Serekunda (proper: Sayerr Kunda or Sere Kunda, sometimes spelled Serrekunda) is the largest urban centre in The Gambia.[2] It is situated close to the Atlantic coast, 13 km (8 mi) south-west of the capital, Banjul,[3] and is formed of nine villages which have grown together into a larger urban area.
Sayerr Jobe, the founder of Serekunda, was a 19th-century lamane originally from the Sine-Saloum region of Senegal. He migrated to the Gambia in the mid 19th Century and is believed to have initially settled around Jinack Island in Banjul, before relocating to the southern bank of the country (near Sukuta) where he established Serrekunda.[4]
Serekunda means "home of the Sayer [or Sayerr] family" and is named after its founder, Sayerr Jobe.[3] The name Serrekunda (or "Sere Kunda") is a Mandinka corruption of the name Serrereh — denoting the Serer people in Mandinka, as the Mandinka people of Sabiji believed that Sayerr Jobe (the founder of Sererkunda[4]) and his brother Massamba Koki Jobe/Diop (relative of Lat Dior - King of Cayor and Baol) and the Jobe family in general were members of the Wolof ethnic group.[5] Thus, in the oral tradition of the Mandinkas of Sabaji (of which Serekunda was part), they initially referred to the area with the Mandinka saying: "mbitala serrereh kunda" (I am going to Serer area/country), later shortened to Serreh Kunda (or Serekunda). The word kunda or kundaa is a Mandinka word for place, area, country or compound. In essence, Sere Kunda means Serer country/area made in reference to Sayerr Jobe who was from the Serer Sine-Saloum area, and whom the Mandinkas believed to be of Serer origin.[5] Although born in Serer country, and possessed the Serer title lamane, he was not of Serer origin, but of Lebou origin, as Jobe or Diop is a Lebou surname.[citation needed]
^ abSarr, Assan, Islam, Power, and Dependency in the Gambia River Basin: The Politics of Land Control, 1790-1940, Boydell & Brewer (2016), pp. 64–95, 176, ISBN9781580465694[2]
serekunda, proper, sayerr, kunda, sere, kunda, sometimes, spelled, serrekunda, largest, urban, centre, gambia, situated, close, atlantic, coast, south, west, capital, banjul, formed, nine, villages, which, have, grown, together, into, larger, urban, area, city. Serekunda proper Sayerr Kunda or Sere Kunda sometimes spelled Serrekunda is the largest urban centre in The Gambia 2 It is situated close to the Atlantic coast 13 km 8 mi south west of the capital Banjul 3 and is formed of nine villages which have grown together into a larger urban area SerekundaCityDowntown SerekundaSerekundaLocation in the GambiaCoordinates 13 26 N 16 40 W 13 433 N 16 667 W 13 433 16 667CountryGambiaDivisionKanifingFounded bySayerr JobeNamed forFounderPopulation 2021 1 Total340 000Time zone0 GMT Contents 1 History and toponymy 2 Population history 3 Districts or suburbs 4 Gallery 5 References 6 External linksHistory and toponymy EditSayerr Jobe the founder of Serekunda was a 19th century lamane originally from the Sine Saloum region of Senegal He migrated to the Gambia in the mid 19th Century and is believed to have initially settled around Jinack Island in Banjul before relocating to the southern bank of the country near Sukuta where he established Serrekunda 4 Serekunda means home of the Sayer or Sayerr family and is named after its founder Sayerr Jobe 3 The name Serrekunda or Sere Kunda is a Mandinka corruption of the name Serrereh denoting the Serer people in Mandinka as the Mandinka people of Sabiji believed that Sayerr Jobe the founder of Sererkunda 4 and his brother Massamba Koki Jobe Diop relative of Lat Dior King of Cayor and Baol and the Jobe family in general were members of the Wolof ethnic group 5 Thus in the oral tradition of the Mandinkas of Sabaji of which Serekunda was part they initially referred to the area with the Mandinka saying mbitala serrereh kunda I am going to Serer area country later shortened to Serreh Kunda or Serekunda The word kunda or kundaa is a Mandinka word for place area country or compound In essence Sere Kunda means Serer country area made in reference to Sayerr Jobe who was from the Serer Sine Saloum area and whom the Mandinkas believed to be of Serer origin 5 Although born in Serer country and possessed the Serer title lamane he was not of Serer origin but of Lebou origin as Jobe or Diop is a Lebou surname citation needed Population history Edit1973 1983 1993 2007 202125 505 70 435 194 987 348 118 6 340 000Districts or suburbs EditThe following districts form part of Serekunda Bakoteh Bunungka Kunda Dippa Kunda Eboe Town Faji Kunda London Corner New Jeshwang Old Jeshwang Kololi Kotu Latri Kunda Latri Kunda Sabiji Manjai Kunda Serekunda District Talinding Kunjang Churchill s TownGallery Edit Mosque on Bundung Highway References Edit Population of Cities in Gambia 2021 Retrieved 2021 12 08 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Introducing Serekunda amp the Atlantic Coast Lonely Planet Retrieved 29 May 2014 a b Serrekunda Town Gambia Access Gambia Retrieved 2015 07 15 a b Briggs Philip Fenton Simon The Gambia Bradt Travel Guides 2017 p 103 ISBN 9781784770648 1 a b Sarr Assan Islam Power and Dependency in the Gambia River Basin The Politics of Land Control 1790 1940 Boydell amp Brewer 2016 pp 64 95 176 ISBN 9781580465694 2 Gambia town information External links Edit The Gambia portalHotels Photos and Maps for SerekundaCoordinates 13 26 N 16 40 W 13 433 N 16 667 W 13 433 16 667 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Serekunda Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Serekunda This Gambian location article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Serekunda amp oldid 1135430701, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
