Editing Biffeche (section)

==History==
The Serer-Ndut were the earliest known inhabitants of Biffeche. Strong  adherents to their native [[Serer religion]],<ref>[[Henry Gravrand|Gravrand, Henry]], "La civilisation Sereer  - ''Cosaan'' : les origines, vol.1, pp 140-146, Nouvelles Editions [[Africa]]ines, 1983, {{ISBN|2-7236-0877-8}}</ref><ref name="Ndut1">For more  about the [[Serer-Ndut people]], see  : [[Marguerite Dupire|Dupire, Marguerite]], "Sagesse [[Serer people|sereer]]: Essais sur la pensée [[Serer-Ndut people|sereer ndut]]", [https://books.google.com/books?id=Fag2wuiV7t8C&q=Sagesse+sereer:essais+sur+la+pense+sereer+ndut]</ref><ref>Klein, Martin A., "Islam  and Imperialism in [[Senegal]], [[Sine-Saloum]]" 1847-1914, pp vii-5, [[Edinburgh University Press]], (1968), {{ISBN|0-85224-029-5}}</ref><ref>[[Serer-Ndut people]] in [http://www10.gencat.net/pres_casa_llengues/AppJava/frontend/llengues_detall.jsp?id=620&idioma=9 Lingua Món Casa de les Llengües] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517151845/http://www10.gencat.net/pres_casa_llengues/AppJava/frontend/llengues_detall.jsp?id=620&idioma=9 |date=2014-05-17 }}</ref> they were persecuted and killed by the [[:Category:Muslim communities of Senegal|Muslims communities of Senegal]], and suffered further persecution under [[French colonial empire|French colonial rule]].<ref>Becker, Charles, "Les Serer Ndut: Études sur les mutations sociales et religieuses", Microéditions Hachette (1974)</ref><ref name="Ndut">Echenberg, Myron J, "Black death, white medicine: bubonic plague and the politics of public health in colonial Senegal, 1914-1945", pp 141-146, Heinemann (2002), {{ISBN|0-325-07017-2}},</ref> 

Early European accounts described a medium-sized island (''Isle de Bifeche'') in the delta of the [[Senegal River]],  some two miles upstream from the island of N'Dar on which Saint-Louis was founded. ''The Penny Cyclopædia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge'' described the island in 1843 as being "entirely covered with wood, and in the wet season a great portion of them is laid under water."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FtYtp9FJcuYC&q=Bifeche&pg=PA231|title=The Penny Cyclopædia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge|date=February 20, 1841|publisher=C. Knight|via=Google Books}}</ref><!--NO external links in article text, nothing else in this paragraph to keep.
Currently, the river marks this section of the border between [[Mauritania]] 
and [[Senegal]].  The island can perhaps most easily be seen on the map [https://web.archive.org/web/20060212134527/http://www.au-senegal.com/decouvrir_en/cart_stlouis.htm]
with one of its main towns [[Maka, Biffeche|Maka]] [https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=15.9833,-16.5000&spn=0.1,0.1&t=k&hl=en] clearly marked.  A contemporary map can be found at 
[http://senegalmaur.ifrance.com/st-louis-com-traite.html]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} - this map shows N'Dar under its older French name of
''Isle St. Louis'' and the ''Pointe de isle de Bifeche'' is also visible.  On the island is written ''Emboulan''
which appears to be a European variant of a local town name [[Mboubène]].  It can also be just seen at the extreme top of [https://web.archive.org/web/20051122063200/http://www.au-senegal.com/decouvrir_en/cart_1753.htm Senegal in 1753]. -->

In the 17th century a chief known as the ''Petit [[Brak (African kings)|Brak]]'' or ''Little King'' ruled over a region known variously as Biffeche or Gangueul with its capital at Maka.  The ''Grand Brak'' or ''Big King'' ruled the kingdom of [[Waalo]], whose capital was originally at Ndiourbel on the north bank of the river. The area was nearly depopulated by repeated slaving raids by Moors from the north.  At times, the Petit Brak was tributary to Waalo, at other times allied with [[Bethio]]. In the 1720s, the Brak of Waalo was Erim M'Bagnick and Béquio Malicouri, king of the ''Royaume d'Oral'' (Bethio), was his vassal.