Ndick Sène, a Serer virtuoso of riti June 21, 2026

Artist, composer and author, his name is inseparable from the riti, a type of traditional two-stringed or single-stringed violin which is played with a bow. For more than three decades, Ndick Sène has been a virtuoso of this instrument which has spanned the centuries and transmits nostalgia, memory and depth of emotions. As a fervent ambassador of Serer culture, the son of Fissel Mbadane makes the preservation of this heritage his main challenge.

If the West has its guitar, its violin, its trumpet or even its saxophone, Senegal has its riti. This instrument, a sort of traditional two-stringed or single-stringed violin which is played using a bow, is specific to the Serer people, but also to the Fulani (nianiorou, in the Fulani language). Ndick Sène is a virtuoso, an undisputed master. Originally from Back, in the commune of Fissel Mbadane, department of Mbour, his name is inseparable from this instrument which he handles with panache.

Between him and the riti that he handles with mastery, it is a long story which began when he was a teenager, and which saw destiny get involved. When young people of his age chose to wear out their pants on school benches, he had other ambitions. Miraculously bitten by the music bug, he was unable to resist the mirage of the decibels and sounds of this magical instrument, symbol of Serer culture. His father, brother and uncle were avid riti players, but did not introduce him to the techniques of this instrument. “One year, I went on vacation to Usine Bène Tally, in Dakar. I saw one of my cousins ​​playing riti. I was very impressed. It was he who introduced me, taught me how to handle this instrument,” he confides.

In one week of learning, Ndick managed to surpass him. “It was impressive, I perfectly mastered this instrument which I had never touched before. It was like a gift,” he recalls. A brilliant student, young Ndick was always first in his class during compositions. But back in Fissel, Ndick was obsessed with his new passion and began to lose interest in his studies. “In the Cfee exams, he was first at the Abdel Kader Lèye center in Fissel.

At the time, there were not many schools in the area and students came from surrounding villages to take the exam in Fissel. I was the first from the center of the rural commune out of more than a thousand students. Unfortunately, I failed to enter sixth grade. I wanted to give up, but my father forced me to go back to school,” he says. This passion for riti ended up taking over his studies. “I definitely put an end to my studies after a mediocre school year to devote myself to art, to my passion,” explains Ndick, who found a new vocation.

A choice that he does not regret since with his riti, he managed to make a name for himself and become a great ambassador of Serer culture. In his early days, Ndick Sène, who played with a certain dexterity, provided entertainment during funerals, baptisms, miss ceremonies, initiations, tattoos, family tours, Nguel. These various social events and other social evenings were good opportunities for music lovers to attend the performances of the budding riti virtuoso. Over the years, Fissel’s son traveled towns and villages to declaim and sing his songs dealing with daily experiences, human relationships, and historical events.

And made a name for himself thanks to his ability to create songs, to improvise and above all to set the mood. Excellent dexterity His first fee amounted to… 1,500 FCfa; an amount considered very high at the time by the organizers who had sworn not to hire him again. His notable presence on the music scene has earned him the opportunity to be in demand at various events and to be at the pinnacle of his art. With his riti, Ndick Sène adapts to all music. “I am comfortable in mbalax, jazz or even zouk. With my instrument, I can also accompany the kora, the balafon, the guitar, the xalam,” he says.

Thanks to his talent, his know-how and his experience, Ndick Sène joined the Daniel Sorano National Theater. Artist, composer and author, he managed to carve out a path for himself, with his excellent skill. And to make a name for yourself. At the height of his art, Ndick Sène has been crisscrossing Senegal for more than three decades and has traveled abroad.

His frenzied and captivating rhythms have crossed borders to take root in countries like Australia, Singapore, Turkey and Finland where he has gone to monetize his talent and promote Serer culture. During a concert in Australia, he managed to turn his performance into a memorable experience. He took the audience on a deep emotional journey. The audience got their money’s worth. The large audience was unable to control their emotions in the face of the melodies and rhythms distilled by the maestro from Fissel.

“At a concert in Australia, I played to a packed house. They didn’t understand what I was saying, but they felt my music. That day, they cried while listening to me. Some were forced to leave the room to let their emotion explode. It was powerful,” the artist recalls. A performance that he will remember all his life. “It was unforgettable what I felt in Australia. I had done several performances in Senegal where I was born and raised, but I had never felt it,” he assures.

“At the end of the concert, everyone came up to me to congratulate me. It was like I had scored the winning goal in Can. I then understood that I had pleased them and I was very proud of myself,” he admits. The more the years pass, the more the memories of his romance with his favorite instrument remain vivid and full of emotion. Always on the attack and ready to give the best of himself, Ndick Sène takes great pleasure in knowing that his presence on stage is awaited by the public. Which, he assures, invigorates him and gets his adrenaline pumping. “Only God knows how great the pride that drives me is. This is why I always surpass myself to offer performances that meet expectations,” indicates the artist whose talent is known and recognized nationally and internationally.

For National Theater resident Daniel Sorano, you must always surpass yourself and believe in what you are doing before wanting to bring it into people’s hearts. “The others have the guitar, the balafon, the kora or the xalam, we have our riti and we must value it as it should. It is a heritage that must not be lost. We have made its preservation our main challenge,” says Ndick Sène, who has a bright future ahead of him.

Promote riti

With his group, Lam Art, he continues to travel the nooks and crannies of his country and Senegal to please his fans and the populations. This Saturday, June 20, he is organizing a big evening at the Daniel Sorano National Theater. “This evening is under the sponsorship of young civil servants from Fissel Mbadane and its surroundings, with as guests the wrestler Ngagne Sène, Mbaye Ndiaye Kam Ndiik, Simon Sène, Marie Ngoné Ndione and all the local artists,” he informs. With increased energy, the riti icon promises to set Sorano on fire, with melodies and strong emotions. An event not to be missed for music lovers and fans of Serer music.

Today, with artists like Ndick Sène, the riti that we thought was falling into disuse continues to survive and the movement does not seem to be running out of steam. The worthy son of Fissel and fervent ambassador of Serer culture continues to perpetuate the tradition and bring it into the hearts of people.

Samba Oumar FALL