son of Madi Bakarr.

This genealogy clearly establishes a rich and interconnected family heritage.

Madi Bakarr was the father of Demba Kholeh,

Demba Kholeh was the father of Malick Halima

Malick Halima was the father of Hal Nganda ( Nganda Jama) and Madi Jama Malick

Hal Nganda (Nganda Jama) was the father of Madi Suka, and Malick Haisata

Madi Suka was the father of Sait Hincha Njomeh and Bakary Kura Gai,

Sait Hincha Njomeh was the father of Musa Yassin and Mamut Yassin,

Bakary Kura Gai was the father of Sait Kani, Musa Begay and Musa Numbeh.

WHO WAS MADI BAKARR CEESAY?

According to Kebba Ceesay of Kerr Masarr in Dakar, Senegal, and Fafa Bella Jeng of Sanchi Dimbu Nganda, Madi Bakarr was a renowned religious leader who lived in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso in West Africa. His real name was Mahdi Ababacarr. One of his guiding principles was to live in a quiet place where he could worship God in peace.

Over time, a leadership crisis arose in Ouagadougou, disrupting his peaceful existence. Madi Bakarr confided in Ngambie Bella Jeng, expressing his desire to relocate to a tranquil place where he could freely worship the Almighty Allah. Together, they decided to move to Timbuktu in Mali.

While in Mali, the kings of Senegal frequently sent delegations seeking his prayers. One notable king was Burr Ba Jollof. Eventually, Madi Bakarr was invited to Senegal by the royal families. He traveled with Ngambie Bella Jeng and around twelve different families, including the Tourays, Camaras, Mannehs, and Jakhatehs, among others.

The Journey to Senegal
On their way to Senegal, Madi Bakarr and his companions arrived at Wayenduari around 1 p.m., under the scorching sun. Exhausted and thirsty, they rested under a large tree. Suddenly, one of them felt a drop of water on his back. Curious about the source, someone climbed the tree and discovered a deep hole filled with water. A small alligator, called "Barr" in Wolof, had passed through the water, causing the drop.

Madi Bakarr declared that his family would honor the animal, leading to a long-standing tradition where the Ceesay family abstains from eating the small alligator "Barr." This custom persists to this day. While in Jolof, he met Mam Yoro Sey Penda Mbye who migrated with Mam Madi Bakar to Saloum. That's what brought Mam Yoro Sey Penda Mbye in Saloum.

The Manding Episode
Madi Bakarr's third significant stop was in Manding, where he encountered a village facing a dire water crisis. The only available water was salty and undrinkable. The villagers believed that sacrificing a young virgin girl to a giant snake in the river was the only way to obtain drinkable water. Madi Bakarr was able to kill that big snake and eventually married the girl; but it was not certain whether he came with that young girl to Senegal or not. We have known of Mam Madi Bakar's wives, but at no point in time he had more than four wives at a time.

They were:

Mam Kemess Leigh

Mam Penda Bah

Mam Ngungi Lo

Mam Mbass Njellen

Mam Jelleh Katim

Mam Fady Matta

From Manding, he came to Futa Torro in Senegal. While in that place, he was married to a lady called Kemess Leigh and from her he got the following children:

Bakary Kemess

Biran Kemess

Barro Kemess (Most of those from Bati Ndarr were from this man)

Yama Kemess

From Futa Torro, Madi Bakarr went to Jollof, Senegal. The king, Burr Ba Jollof wanted him to stay in Jollof and he gave him a lady called Penda Bah to marry. They had two children, namely:

Sulayman Penda Bah (most of those from Simbara, Bantantu and Gimbala were from this man)

Bakary Penda Bah

Mam Madi Bakarr later move to Pakala or Njambour where he was married to Ngungi Lo. They had these children:

Demba Kholeh Njoungi Lo

Fatima Njoungi Lo

Maimuna Njoungi Lo

Madi Bakarr also went to Kawoon and had married Mbass Njellen. They had the following children:

Handala Mbass

Musa Mbass

Khassoum Mbass (founder of Ndaharr Posteh Village in Senegal)

Hantuman Mbass

He was also given Jelleh Katim to marry by Cheikh Katim Juma Bah. They were blessed with these three:

Njangan Jelleh

Bassi Jelleh

Katim Jelleh

Mam Madi Bakarr had also married another lady called Mam Fady Matta, but I don't know where he got her from.

He and Mam Fady Matta had these three children:

Mamut Fady Matta

Musa Fady Matta

Bakary Fady Matta

One of his sons, Mam Demba Kholeh who founded Sanchi Dimbu village in Senegal in 1495 had nine children, they were:

Malick Halima (father of Madi Jama Malick) who was the founder of Keliman village in Senegal.

Ma Ganie Demba (father of Ma Pateh Halima) who was the founder of Jokul village in Senegal.

Omar Jogub was the founder of Danku village in Senegal.

Biran Demba

Seedy Demba

Sait Demba

Musa kani Demba

Hantuman Demba

Madi Kumba Jay