Takhar

Worship

The Serer people worship Takhar in order to appeal to him against the injuries, oppression or evil magic inflicted by other. Takhar is worshipped at the foot of trees, and in the new moon, the atmospheric spirits of the air and night are "conjured with mysterious incarnations". Offerings to Takhar are deposited at the foot of the tallest trees in the forest. Cattle and poultry are sacrificed and taken to the sacred sanctuary, along with millet, fruits and vegetables. Like the offerings to certain Pangool (singular :Fangool, the Serer saints and spirits represented by snakes), the holy feast takes place in the sacred forest.

The snake also held a high place in the national pantheon, and was often known to appear in various disguises, even "assuming the uniform of an aged officer of the empire" [Second Empire].

The transmigration of souls is a strongly held belief in Serer religion as evident in Serer funeral rituals.

Place of worship

The god Takhar is worshipped in the forests in Serer country, more specifically, in certain sacred places, such as the Sine-Saloum area of present-day Senegal. Somewhat similar to the Pangool, the Serer people believe that both Takhar and his adversary Tiurakh (god of wealth and property) reside in the tallest trees of the forest. It is partly for this reason why plants and animals are regarded as totems in the Serer-totemic and sentient worldly-view of nature in general, and afforded high spiritual status and respect, because these ancient trees are believed to be the sanctuaries of certain Serer entities.

Priests of Takhar

The high priests of Takhar are usually very old men from notable Serer families. These Serer high priests preside over all cases relating to law and order, i.e. theft, witchcraft, etc. In the past, these high priests (the Saltigues) would concoct doses of poison which they would administer to the accused witch, taken orally. However, these concoctions were deliberately never made fatal enough to cause death. These high priests mostly depended on the fear of Takhar as dispenser of justice and vengeance, than their poisons.