Guelowar (or Gelwaar in Serer), also spelled Gelwar, Guelwar, Guelware, Gueleware or Gueloware, was a maternal dynasty in the pre-colonial Serer kingdoms of Sine and Saloum (in the Senegambia, but mainly in the western area of present-day Senegal). They were from the Mandinka ethnic group. The offspring of Mandinka women and Serer men became the kings of Sine and Saloum. The dynasty lasted from the mid-14th century to 1969, the year both kings died.[1][2][3][4][5]
The terme "Guelwar", Anglicised or Franconised to "Guelwars", is the plural form. The singular is "Kelwar" (in Serer).[6]
^Sarr, Alioune, Histoire du Sine-Saloum (Sénégal). Introduction, bibliographie et notes par Charles Becker. Version légèrement remaniée par rapport à celle qui est parue en 1986-87. p21
^Guy Thilmans, Cyr Descamps, Abdoulaye Camara, Senegalia, études sur le patrimoine ouest-africain : hommage à Guy Thilmans, Sépia (2006). ISBN2-84280-122-9. pp 220-221
^Martin A. Klein. Islam and Imperialism in Senegal Sine-Saloum, 1847-1914, Edinburgh University Press (1968). p XV
^Michael J. Sheridan, Celia Nyamweru. African sacred groves: ecological dynamics & social change. James Currey, 2008. ISBN0-8214-1789-4. p 141
^Diouf, Marcel Mahawa, "Lances mâles: Léopold Sédar Senghor et les traditions sérères." Centre d'études linguistiques et historiques par tradition orale (1996), p. 247