Laobés

The Laobés represent a very important Ethnie Senegal. They belong to the community of the Peuls and are dispersed in all the West Africa. They are craftsmen specialized in the work of wood. They are subdivided in two groups: the Laobé Lana which, alive along the large rivers, are specialized in the manufacture of dugouts and the Laobé Gorworo which manufacture various objects of the daily life: mortars, rammers, spoons, cuts, dishes, musical instruments, head offices etc…

Laobés are traditionally specialized in the craft industry, the woodcarving. It is them which manufactured the combat weapons (supplemented by the blacksmiths), the farm equipment, the kitchen utensils, the slates for the Koranic school (explaining traditional the cousinage between Koranic Laobés and Masters).

Laobés were also of large stockbreeders of asses, because it is with these animals that they moved to sell their productions. A legend poular explains the origin of Laobés. This legend tells that Laobés result from three German brothers all shepherds peuls. One period of strong dryness having decimated the herd, two of the brothers requested god to grant other functions to them to provide for their needs. They were heard and god gave them like vocation that of craftsmen of wood. The third brother remained shepherd, but promised to give to his brothers, without any request for their share, milk and the meat.

Today, with the advent of the technology of metal, these activities lost ground, and this work was replaced by the artistic sculpture, like that done by Ousmane Sow. In addition to the Senegaleses, the tourists appreciate much the objets d'art of Laobés.

Among the recurring names within this ethnos group one finds: Sow, Gadiaga, Wagne, Dioum, Kébé….

Today, much practices, which do not have in the beginning anything to see with Laobés, are increasingly associated for them.

The national president of the community of Laobés, El-hadj Foamed Sow, is their moral person in charge.

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