Senegal, which is situated in the westernmost part of the African continent, has more than 8 million inhabitants and covers an area of 196 722 sq km.

It is bordered by Guinea Bissau, the other Guinea, Mali and Mauritania. Contrary to many other African countries, Senegal is rarely in the news since the political situation is stable (elections are to be held this month) and people of different ethnic groups and religions usually live in harmony. The majority of the population are Muslim : 90%, the rest being made up of 5% Christian and 5% animist (a religion of nature whereas the other two were imported).

Having been colonized by France, Senegal, which gained independence in 1960, has kept French for administration, business and general use, but most people (80%) understand wolof, the language of the majority ethnic group. The capital of Senegal, Dakar, a peninsula swept all year by trade winds from the sea, is a trading center for the whole of West Africa.

A FEW HISTORICAL FACTS

Dakar, which was already was a center for commerce, even during the slave trade, which was carried on intensively between 1550 and 1850. Slavery existed in this region before the arrival of the white man, with some tirbes probably practising it more than others. Slaves were part of the spoils of war when one kingdom became the suzerain of another. But this trade had never reached the extent it did after the arrival of westernners.

It is estimated that 20 to 100 million healthy people were taken from the continent to be sent to the Americas. Only 30% of them arrived, due to the terrible conditions in the holds of the slave ships. In West Africa the slaves were for the most part brought from the interior by blacks like themselves and gathered in the ‘Maison des esclaves’ (slaves’house) at Goree ready to be embarked in the slave ships.

The photo above, taken in the ‘Maison des esclaves’, shows the famous door through which millions of people went out to sea, never to return. Goree has been classified as a world heritage monument by UNESCO and is a major tourist attraction both for its historical interest and for its warm welcome and pleasant beaches.

Dakar is of course worth getting to know, but the rest of the country holds unsuspected exploring treasures : Casamance with its traditions, La Petite Cote with its fine golden sand.

If you want to see for yourself what Senegalese hospitality means without leaving Montreal, go and visit Ker Aida restaurant, situated two minutes from Berri UQAM subway station at 1633 Saint-Hubert Street.

The information in this article came from the website : www.senegal- online.com.

Yasmina Saad