Before going to Senegal, there were several questions in my mind concerning what life would be like for me as a Christian minority in a predominantly Islamic country. Senegal is a Muslim country with pockets of Catholics and even smaller pockets of Jewish people. I quickly realized that there was very little tension between these smaller pockets and the larger Muslim community. My experience with both of my host families (both of whom are Muslim) reaffirmed my view of Senegal as a country with high religious tolerance. I was never pressured about my religion in any way by my families and their friends, and they were quick to inform me of different catholic churches that I could attend nearby. Yet, while different religions are accepted, a lack of religion/beliefs was a contentious issue in Senegal. While discussing religion with one of my friends he told me that any god or gods are okay in his book, in fact “you can believe in a tree if you want to- as long as you believe in something”. Atheism and agnosticism are more foreign concepts that do receive criticism. For that reason, a couple of the agnostic or atheist students in our program found ways around telling their families about their belief or just lied.
Monthly Archives: December 2010
Man controls time
In Senegal there is a saying that basically states that man controls time, not the other way around. This concept of time manifests itself in the Senegalese’s’ rather lax regard to deadlines, start/end times, time limits, etc. I have never been the most punctual person in the pack so adjusting to the Senegalese’s treatment of time was not too difficult. However, even for the non-punctual American like myself, I was still amazed at the widespread disregard for punctuality. On several occasions my microfinance professor showed up 20 or 30 minutes late. I would make dates with friends to go out and they would show up an hour or so after the agreed upon time. I quickly learned that the tardiness is not a sign of disrespect. My friends would show up late because they ran into another friend on the way and had a 30 minute conversation with them before continuing on their way. Or unexpected business came up in the home that they needed to help with. In the United States (and many other western countries) we feel controlled by time and we do everything by the clock. The time dictates what we can or cannot do. For example if I am running late to a class and I see a friend along the way, I give a quick wave or hello and keep it moving. Such behavior does not make sense to the Senegalese. After all, they ask, who created this sense of time? After spending four months in Senegal, I started asking the same question. For some foreigners in Senegal, the Senegalese’s conceptualization of time may be stressful but for me it became a breath of fresh air.
Giving and Receiving
In the U.S. I was taught at a young age that “Sharing is caring” and that “It could be fun”, by my favorite PBS show. However, our concept of sharing and the things that are acceptable to share are different than those in Senegal. For example, in my dorm room refrigerator, for example, items that I bought or placed in the fridge are for myself only. This is typically understood without even discussing it with other floor or suitemates. I have the option of sharing but it’s not a pressing obligation. I found that this privatization of items like food is completely foreign to Senegalese culture. Food on the table or food in the refrigerator is basically for all who enter that house. Instead of focusing on the separation between ‘mine’ and ‘yours’ there is a keener focus on ‘our’. For both of my homestays, my family made it clear that anytime I wanted to eat or wanted something to drink all I had to do was get it, or ask someone in the family for it. They did not want me to worry about who purchased it or who it was meant for. It didn’t matter. And if there wasn’t anything of substance in the house, or neighbor’s’ refrigerator became ours as well! This went both ways, however. I could not enter the house with some chocolaty treats, or jewelry purchases from the market without giving something to my sisters or mother. Just as giving is important, so too is receiving. The culture of reciprocity is strong in Senegal and it reinforces a strong sense of community. I found this to be true in both the big city (Dakar) and the small town/village (Fatick).
American woman
During our orientation, our on-site program director warned all the girls in the program to be careful about the intentions of Senegalese men. We all quickly learned why. When you are walking down the street you may very well get a marriage proposal thrown at you, or an affirmation of love. For some Senegalese men, meeting an American woman can be a sort of jackpot. American women are often assumed to be wealthy, fun loving, more “liberal” sexually (sometimes), and great entry ways into the United States. For others (the majority I’d say) an American woman is simply something different and, in many ways, exotic- someone new to talk to and learn about! When some Senegalese men spot a foreigner they turn on the charm. Because I am African American and look more like Senegalese women, I experienced this on a smaller, yet still notable, scale. My white female friends in the program were frequently courted and/or proposed to. When it was discerned that I was foreign, and American, I would also experience the “Senegalese seduction”. The attention can be overwhelming and annoying at times but then again you are a walking anomaly. Once you accept that that there is generally no ill will behind the stares (or proposals), you can just use the attention as another way to make friends in a new environment.
Women the home
Upon arrival in Senegal, I was quickly reminded that the Gender and Sexual Revolutions of the 20th century did not make it across the Atlantic. I have never been a big fan of domestic duties in general and in my real family chores were pretty equally distributed amongst my brothers and me. In Senegal, there was no such distribution. The woman is the center of the household. Without her work, very little in the house would be done. Husbands and sons occasionally have a few errands to run for the household but for the most part the home space is a resting space. Females from an early age take on main responsibility in the household. My eleven year old sister in my second homestay in Senegal cooked at least once a day for the family, swept daily, ran errands to the small neighborhood convenience stores, and took care of my 3 year old rambunctious brother- all while managing school work. Because I was still considered a visitor in my host family, I was not allowed to help my eleven year old host sister in many of her daily chores (although eventually my idle hands were put on semi-regular babysitting and cooking duty). It was really difficult for me to understand why an eleven year old student was cleaning the kitchen and yard before studying; while her brother watched television- my host mom could not understand it any other way. In Senegal, many families believe that it is important for young girls to learn the work that it takes to run a household so that they can make good future wives and mothers. So while washing dishes may not be my top priority, and I am nowhere near thinking of how to become a good wife, my eleven year old sister, on the other hand, is already acting like a mini Yaay et Jabar (mother and wife in Wolof).