Sports seem to be a pretty big deal in Senegal, a west African country bordering the North Atlantic Ocean.
Whether you’re soaking in the sights from an intense match of the country’s traditional wrestling called
"Laamb" in Wolof, on the hunt for warthog during hunting season or sport fishing off the coast, the active
traveler will not be without options. From May to December sport fishing
enthusiasts have the opportunity to choose from deep sea fishing, long line fishing, fly casting and night fishing
to name only a few. Trips for activities can be organized at local fishing centers or hotels an additional info can be
found by clicking here. If you prefer the land over water relive the big Lisboa-Dakar
race blow-by-blow at the official site found here.
Word for the Travel Wise (03/17/06)
I get pretty darn excited
when I’m able to find information online on some of the world’s lesser known langs or those specific to one of the many
tribes or groups of people in Africa. First reason being, I’ve been known to drill a person for ten new vocabulary
words in their native tongue upon initial meeting and secondly because now we all learn in the comfort and privacy of
our own homes. This gives us plenty of time to perfect any rolling of the ‘R’ or nasal techniques associated with
certain languages without being laughed at too much. (Notice I said "too much.") French is the official
language of west African country Senegal, but there is a second mother tongue used in the area by 80 percent of the
population.
Today’s word is a Wolof word used in
Senegal:
jërejëf –
thanks/thank you
According to this Wolof Online
site, most Wolof speaking people believe their language is quite difficult and even un-teachable to those
passionately wanting to communicate in the lingua. The website also believes if there is a will there is a way which is
why you can find primer courses on Wolof there as well. Wiki has a small list of words on their information guide. You’ll notice
the word used in today’s lesson above there and should be able to make good use of this one during your travels in
Senegal or Gambia and Mauritania where Wolof is also spoken. Scroll further down on the Wiki and the Wolof Online sites
to find additional links and resources to help in your Wolof endeavors.
PRI The World: World Music Podcast
A very nice three-part series from public radio’s PRI The World on world music. This dispatch from the South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas features some performances from groups you’ve likely never heard of, like Daara J, a group from Senegal and Husky Rescue from Helsinki, Finland. Plop these MP3s into your ipod and take a stroll around town. The music is catchy and innovative, especially stuff by Husky Rescue. It’s always cool to discover new bands outside the mainstream.