Blogs from Diourbel Region, Senegal, Africa

Dear All Greetings from a place called Touba, a little-known city to outsiders, located in central Senegal, but very well-known within Senegal. Touba, or Touba-Mbacke, as I am currently staying in the small town of Mbacke on the outskirts of Touba, for reasons which will be explained below, is the spiritual heart of the country, the centre of a Senegalese order of Sufi Muslims called the Mourides. It is an interesting and very beautiful place indeed, and I am glad I overcame some initial reservations to come here and visit. I currently write once more from an air-conditioned and white-sheeted location, but not quite so luxurious, a world away from boutique-status, and rather unclean – the Campement Touristique d’Etat Le Baol, the only place to stay in town. It is comfortable at least. I believe I ... read more

Finally, after three months of looking forward to it, we made it to Touba. Touba is not a tourist destination, nor is there anything to do there. It just so happens that I think it's one of the most fascinating cities in Senegal. It was founded by Cheikh Amadou Bamba in the early 1900s as the center of his brotherhood, the Mourides. After being exiled to both Gabon and Mauritania, the French finally let him be the head of his brotherhood in relative peace (though he was still essentially under house arrest), and they started building the Grand Mosque in Touba in 1926, just before Cheikh Amadou Bamba died. Touba today is a huge pilgrimage site for the Mourides in Senegal. They're still expected to travel to Mecca if they can afford it, but their membership ... read more