Before I departed for Senegal, while attending a small cocktail party, after enduring some mild criticism of American culture from a fellow attendee(turns out he was French, surprise, surprise), I discovered he'd been born in Dakar---hadn't been back in a while---but when asked what he could share, he said, the Senegalese are bonkers for wrestling. Turns out he was absolutely correct.
There's a guy here, a big star, calls himself Tyson. A real bad-ass---both as a wrestler and as a self-promoter. Video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIHUlsN97l4&list=PLtcnHnROjoWUk2Aeweh0lN-LdK55Fk42L
Anyway, our tireless cultural attaches have arranged for a special local wrestling match for our group at a village about 20 minutes away from our lodge in Toubacouta. The Director of WARC, a larger than life scholar and personality named Ousmane Sene has outdone himself in preparing this spectacle. We bundle into the bus about 10 pm, bump along dark and dusty dirt roads for a few minutes, and arrive suddenly in a clearing bathed in hanging lamps. There are hundreds of locals. Drums are already driving the mood and there are two interwoven, wailing, spiraling women's voices chanting on a primitive PA system. It is loud but not oppressive and the excitement is pretty palpable. To my chagrin(I prefer to observe without fanfare as always), we are led INSIDE the ring where there are a row of chairs for our group. The populace is outside a minimal rope line and they are wound up. As Dr. Sene and our Waly Faye say......most of the time in these villages, nothing happens---and as it turns out, we've brought some excitement. There are scores of children. It is a big out in the country party. We are seated and it is apparent that Ousmane is quite a famous fellow around here. Many people greet him. Waly is also well known and both of them are thanked and mentioned over the PA several times.
In the ring a series of mesmerizing rituals are playing out. First, there are 10-15 real physical specimens going through a series of ritual dance moves/feints/warmup exercises. They are dressed in their best workout clothing---some with the seat of their pants similar to the American urban "boxer shorts showing"style. Quatar Airways gear is again popular here. They are big, muscular dudes. Unsmiling mostly and serious. Once in a while one will approach the drummers and singers or come over to us and flex in perfect choreography. Some shuffle. Some high step. It is very rhythmic. Some appear arrogant and preening. Others are subdued, their movement muted, their clothing drab. These are the ones I think may be the ones to watch. One guy has a huge pair of unlace Timberland boots. many paw the earth with their feet, perhaps imitating a bull preparing to charge. When the first match begins, the two combatants strip down to a ropelike belt and skimpy shorts. They drench themselves with water that is prepared by their handlers and then cover themselves with dust from the ring. They approach each other with feigned malevolence, parrying forearms. Once in a while one will try to place a hand on the shaved head off the other---usually swatted away with irritation. The objective is to throw the other to the ground and they go at each other in a frenzy.
The bus leaves now for Djilor, our next stop on the tour. I shall continue in a few hours......
There's a guy here, a big star, calls himself Tyson. A real bad-ass---both as a wrestler and as a self-promoter. Video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIHUlsN97l4&list=PLtcnHnROjoWUk2Aeweh0lN-LdK55Fk42L
Anyway, our tireless cultural attaches have arranged for a special local wrestling match for our group at a village about 20 minutes away from our lodge in Toubacouta. The Director of WARC, a larger than life scholar and personality named Ousmane Sene has outdone himself in preparing this spectacle. We bundle into the bus about 10 pm, bump along dark and dusty dirt roads for a few minutes, and arrive suddenly in a clearing bathed in hanging lamps. There are hundreds of locals. Drums are already driving the mood and there are two interwoven, wailing, spiraling women's voices chanting on a primitive PA system. It is loud but not oppressive and the excitement is pretty palpable. To my chagrin(I prefer to observe without fanfare as always), we are led INSIDE the ring where there are a row of chairs for our group. The populace is outside a minimal rope line and they are wound up. As Dr. Sene and our Waly Faye say......most of the time in these villages, nothing happens---and as it turns out, we've brought some excitement. There are scores of children. It is a big out in the country party. We are seated and it is apparent that Ousmane is quite a famous fellow around here. Many people greet him. Waly is also well known and both of them are thanked and mentioned over the PA several times.
In the ring a series of mesmerizing rituals are playing out. First, there are 10-15 real physical specimens going through a series of ritual dance moves/feints/warmup exercises. They are dressed in their best workout clothing---some with the seat of their pants similar to the American urban "boxer shorts showing"style. Quatar Airways gear is again popular here. They are big, muscular dudes. Unsmiling mostly and serious. Once in a while one will approach the drummers and singers or come over to us and flex in perfect choreography. Some shuffle. Some high step. It is very rhythmic. Some appear arrogant and preening. Others are subdued, their movement muted, their clothing drab. These are the ones I think may be the ones to watch. One guy has a huge pair of unlace Timberland boots. many paw the earth with their feet, perhaps imitating a bull preparing to charge. When the first match begins, the two combatants strip down to a ropelike belt and skimpy shorts. They drench themselves with water that is prepared by their handlers and then cover themselves with dust from the ring. They approach each other with feigned malevolence, parrying forearms. Once in a while one will try to place a hand on the shaved head off the other---usually swatted away with irritation. The objective is to throw the other to the ground and they go at each other in a frenzy.
The bus leaves now for Djilor, our next stop on the tour. I shall continue in a few hours......
