SENEGALESE WRESTLING

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Happy Mother's Day to all who have mothered anyone, in any way.

WRESTLING
A couple of teachers told me there was wrestling tournament and I should go. When I hear that I am inclined to follow the suggestion. The football (soccer) field where this was to be held was crowded with a wall of spectators preventing even a glimpse of the action. The PE teacher-trainer from the education office was one of those in charge. He got me up on the grandstand. This was going to be very worthwhile experience.

This was traditional wrestling, similar to Olympics and to Sumo wrestlers. There was a semi circle area, with sand as its ground, where competition took place. It was about 60 feet in diameter, surrounded by portable barricades. Gradually, as more people came to sit in front of the fences, the ring area shrank to about 10 feet across. By the grand finale there were constant calls to move back. The barricades had to be reset, plus wrestlers, their buddies, and event organizers formed human barriers to allow the match to finish. Between, during, around the contests there was rhythmic drum playing (on CDs) that intensified the gladiatorial atmosphere. Young men were dancing, strutting in a style that I could easily picture around a village campfire ceremony.

Fighters were wiry, muscled. Their costumes were like Speedos on top of which they wrapped bright loin cloth with padding, for protection (and, um, enhancement). They made themselves look fierce, threw sand from the ground on their bodies, jogged, and stretched. They occasionally dribbled water on themselves and performed some rituals: kneeling, raising their arms, holding and putting on pieces of fabric and charms. Each match lasted from a minute or two to maybe 15, with 2 contests going on most times. The goal is to get the opponent down flat, and only 1 of the 30 to 40 competitions ended by decision instead of knockdown. Those defeated were mostly good sports and there was continuation of camaraderie.

FINAL STRUGGLE
After 2 hours I was ready to leave. No one was getting off grandstand and getting thru crowd would have been difficult, so I kept waiting until the end. By then I was worried the gate to get into house would be locked but I figured I could call. It was locked. The call could not get thru. I examined the situation & decided I could climb the wall. I did that (& I did not feel or notice slight abrasion on my arm until later).

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Photos

Wrestlers
Much sand on bodies. Picture taken in the dark :(

Wall
Young neighbor demonstrates I got over the wall to get home. The gate was closed and locked.

Comments

[Vannetta]

Happy Mother's Day
Hey Yanick, Glad to see you are still having a good time. "Climbing over the walL" lol-that is classic.