Amayel’s Notes

Random posts to give you a sense of life in Senegal…

Sunugal (our boat) was believed to be the ancient name for Senegal, then along the years, became Senegal because of foreign mis-prononciation.

Dance

Sabaar is the traditional dance in Senegal going back hundreds of years. It is usually danced by women but over the years, because of unemployment, men have become more and more present on stage dancing rather than just drumming. The Women’s dance is much more sensual, whereas men’s is more athletic with flips and all sorts of jumping around.

Sabaar Dancing in Senegal

It’s rather puzzling, and I’ve only realized this recently being away from home. Senegal is 95%  Muslim. Yet, Sabaar can and has been at times rather subjective.

This video is kinda explicit- Some adult content may not be suitable for childern- Viewer’s discretion is advised (like they say before every single movie in america

Eastern Senegal was once part of the Empire of Ghana. It was founded by the Tukulor  (my ethnie) in the middle valley of the Senegal River. Islam, the dominant religion in Senegal, first came to the region in the 11th century. Wikipedia

Drumming: This is a great video on drumming from our national Mbaye Dieye Faye. Watch out for the kid who plays with him… Mad skills

Religion

I guess that is one particularity about Senegal. Islam is the predominant religion, but still allows for flexibility compared to arabic countries (then again, aren’t we all lfexible compared to them!). You still get the dirty looks and nasty comments when dressed or acting inappropriately, but it is still possible to have fun and not be bothered by all of that. I remember, younger, going out to clubs quite often, wearing tube tops, and halter tops, belly showing with low cut pants… and not get bothered at all (of course we tried to be as discret as possible). So it’s rather puzzling when I read about certain things about Islam, that does not apply to Senegal at all. Reading Irshad Manji’s The trouble with Islam (which I personally found to be such a sell out and gibberish about Islam), I could absolutely not identify with the Islam she described growing up. Not to dismiss her experience at all, but feeling that, since the experience had been very different for me, and a lot of muslims for that matter (yes, most muslims are not oppressed), that the trouble is not with Islam, but rather with some practitioners of Islam. To me, the whole book was just bullshit (pardon my french, but it was!). I will be the first one to raise questions about my faith, I have to admit some of it I am still trying to figure out, but I get upset when it’s done in a condemning and purposely to sully Islam. A lot of people ride on making a bad name for Islam. While I can take the critic, Iam much more resilient, when it comes to gratuitious attacks.

November 14 ‘07: Just had a conversation with F. C.(catholic/pope backing minority christian from senegal, don’t ever forget we’re only letting you camp in our country and NO it’s not a secular country…it’s 98% muslim… I KID I KID).

His argument was that she was only defending her position and what she thought was wrong with Islam. Once again, I won’t repeat it enough: The problem is not with the Quran itself. It is with “know it all/extremists/hardliners” who think they can tell people how to live their lives (especially women). Of course there are some practices from Islam that desperately need reform, no one argues will argue that, actually most muslims agree with this. My issue with the book and how I think she’s a sell out is that the issues and questions she raises are questions many people have raised before her and gotten answers for. The answers are out there. And since she is supposed to be this scholar on the subject, then Im sure she knows about it. The Islam she describes is not mainstream Islam, and by discribing this to the non muslims (or muslims who just do not know), she only feeds into the negative (and false) stereotypes about Islam. I admit, some issues in Islam are puzzling to me, especially when it comes to women’s issues, but I know most of the stereotypes and misconceptions out there are just that: misconceptions. And Manji knows that. She got branded the defender of muslim women for telling it like it is. Actually she’s not, at all. And the heat she gets is supposedly from muslim anger. Yes, but not anger because she donounced things, anger because she knowingly put out false material out there. Reform in Islam is needed and there is this school of thought that preaches for reform on different levels. There is the Quran. That is untouchable and timeless, after all it is the Holy Book. Then there is the teachings from the Hadiths, the Sunnas and the Sharia (which were men made/men written. Some of it need reforms because it is 2007. These are dating back thousands of years and just not relevant for modern muslims around the world. This reinforces my point. The problem is not with the religion (and the quran) it is with followers, some of the followers.

In the end, I personally think religion is private and personal and should stay that way. Whatever reform made should push Islam on allowing muslims to be discret. Faith, spirituality and religion is open to interpretation but there needs to remain common grounds and core values. And those are provided by the Holy Books. The rest, is up to each and everyone of us, granted they back the teachings of the Holy book. Isn’t it common sense that if your book tells you Thou Shall not Kill, it probably does not endorse killing, especially in the name of religion. Common sense poeple, that simple, common sense.

See below an example of an issue often debated about Islam, Inter faith marriage. See that the position can be other than expected and sometimes made believed.

http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/news/interfaith-marriage.html

I guess every religion can be twisted for interpretation at the end of the day. As for me, it is just a matter of being rational and going with what makes sense. If the Quran, the bible and other books preach for loving thy neigboor, then how about you include gays as your neighboors. If it tells you, you should not kill, then how about you don’t kill, especially in the name of god. Whatever makes sense right?

In Senegal, funny enough, eventhough religion is important and religious leaders do have a say in what goes on in the country (mostly moderators), our first president after independence was Christian. Our 2nd and 3rd president are muslims but married to christians who have not converted. (Let me point out too that we have never had a senegalese first lady. The 1st one was belgian, the 2nd one mixed lebanese and senegalese (maybe she could count) and the 3rd and current one is french). Issues between factions of muslims (Tajins, Mourids, Khadrs) are quasi inexistant and we all live like a big happy family.

Ethnicity

On the issue of ethnicity, which can be a source of conflict in other parts of Africa, Senegal has been blessed not to ever have to deal with conflicts. There are about dominant ethnies in Senegal. The Wolof are the largest single ethnic group in Senegal (43%); the Peul and Toucouleur (also known as Halpulaar, Fulbe or Fula) (24%) are the second biggest group, followed by others that include the Serer (15%), Lebou (10%), Jola (4%), Mandinka (3%), Maures , Soninke, Bassari and many smaller communities (9%). (About 50,000 Europeans (1%) (mostly French) as well as smaller numbers of Mauritanians, Cape Verdeans and Lebanese reside in Senegal, mainly in the cities. All have lived around each other for centuries without clashes. Intermarriage is a norm.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Tchuss,

M.

11-05-07

DISTURBING- Pedophilia in Senegal 

God!! I hate being that angry african always talking about white men this, white men that … but maaan how messed up is this!! and this was in 98. You should see them now along the coast…just prying…and waiting to get lil boys..it’s sickening. Authorities are catching up to them..but too slowly… When people are as poor as some of these are, money talks. and that’s sad…

4000 CFA…2000 CFA..thats not even 10$…