Henry Gravrand

Father Henry Gravrand
Born	Henry Gravrand 1921 France
Died	11 July 2003 Abbey of Latrun (in Palestine)
Nationality	French
Other names	Henri Gravrand, Charbel Henri Gravrand
Occupation	anthropologist, author, essayist, historian, priest
Known for	Serer religion, Serer ancient history
Notable work	La civilisation sereer

Father Henry Gravrand (France, 1921 - Abbey of Latrun, Palestine, 11 July 2003) was a French Catholic missionary to Africa and an anthropologist who has written extensively on Serer religion and culture. He was one of the leading pioneers of interfaith dialog and believed that African religion was the "'first covenant between God and man". His works about the Serer people are cited by other historians and scholars writing on Serer history, religion and culture, for instance Martin A. Klein, Charles Becker,Alioune Sarr, Marguerite Dupire,Issa Laye Thiaw, etc. Papa Massène Sene argues that his approach lacks scientific rigor and include fundamental linguistic and historical errors. Alioune Sarr noted that Gravrand reported an oral tradition describing what he called the "Battle of Troubang", a dynastic war between the two maternal royal houses of Ñaanco and the Guelowar,an off-shot and relatives of the Ñaanco (Nyanthio or Nyanco) maternal dynasty of Kaabu, in modern-day Guinea Bissau. According to Charles Becker, Gravrand is confusing a description of the 1867 (or 1865) Battle of Kansala.

First missionary of the Congregation of Holy Spirit, Gravrand arrived in Senegal on 28 December 1948 and lived there for 40 years in the Sine area (the western part of the country). In Sine, he founded a mission and oversaw the evangelization of some of the Serer community, but also studied the history, religion and culture of the Serer people and became one of the leading scholars of Serer religion and culture.

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