English: The Raampa was is an old Seereer and Saafi way of writing secret messages using pictographs. Only those who were initiated could decipher them. In 1982, Professor David Moranz heard about it and went to Senegal to find out more about it. He was assisted by the Senegalese scholar Professor Mara Dione (from CLAD and University of Cheikh Anta Diop) who have documented a lot about it with the help of his father - who was initiated and could decipher them and provided many of the symbols and their meaning. Professor Moranz died before his was work was published. However Professor Mara and the late Professor Issa Laye Thiaw - both of whom have preserved many of the pictographs have taught them to their pupils and the SRC has copies of the documents. The Raampa was mainly used for Seereer religious purposes. It was also stamped or painted on Seereer farmers' cattle as a mark of ownership, protection or good fortune. This image is adapted from earlier upload free images.