| Official Name: | Kahone |
| Other Name: | Njoob |
| Native Name: | Kawon |
| Settlement Type: | Town and commune |
| Total Type: | Town and commune |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Pushpin Map: | Senegal |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Senegal |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Kaolack |
| Subdivision Type2: | Department |
| Subdivision Name2: | Kaolack |
| Established Title: | Founded by the Guelowar |
| Established Date: | 14th century |
| Area Total Km2: | 8.034 |
| Population As Of: | 2023 census |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Total: | 26376 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | GMT |
| Utc Offset: | +0 |
| Coordinates: | 14.1614°N -16.0308°W |
Kahone or Kawon is a town and urban commune near Kaolack, Senegal. It was the capital of the pre-colonial Kingdom of Saloum and is a center of Serer culture and history.
In the 14th century, the Mandinka Guelowar clan migrated from Kaabu northwards after losing a succession dispute.[2] They founded a number of small chiefdoms in the area north of the Gambia river. The home of Kéno Mbèye, one of the Guelowar leaders, was chosen as the meeting place where and problems could be discussed, and so it was called "Filagui diobé", meaning meeting place in the Mandinka language. This eventually became Njoob, capital of a state called Mbey.
In the late 15th century, Mbey and its prosperous salt works fell under the influence of a Toucouleur marabout named Elibana. The Siin-Siin leader Mbegane Ndour attacked and killed him, establishing the Serer kingdom of Saloum and renaming the capital Kahone, meaning 'this is the one' in Serer. The city remained the political and religious center of Saloum for the next several centuries.
Kahone was originally a far more important town than neighboring Kaolack, but the roles have been reversed in the 20th century as Kaolack developed into a port and railroad hub.[3] Kahone has been reduced to a sub-prefecture of Kaolack.
It is primarily agricultural, but it is participating in industrial development plans. Also, the town is pursuing increased tourism based on its history and culture. An annual royal festival is celebrated in which the O Maad (Serer king), Djaraaf (Serer prime minister) and other dignitaries meet to decide kingdom issues and hold pageants celebrating the history of Saloum and the Serer people. There is a mosque and a Catholic missions in Kahone. There are numerous ancient tombs, stone circles and megaliths in the vicinity as well as large burial mounds implanted with baobab trees.
Kahone is routinely involved in many administrative territorial disputes with neighboring communes, always emphasizing its earlier importance.
In 2007, according to official estimates, Kahone had 5,852 inhabitants.
Le sel dans la formation de l'espace du Saloum: XVIeme=XVII siecle
.