Exploring West Africa with Silversea's Silver Explorer, starting in Accra, Ghana on 10 April 2013 and ending in Dakar, Senegal on 26 April 2013.
April 23nd, 2013
Population of Senegal (2016): 15.5 million
Population of Dakar, the capital city (2013): 2.5 million
Currency: 594 XOF (West African CFA franc) = US$1
Demonym (people from Senegal are called): Senegalese
GDP per capita (PPP 2017) = US$ 3,675 (in Kuwait it’s $69,669)
HDI (2017): 0.505, ranked 164th.
Between 1444 and 1510, the Portuguese first arrived in Senegal, or what was then called the Jolof Empire (also known as Wolof Empire). When they first got there, they noted that the local political system of the people was already advanced. There was a developed hierarchical system involving different classes of royals and nobles; there were free men and there were slaves; there were blacksmiths, jewelers, tanners, tailors, musicians and entertainers. The Jolof (Wolof) were historically animists, and they combined this with Islam as it was introduced to West Africa sometime in the 1030s.
Butchering animals on the streets of Dakar. I can imagine this practice thousands of years ago, on this same street. People were dressed differently, and instead of concrete buildings there must’ve been mud houses, and instead of pavements there were dirt roads.
.. and instead of vehicles there were donkeys carrying people and goods.
Hephaestus hard at work.
Pans’ blessings on the carpentry.
Michelin Man. GOAT.
“Senegal had always boasted one of Africa’s most vibrant merchant cultures. The country’s boubou-wearing traders had long colonized street corners in New York and many a European city, where they sold clothing, gadgetry, and assorted tourist fare. But in 2004, Dakar’s traders woke up suddenly to the alarming notion that they were in turn being colonized by Chinese who seemed to be taking over the retail sector. Large protests followed in Dakar, with the striking Senegalese traders demanding government action to protect them from the Chinese newcomers.” ~ Howard W. French, China's Second Continent: How a Million Migrants Are Building a New Empire in Africa
Like all other West African countries, Senegal also had slave trading ports. However, here the center of trade was set on an island off the coast of mainland by 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) in the island of Gorée. You can hop on a 30-minute ferry to get there. France got control of the island in 1677, and it used it as a base to purchase slaves from the chiefdoms on the mainland.
This chart depicts the entities that historically controlled the island of Gorée.
The island was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. It’s 900 meters in length, and 350 meters in width. The island makes a good day-trip from Dakar.
The following pictures are taken around the island.
School boys on their way to the island of Gorée. Their uniform says “Ecole Louqman Al-Hakiim Franco-Islamique”.
I was hoping by now Africa would have rediscovered its lost identity after centuries of being conquered by the ideologies of the Islamic East and Franco West. But still, generation after generation are instilled with the idea that their ancestral culture is inferior to that of their former slavers. When will Africa see that this foreign interference is just a continuation of robbing the country of its human capital and true identity.
Picture taken inside a museum with permission. Poster depicts the volume of transatlantic slave trade.
Maison des Esclaves, or the House of Slaves, was built in 1780–1784 by Nicolas Pépin.
Although it is the home of the infamous “Door of No Return”, which is said to be the last place exported slaves touched African soil for the rest of their lives, there is little evidence at Maison des Esclaves to suggest a “large-scale trans-Atlantic slave trade” economy.
The population of Gorée in 2013 was 1,680 inhabitants, giving a density of 5,802 inhabitants per square kilometer (15,030/sq mi), which is only half the average density of the city of Dakar.
It’s a quiet place compared to the crowded streets of Dakar.
Most of the main buildings in Gorée were constructed during the second half of the eighteenth century.
The rooms in the slave castle were depressing. The ceilings were too low for an adult to walk with a straight posture, and with the door closed the ventilation was terrible.
I can only imagine how ghostly this place turns into at night.
There’s a workshop in Gorée that does sand paintings.
This island could make a romantic weekend get-away from the city if it wasn’t for the gloomy history one is reminded of.
Senegal is home to around 39 distinct languages, several of which are given the legal status of “national languages”. However, french is the official language, and it’s taught in the educational system which had french origins. Koranic schools are even more popular, but Arabic is only used in recitations.
The majority of the Muslims in Senegal are Sunni, from the Maliki school with some Sufi influences. Islamic communities in Senegal are generally organized around one of several Islamic Sufi orders or brotherhoods, headed by a khalif, who is usually a direct descendant of the group's founder.
Today, most Senegalese children study at daaras for several years, memorizing as much of the Qur'an as they can. Some of them continue their religious studies at councils (majlis) or at the growing number of private Arabic schools and publicly funded Franco-Arabic schools.
Peanut is the primary crop of Senegal, and one of the most popular fresh juices is made from mango and ginger.
Senegal has a 22 km (14 mi) exclusive fishing zone that has been regularly breached. It has been estimated that the country's fishermen lose 300,000 tonnes of fish each year to illegal fishing. Some of these fishing trawlers are registered to Russia, Mauritania, Belize, and Ukraine.
In West Africa I’m always reminded of the tremendous amount of trash we create as humans, and of the animals that end up suffering the consequences.
Palais du Government (Government Palace), 1864, occupied by the first governor-general of Senegal from 1902–07.
St. Charles Eglise
Imagine the soft drumming of Senegalese music drifting in the wind through the window of someone enjoying the afternoon.
Football in Senegal is very popular, and they’re really good at it too. In 2002, the team finished as runners-up at the Africa Cup of Nations and became one of only three African teams to ever reach the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup, defeating holders France in their first game. That was wild! Senegal also qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The Senegalese football fans are the best.. so vibrant and fun. When you see them cheering in the stadium they dance throughout the game. Senegal is one of the national teams I always cheer for.
Alleys of Gorée
“The gracefulness of the slender fishing boats that glided into the harbor in Dakar was equaled only by the elegance of the Senegalese women who sailed through the city in flowing robes and turbaned heads. I wandered through the nearby marketplace, intoxicated by the exotic spices and perfumes.”
~ Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
Bye bye Gorée!
This picture was taken back on the mainland: the African Renaissance Monument.
The monument looks a bit off. It doesn’t seem to belong to Senegal at all. The first thing that I thought of when I saw it was how much it reminded me of North Korea. It’s shallow and pretentious, devoid of any artistry or soul, which is completely an opposite representation of the Senegalese people, who are among the most creative in the continent, and have a big heart and a rich culture.
I found out later that the company who built the statue is actually from North Korea, but it was the Senegalese president’s idea (Abdoulaye Wade). The statue has also been criticized for its cost (27 million $US). I can think of a few better uses in Senegal for such money. There are many other things wrong with the statue, you can read more about it here.
This is the last post from my West Africa trip. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to visit the region again. I find the culture fascinating, and the people fun and truly alive.
Until next time!
~ The End ~
*All facts are from Wikipedia unless otherwise stated.
