Ndaté Yalla Mbodj facts for kids

Ndaté Yalla Mbodj, also known as Ndateh Yalla Mbooj (born around 1810, died 1860), was the last great Lingeer (Queen) of Waalo. Waalo was one of the important kingdoms in what is now Senegal. During her time as queen, she bravely fought against French forces trying to take over her kingdom. She also defended her land from invaders from the Moorish people.

In the 1800s, Queen Ndaté Yalla and her sister Ndjeumbeut Mbodj were two of the most powerful women in Senegalese history. They were known for their strength and leadership.

Early Life and Family

Ndaté Yalla was born around 1810. Her father was Brak Amar Fatim Borso Mbodj, the powerful King of Waalo. Her mother was Lingeer—Awo Fatim Yamar Khuri Yaye Mbodj.

Waalo was one of the four main Wolof kingdoms in present-day Senegal. The kings of Waalo were called Brak. The queens and royal princesses were called Lingeer. The Lingeer—Awo was the king's first wife. She was one of the most powerful women in the kingdom, along with the king's mother or sister. The word "Awo" means "first wife" in Wolof. There's a Wolof saying, "Aawo Buuru Këram," which means "first wife, Queen of her house."

Ndaté Yalla was the youngest daughter of King Amar Fatim Borso Mbodj and his first wife, Fatim Yamar Khuri Yaye. Her older sister was Ndjeumbeut Mbodj.

The kings and queens of Waalo had to belong to one of three important family lines on their mother's side. These were the Tedyek, Loggar, and Joos families. Ndaté Yalla's father belonged to the Joos family. This means she was related to other royal families in Senegal, like the Joof and Faye families.

Ndaté Yalla's father, Amar Fatim Borso, died in 1826 when she was young. He was known for not wanting to convert to Islam. He famously said, "A Brak should never convert to Islam."

When Ndaté Yalla was about 16, she married her cousin, Brak Yerim Mbanyik Tigereleh Mbodj. This marriage was important for political reasons. Later, she married Marosso Tassé Diop, a prince from the kingdom of Cayor. He was also a lord of Koki. Marosso Tassé was a brave warrior. He became the commander of Ndaté Yalla's army. They had a son named Sidia Diop.

Reign as Queen

Queen Ndaté Yalla was crowned Lingeer of Waalo on October 1, 1846. The ceremony took place in Nder, which was the capital city of Waalo. She became queen after her older sister, Ndjeumbeut Mbodj. Ndaté Yalla ruled as Lingeer from 1846 until 1855. This was the year Waalo was taken over by the French.

In 1847, Queen Ndaté Yalla had a disagreement with the French. This was about allowing the Sarakoles (Soninkes) to freely pass through her kingdom. The Sarakoles supplied the French colony of Saint-Louis with cattle. The French claimed that the Queen's people stopped a herd of oxen and kept some of the best animals. They said this went against an agreement.

The French threatened the Queen, demanding she return the oxen. They said if she refused, she would be seen as an enemy. Queen Ndaté Yalla saw this as a challenge to her power and the independence of Waalo. On June 18, 1847, she wrote a famous letter to the French governor. In it, she stated:

We have wronged no one. Walo belongs to us, that is why we guarantee the passage of livestock in our country. For this reason we charge one-tenth and we shall never accept any other thing. Saint-Louis belongs to the Governor, Cayor to the Damel, Djollof to the Bourba, Fouta to the Almamy and Walo to the Brak. Each of these chiefs governs his country the way he deems fit.

—Ndaté Yalla Mbodj (18 June 1847)

During her reign, Queen Ndaté Yalla and her husband, Marosso Tassé, fought against two main threats. They fought the Moors of Trazar, who were trying to expand into her land. They also fought the French colonial army, led by General Louis Faidherbe.

Their resistance against colonization led to many battles, especially from 1854. The most important battle was the Battle of Dioubouldy in 1855. Marosso Tassé, as commander of the Waalo army, bravely resisted the French. This battle lasted for several months.

The French wanted to conquer Waalo first because it was close to their stronghold in Saint-Louis. They thought it would be easy, but Queen Ndaté Yalla and her forces put up a strong fight. Waalo was also known for being a kingdom where people from all social levels could rise to important positions. It was also rich in resources like indigo, millet, cotton, and fish.

After many small fights, Marosso Tassé and the Queen refused to give up. They gathered more forces to push back the French army. In February 1855, General Faidherbe marched towards Nder, the capital, with 450 French soldiers and 400 armed volunteers.

On February 25, at the Battle of Dioubouldy, the French defeated the combined armies of Waalo and Trarza. The French then entered Nder, which the Queen and her followers had left, and burned it down. Marosso Tassé and his warriors continued to resist. The Queen, even after receiving bad news, remained defiant.

Finally, on January 31, 1855, Faidherbe defeated the Queen and took control of Waalo. After their defeat, the Queen gave a powerful speech to her leaders:

Today we are invaded by the conquerors. Our army is completely routed. The Tiedo [animist army] of Walo, valiant warriors though they are, have almost all fallen to the bullet of the enemy. The invader is stronger than we are, I know, but should we abandon Walo to the hands of foreigners?

—Ndaté Yalla Mbodj (31 January 1855)

Marosso Tassé Diop lost many of his men in the battle. For him and his wife, this defeat was a great sadness. To make things worse, their young son, Sidia, was taken by the French. He was baptized as a Christian and sent to a French school. Sidia later returned to his country and fought against the French himself.

After their defeat, the royal family of Waalo moved to Cayor for safety. The royal family of Cayor protected them, even though the French demanded they be handed over. Queen Ndaté Yalla stayed in Cayor until her death in 1860.

Even after the defeat, the Cheddos (or Tiedos) of Waalo, who followed traditional African religions, did not want to give up their country easily. They destroyed buildings and resources that the French and locals depended on.

Legacy

Lingeer Ndaté Yalla Mbodj is one of the most famous queens in Senegambian history. She was a strong leader with real power, like a king. She signed many important documents between Waalo and France. She is one of the few precolonial nobles from Senegambia to have a visual depiction, a sketch by David Boilat.

Like her sister Ndjeumbeut, Ndaté Yalla was known for her political strength, her marriages, and her son Sidia Diop. She made it her mission to oppose anything the French wanted to do in her kingdom that she felt was not good for her people. Her son, Sidia, continued their fight against colonialism until he was captured and sent away in 1878.

Ndaté Yalla Mbodj is seen as a heroine in Senegambian history. She is one of the most famous women of the 19th century in the region. She played a key role in the fight for African freedom. Oral historians, known as griots, have told stories of her bravery. She remains a symbol of strong female leadership. During her life and after, Ndaté Yalla was a symbol of resistance against French rule. Queen Ndaté Yalla Mbodj died in Dagana, where a statue stands in her honor today.

Her mother was one of the brave women who sacrificed her life at Talaata-i-Ndeer for honor.

A primary school in Saint-Louis is named after her. Also, one of the taxi-boats that travels from Dakar to Rufisque bears her name.