Pangool (in Serer and Cangin) singular: Fangool (var : Pangol and Fangol), are the ancient saints and ancestral spirits of the Serer people of Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania. The Pangool play a crucial role in Serer religion and history. In a religious sense, they act as interceders between the living world and the supreme being Roog or Koox. In a historical sense, the ancient Serer village and town founders called Lamanes were believed to be accompanied by a group of Pangool as they travelled in search of land to exploit. These Lamanes became guardians of Serer religion and created shrines in honour of the Pangool, thus becoming the custodians of the "Pangool cult". There are several Pangool in Serer religion and each one is associated with a specific attribute, have their own sacred place of worship, means of worship, etc. These places of worship are often trees or groves. The symbol of the Pangool is the serpent, represented by two coiled black snakes.
Etymology and terminology Fangool – the singular of Pangool Pangool – a group of Fangool O Yaal Pangool (var : yaal pangool) – the "masters of the Pangool cult", i.e. the Serer priestly class – Saltigues, previously the Lamanic class. Pangool ke – the ancestors The etymology of Fangool comes from the Serer phrase Fang Qool which means the sacred serpent the plural of which is Pangool. Fangool means serpent. Qool itself (and it many spelling variations) derives from the sacred nqual tree (Serer proper: NGawul or Ngaul, Latin: mitragyna inermis) referenced in the Serer creation myth as one of the primordial trees.
Types There are two main types of Pangool: non-human Pangool and human Pangool. Both are sacred and ancient, but the former is more ancient as a general rule. The non-human Pangool include ancient sacred places with vital spiritual energies and personalized as such. These Pangool generally are the personifications of natural forces. Human Pangool on the other hand became Pangool once they are canonized after death. Thus some are ancient, others are medieval. Through their intercession with the divine, they form a link which transmits vital energies. Not every dead ancient ancestor is canonized as Pangool. Pangool can be subdivided further into:
1. Pangool who are known and revered in a particular region, such as the tombs of ancient Serer kings and queens (see Serer ancient history and Serer creation myth) 2. Pangool who are known and revered in a particular village or town, such as the Serer village or town founders 3. Pangool who are known, revered and venerated in a particular square such as the founder of the square 4. A Fangool made known to an individual and thus became the personal Fangool of the individual in question, such as the Fangool Ginaaru (the personal Fangool of Maad a Sinig Maysa Wali Jaxateh Manneh, var: Maysa Waaly Dione, the first Guelowar king of Sine, reigned: 1350–1370). 5. Pangool whose names are lost to history or did not disclose their identity, but are well known for certain events in Serer history, such as the seizure of certain historical figures, etc. In addition to these, Pangool can be further categorized depending on their character and nature, such as:
1. Blood or red Pangool: those who require the sacrifice of domesticated animals (i.e. cattle) in their veneration, or alcohol 2. Milk Pangool: those who require the offerings of milk 3. Water Pangool: those who reside in water, etc., Blood is a sign of life in Serer cosmogony and these types of Pangool fulfill a vital role in Serer society, and are seen as one of the most ancient and powerful. The Fangool Ngolum Joof (var: Ngolum Diouf) is one of these blood Pangool. In many cases, offerings of alcohol rather than the sacrifice of domesticated animals are made to these blood Pangool. In contrast to the blood Pangool, the milk Pangool such as Moussa Sarr, Njemeh (var: Ndiémé) of Languème and Njoxona, etc., are those Pangool who are peaceful in nature and character. They even reject anything that symbolizes violence or things that may evoke destruction or death, i.e. iron, weapons, gunpowder, blood and the colour red. They usually are the protectors of Serer cities and the defenders of the weak.
History
Early history
The history regarding the veneration of the Pangool is found within the hermeneutics of Serer religion, oral tradition and archaeological discoveries. Prior to the widespread veneration of the Pangool, the religious habit of the ancient Serers included holding prayers at the beginning of the rainy season. The branches of the Njambayargin tree (bauhinia rufescens) were fetched by these ancient people because they believed the tree to possess elements which boosted the growth of their crops and produce much fruit. Ritual prayers were made to the supreme spirit Roog (or Koox among the Cangin), totally distinct from the prayers that would later become afforded to other Serer spiritual entities such as the Pangool. In Serer cosmogony, trees play a vital role in the creation narrative, as they were the first things created on Earth by the divine, followed by animals (non-humans). The exact date as to when the veneration of the Pangool became prevalent cannot be stated with a degree of accuracy.
Medieval Era
Lamane Jegan Joof founder of Tukar c. 11th century, is reported to have been accompanied by a group of Pangool when he migrated from Lambaye with his brother Ndik following a disagreement with his relative the king of Lambaye. After his migration, he founded Tukar, previously in the Serer pre-colonial Kingdom of Sine, now part of independent Senegal. Tukar is one of the Serer holy sites, and the Pangool affiliated with it are devotedly venerated in the Serer religious calendar, such as the 'Raan festival which takes place once a year on the second Thursday after the new moon in April. The descendants of Lamane Jegan Joof (the Joof family of Tukar) play a vital role in this religious affair.
Serer religion
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