Ndaté Yalla Mbodj

Queen Ndate was crowned on October 1, 1846 in Ndar (now called Saint-Louis) the capital of the Waalo kingdom. She succeeded her sister, Queen Ndjeumbeut Mbodj. The second year of her reign was marked by her strong opposition to the free passage of the Sarakole people (also called Soninke) granted by the governor. In a letter to the governor, she stated, “We guarantee and control the passage of cattle in our country and we will not accept it the other way. Each leader governs his country as he pleases”.

During her rule she fought against the Moors, who were slowly encroaching on her territory and against the French colonialist army led by General Louis Faidherbe. Her 10-year resistance against colonization culminated in 1855 when she faced Faidherbe and his army of 15,000 fully armed men that were hell bent on colonizing her kingdom, with her army of fierce women warriors. Outnumbered and overpowered, the Queen was defeated. Remaining strong in the face of defeat and the capture of her son, Ndate said this to her principle dignitaries while enemy troops were invading her kingdom: “Today, we are invaded by the conquerors. Our army is in disarray. The tiedos of the Waalo, as brave warriors as they are, have almost all fallen under the enemy’s bullets. The invader is stronger than us, I know, but should we abandon the Waalo to foreign hands?”.

Like mother, like son; Queen Ndate’s son Sidya Leon Diop, continued his mothers’ anti colonialist work until he was captured and exiled to Gabon in 1878.

While her French sisters wouldn’t even be recognised as full citizens until decades later, Ndate Yalla Mbodj, along with several other African heroines played a crucial role in the struggle for African liberation. Oral historians (also known as griots) have immortalised her bravery, and she remains a symbol of female empowerment. During her life and afterwards, Mbodj was a symbol of resistance against French colonialism. Queen Ndate Yalla Mbodj died in Dagana, where a statue erected in her honor still stands.

Like much of the African continent at the time, traditional wolof society was matriarchal. It wasn't until the introduction of Islam and colonization by Christian Europeans, that these societies adopted patriarchal ideology. During the 19th century, rulers of the Wolof people were called Brak; the mothers, sisters and daughters of these rulers were called Lingeer. These Lingeer (Queens) were politically and militarily prepared to lead their people. They were trained in armed combat and knew how to defend the kingdom. In March 1820, Moorish warriors took advantage of the Brak’s absence to invade the Waalo capital. They were quickly foiled by a group of armed and fierce female warriors led by the Lingeer Fatim Yamar. Ashamed of their defeat the Moors returned to deal a final blow. Outnumbered and overpowered, the Lingeer and her companions decided to burn themselves alive rather than be dishonored. Before doing so however, Fatim Yamar helped her two daughters escape so that they could continue her legacy. Educated as warriors, these daughters later ruled the kingdom. Their names were Ndjeumbeut and Ndate Yalla.