Through it, adults measured the boys' courage, urge to win and their spirit of self-sacrifice. It is a popular sport in the country and is taught in schools. Inflaming the passions, many Senegalese reserve their seats in the arena to see their favorite wrestlers. For sports-mad Senegal, wrestling was nonetheless seen as an errant pastime for hulking amateurs, sneered at as an indicator of poor social standing. But as well as gaining a competitive edge in the gym, its rumoured that many of the wrestlers have been introduced to steroids while abroad. The sports and culture ministries must invest in preserving and highlighting Senegalese traditional society, including traditional wrestling. Its composed of many different forms of combat, says Thiandoum. This sport brings together a physical, spiritual, cultural and folkloric dimension (bakk). Have you had the chance to see a Senegalese wrestling? Wrestlers practice bodybuilding enormously, because it has become a real asset to win the fighting. They coat their bodies in a liquid deemed to be imbued with magical properties and then face off in the arena, serenaded by "griot" singers. The match is won by either forcing the opponent to submit or making them touch the ground with any part of their body other than their feet. A version of this article was initially published in French. The young men learn about society, hierarchy, and the fundamental differences between the traditional roles of men and women. This sport is supported by the bravery of wrestlers. "Reug Reug's" KNOCKOUT Display . All the information on how to wrestle has been passed down through oral history by griots traditional West African troubadour-historians and by the elders. This is gris-gris, a spiritual practice with its roots in the Islamic faith. Gods fall down - SBNation.com Together these communities make up about 18% of the countrys population. Good wrestlers can earn hundreds of thousands of dollars, he adds, above and beyond their soccer counterparts. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much There are whole communities build around this sport, which is still a huge part of Sudanese culture. The Senegalese know wrestling as laamb, a deceptively simple contest between two men dressed in loincloths and decked in talismans. Wrestling is a popular sport in Senegal. Why do we not keep ourselves anchored whilst also opening ourselves up to the rest of the world?. Mark Hann. Similar wrestling styles and traditions also exist in Egypt. Wrestling rivals football for popularity in Senegal. . Some gloves would be nice, though. Mysticism plays an important role in traditional wrestling in Senegal. Its a madness! Thats why when I was a fishing man I also started doing wrestling in a small organization.. Formerly, it was enough to be well built to be a good wrestler. }] 1960s, Colonizers disliked wrestling because it was a Senegalese tradition and they wanted to promote their own culture. Remember, the goal is to knock down your opponent, not to injure him or yourself of course. Professionalism changed all that, and it the 1990s wrestling underwent a revolution. A Warner Bros. Its specificity is that one can give punches to the face and the body like boxing. Its perhaps a desire to emulate the likes of Bordeaux as well as a desire to keep fit that motivates young Senegalese men to work out on the beaches of Dakar. If you are a Gi player, you most likely do not consider the rubber guard as an available guard option. Wiebe wins Freestyle Wrestling gold Rio 2016 . In Senegal, unlike the rest of Africa, traditional wrestlers trump soccer players as the nation's biggest sporting stars. Senegalese wrestling sensation Oumar 'Reug Reug' Kane promises 'I will do whatever to win' on his ONE Championship debut against Hong Kong's Alain Ngalani in Singapore. 'Reug Reug': The man behind the viral MMA sensation Strength and Magic - Senegalese Wrestling - YouTube We might not have been completely aware of how big a deal Laamb wrestling is in Senegal. Indeed, it takes place in particular in the regions of Casamance, Ziguinchor and Sine-Saloum. I was born in a very nice area in which people are fishing. It is often considered a way to resolve disputes, and wrestlers are held in high esteem. Some, like Balla Gaye 2 and Eumeu Sene are household names and, more popular than soccer players, says Bobst. It means some people depend on you. Additionally, wrestlers are held in high esteem in Senegalese society and are often considered role models. Senegalese wrestling is a sport not to be missed. Senegalese wrestlers typically eat a balanced diet that is high in protein and carbohydrates. The most common techniques are the punch, the kick, the headbutt, the elbow, and the knee. Wrestlings popularity in Senegal makes it big business. As countries progressed, they kept on to some of these traditions, most notably the original grappling arts. It can help improve strength, speed, agility, and overall fitness. "name": "How Big Are Senegalese Wrestlers? Back then it was a strictly male privilege. Eveline Diatta, 41, Marie-Thrse's daughter, was one of the first women wrestlers to represent Senegal internationally, and is currently head coach of the women's team. Making waves: Meet KK, the only female surfer in Sierra Leone. "text": "Senegalese wrestling is the national sport of Senegal." The differences between these arenas are as vast as the men fighting in them. Because of this, it brings honour to a persons village or region, and is an important form of social capital to safeguard. ONE: 'Reug Reug' wants heavyweight title to put Senegal on MMA map On top of all the grappling arts we briefly mentioned above, theres the traditional Laamb wrestling of the Jola women. Wrestlers typically avoid eating heavy, fatty foods that can slow them down and make them feel sluggish. Its easy to write off the gris-gris rituals as a mere performance piece. As their celebrity grows, wrestlers are also demanding and receiving higher pay for their performance. "Tying your ngemb": Negotiating identity in Senegalese wrestling Theyre not just part of a costume, says Bobst. Finally, theres the referees decision which is a tie-break, meaning nobody wins. Lutte Traditionnelle is another grappling art that is specific to Africa. See more from National Geographic's Short Film Showcase at http://documentary.comGet More National Geographic:Official Site: http://bit.ly/NatGeoOfficialSiteFacebook: http://bit.ly/FBNatGeoTwitter: http://bit.ly/NatGeoTwitterInstagram: http://bit.ly/NatGeoInstaAlmost half of Senegal's population lives below the poverty line, but young men like Domou Walo are fighting for a better life. These days, there are other, more modern, powers at work in the sport, too. Ten burly Senegalese wrestlers raise a chant, singing "Mother, pray for us," while jogging up and down a sandy field by the Atlantic Ocean. And wherever we are, we should be proud of our identity Today everyone runs towards his or her roots. You have to educate yourself well. If you can afford to go to America then you really are someone.. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. Lutte avec frappe is bigger than soccer or any other sport in Senegal, he said, because its a sport from us., We can say that football and MMA comes from abroad, he said. When the fight started he went into the arena and went ballistic. Still remarkably toned, she was carefully braiding the hair of Isabelle Sambou, a nine-time gold medalist at the African Wrestling Championships who has . Adoration and adulation awaits the victor, the loser left to tend to his deflated ego. 01:37. exp inside africa senegal wrestling a_00033401. The psychological effect is undeniably powerful. On Sunday, the first major bout since the start of the pandemic will take place in a 20,000-seater stadium just outside of Dakar. There are three relationships in particular that stand out: The wrestler-champion and his group or community: the wrestler draws his strength from this group which supports and encourages him in his preparation and during the fight. It can be slow, silent, fast, jerky, fiery. October 2, 2022. He was convinced that Gaye 2s team had done it. This one is native to Sudan, more precisely the southern parts of the country. The boys get about 10 days of training before they go out and wrestle, during which time theyre away from their parents and all live and train together. Today, this sport has become a real institution, a rewarding business, which stimulates all Senegalese. But, with the entry of combat sports practices (boxing), its not as easy. Wrestling training schools exist for all young boys, and through it adults measured the boys courage, their will to win and their spirit of self-sacrifice. . As a specialist on wrestling, which Ive researched at length, I want to highlight that all that we know about the history of traditional wrestling was told to us by the elders and griots. The odds, then, were very much in Gaye 2s favour. Following his TKO win over Patrick Schmid at ONE on TNT 1, the undefeated Senegalese Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, Oumar "Reug Reug" Kane is set to take on Kirill Grishenko on the final event of ONE Championship's TNT series. Voir les partenaires de TheConversation France. One of the most important things to remember when learning Senegalese wrestling is to stay calm and composed and dont get caught up in the moment and start throwing wild punches and kicks. But he didnt feel pressured into the sport because I know Im a champion and should be a champion.. Anabolics arent yet widely popular, but everyone talks about it, he says. Before we go deeper into the Senegalese grappling art of Laamb, lets quickly recap some of Africas most prominent grappling styles. ", Before a big stadium fight, the reigning champions will walk around performing rituals with their marabouts. Today, this sport has become a real institution, a rewarding business, which stimulates all Senegalese. When I was going to school, for a small time I continued and tried to go do fishing job. Incorporating boxing techniques, it is called fight with strikes. Its being overshadowed by a very popular, modern professional wrestling. Traditional wrestling also matters to the community - its an expression of ethnicity, tribe or class. On 14 May, a fight resulted in between 80 and 200 million FCFA. Most of the wrestlers I talked to want to go abroad. Young Senegalese try to wrestle way out of poverty - NBC News In a country where unemployment is pushing 50%, some young men see it as a way out of poverty. The filmmakers created the content presented, and the opinions expressed are their own, not those of National Geographic Partners. Some of them even end up representing Senegal in wrestling at an Olympic level. Once upon a time it had been at the very core of Senegals social fabric. Thats a big no-go in their culture. The aim of baccou is to intimidate his opponent by singing his prowess and seducing the public. Lastly, traditional Senegalese wrestling is considered a contact sport, whereas other forms of wrestling are not. Meet The Badass Women Wrestlers Of Senegal - buzzfeednews.com The fight is over when a wrestler falls. But the positives of professionalism extend way beyond these wrestlers bank accounts. Originals 09:59. Specifically, when the wrestlers head, back, buttocks touch the floor, fall out of the circle, or have four supports (two hands and two knees). Senegalese wrestling (Laamb en Wolof) is a popular, traditional sport from Senegal. . For those that are more in tune with grappling martial arts, catch-wrestling, Sumo, Luta-Livre, Pankration, and others might also feature. Senegal's traditional wrestling: A valuable social heritage Some wear T-shirts emblazoned with sponsors logos. Senegalese wrestling also used to happen at night time in Senegal for a period, and fishing can happen a whole year. "@type": "Answer", Luke Rockhold reacts to BKFC 41 loss: Im not done. There are two forms of Senegalese wrestling(Laamb en Wolof). It was introduced to the Wolof people by the Fula in the 17th century and has been practiced ever since. Sometimes people dont have the money to help themselves. A no-frills fighting tradition that has developed from . The sport is also a great way to build teamwork and camaraderie. Where did you participate in one of these fights? The physical practice of wrestling in Senegal, which comes in two forms (with or without punches), is nowadays a complex mix; combining sports, traditions, socio-economic and political factors, media, symbolic capital, logics of extraversion (Bayart, 1996; Fouquet, 2013), and of course the logics of power and success, as well as of informalization due to growing internal economic and migration . A full edit of 111 images available on request. The wrestlers stamps, over the years, reach 30 to 50 million FCFA. According to Bobst, it is an open secret that top-level fighters have used them to gain size and strength before returning to Senegal to compete. On a roll after his TKO victory over Ngalani, Kane is praying that I have good health that day and Im praying God to give me the win against Patrick Schmid on April 7. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. What are the rules of the Senegalese wrestling? Traditional wrestling is more than the sole individual that wrestles. Wrestlers will often wear their symbols, for instance wearing a sisters loincloth means that the wrestler is fighting for the honour of the family. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Bobst, a Swiss photographer, first came across the sport when working in a small village on behalf of an NGO in 2012. (AFP) One of the rising stars of traditional Senegalese wrestling, Moussa Diop has been driven off the beaches of Dakar, where he usually trains, and behind closed doors by the . Joe Penney for The New York Times. Summary: In Senegal, the athletes take on the locals at their national sport - wrestling. Its all about making sacrifices, says Bordeaux. Today, most people tend to focus on professional wrestling. A fight lasts 2 times 10 minutes. The Mundari: The tribe dying for their cows. Traditional wrestling in Senegal - much more than a sport, it keeps In the cities it feels very serious; police protect the fighters. Maybe people like what Im doing, all the effort Im doing right now. Bobst is quick to point out that these practices are in no way cartoonish. Harar: discover Ethiopias historic walled city, Jennifer Hudson: short hair looks great on her, 18 things to know about Cameroonian bassist Richard Bona, Visit the Old Papapye Historic Site in Botswana, Tribute to the mother: Mama Shiny Iris new single available, Follow Afroculture.net @afroculturenet Instagram, Annie Hawkins the woman with the biggest natural breasts in the world, 39 black celebrities in Hollywood with Nigerian origin, Nigerian mens traditional clothing | African Elegance, Black people with natural blonde hair Melanesian population, 12 black male supermodels with green, blue and hazel eyes. The two opponents are allowed to use their hands and feet to attack each other. Should a fighter distinguish himself in one of the local competitions, he may earn enough to afford training in a gym. Senegalese wrestling is the national sport of Senegal. BKFC president David Feldman reveals why Luke Rockhold couldnt continue in BKFC 41 main event. Theyre still strong and muscular, but theyll aim to get a bigger belly. The more you weigh, of course, the harder it is for an opponent to lift you in the air, and the more chance you have of using your bodyweight to beat them down.