Storyteller Sékou Djikabo Coly brings us a historical narrative of the Baynunk community in Niamone, Casamance, southern Senegal. It tells the story of when some « white man » arrived hoping to take over the village. A gunfight followed, an unequal battle unfolding with no surprise…

Reminder: Baynunk is a language spoken in southern Senegal, as well as in neighbouring Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. It belongs to the Niger-Congo family (North-Atlantic branch, Tenda-Nyun group)  and includes several dialectal variations. In 2006, Ethnologue.com estimated the number of Baynunk speakers around 6,200, figures leading to consider Baynunk an « endangered language » according to UNESCO standards. Widely understudied, Baynunk was finally codified in 2005 and now comprises an official spelling system.

Watch all videos in Baynunk

Linguist: Sokhna Bao-Diop

Image & sound: Muriel Lutz, assisted by Cheikh Tidiane Sall

Editing: Caroline Laurent

Video created within the ANR Sénélangues project