Day 6: Between Tradition and Modernity

Hey guys! What a week it has been for be. It is crazy to think that just last week this time I was getting ready to make my first trip out of the country and study in Senegal. I feel as if in this one week alone I have learned and grown more than in an entire semester. I feel myself thinker bigger and more open and critically to the point where I can feel myself turning into a whole new person. I came on this trip to really get a deeper understanding and connection with my ancestors and every day I feel myself learning more and more about myself and my people. For example, In lecture today we studied the traditions and symbolism behind the calabash and traditional Senegalese dishes. The calabash is an important symbol in the Senegalese community and can hold true for traditions and cultures all around the world, but like most ideals, was born in Africa. The calabash can be a symbol of two major ideals; one is the symbol of a pregnant woman’s stomach and the other is a utensil used between humans and the spirits or ancestors. Due to the connection with a woman’s pregnant stomach, the calabash represents fertility and healthy children, which connects to many cultures and why they use a calabash for the baby’s first bath or the baptism of a baby, which you can find in Catholicism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam etc.

The calabash can also be used as a noble tool to serve food and to act as a utensil between humans and gods. When eating around the table or bowl there were certain rules that humans had to follow in order to pay homage and respect to the ancestors. A lot of the rules, to this day, you will see mimicked in the African-American community. For example, making sure you eat everything, saying grace/blessing, children eating last – waiting to be served, and the first sip or bite is to be spilled or given in honor of the ancestors. A lot of the practices transferred and kept tradition among African slave (now African Americans) and we inherently do it, without even knowing it. When we spill alcohol on the ground “one time for a dead homie” it can translate to the same as giving recognition to the ancestors or those who have passed on. The interpretation of food, however is very different comparing Senegalese people, with African-Americans, because of what we call our traditional meals. The traditional meal of Senegal would be considered chiep bu jeun (fish and rice), but actually the meal represents violence and the imposition of imperialism. Originally, Britain wanted to build a canal from Dakar to Niger (West to east coast) and a railroad from the north to the south, and in order for the workers to eat, they imported a lot of rice. The women who cooked for the workers created this dish, because it was fast and easier to make than couscous. However, the time of the railroads and canals represent a great deal of violence against Africans, because every slab of metal on a railroad represents an African life that was lost building it. On the other hand, African Americans built and created soul food out of the scraps that were given to them by masters or slave owners. Soul food speaks to a time where Africans had to be resourceful and make something out of nothing, which is why it is still deeply engrained in our culture, because it represents the strength and perseverance of our ancestors. The lectures this week were so intriguing and the professor we had really pushed us to think critically and scholarly and I really want him to pack up, move to America and be my personal tutor lol. After lecture, I FINALLY got to talk to my mom. I hadn’t talked to my mom all week pretty much (because we are getting adjusted to the time difference) and it was so good to hear her voice. I could hear the pride with a pinch of sadness in her voice, because I could tell she was so proud of me, but she missed me a lot. I told her how much I miss the food back home and as soon as I get off the plane I hope there’s a HUGE plate of nachos waiting for me. We had the chance to laugh and talk for a little while before I had to go to lunch.

I was excited for lunch today, because one our Senegalese peers knew I was missing food from home and offered to take me and Kidest to get cheeseburgers. MAN WERE THEY GOOD. Their burgers are way better, because although I love the taste of a greasy cheeseburger, these burgers taste fresh off of the grill, as if my dad made it in the back yard. I was so happy to just eat and talk and she was so happy and excited to see my first bite. (I also am now only drinking coke with lime now because it gives it a more refreshing taste, so call me extra if you want) lol.

But, after lecture we had to privilege of visiting former President Senghors house. The house was beautiful and I learned more personal aspects of Senghors life, than what I would learn in a classroom. One could tell it was the house of a poet, because of all the beautiful artwork around the house. I also learned that he was a very devout Christian. He tried to live a holy life and paid much attention to the words and the ways of the Bible. For example, in his upstairs office he would feed the birds, despite his wife’s opinion that it would dirty up the house. However, he told her that the Bible tells us to feed the birds, because they do not harvest, and we are constantly cutting down their homes, so we should help them when we can. I thought that was beautiful and could tell that he had a very artistic and open mind. He was more aware and worried about his thoughts than one could say he was about his room and the size of it and decorations in it. He had an exquisite mind and would have loved to meet him and have a conversation. After classes, Amina and Bessamin (another peer) came to Kidest and I’s house so we could finish writing and practicing our skit for tomorrow. 

Our first assignment was to prepare a skit, with our peers, about our impressions of Senegal so far. (I will record it and upload it on the blog tomorrow, so WATCH FOR IT) I love talking with them, and we have so much in common, yet we learn so much from one another, rather it be culturally, personally or religiously. I am so excited to just keep growing and learning as these next 3 weeks go by. 

Check down below for the #OOTD

Skirt (H&M), Cheetah Print (H&M), Sunglasses (Express)