Firstly, I wish to thank the Caribbean Philosophical Association (CPA) as well at la Société Sénégalaise de Philosophie (SOSEPHI) for putting together such a wonderful experience. The conference was a fantastic affair with every courtesy granted. Thank you to my family for all of their help in getting me there. And thank you to the lovely people I met throughout my experience for helping make it so memorable. It’s been nearly a year since, but I would like to share a reflection on my time in Dakar.
I must mention foremost that I had not breathed in air that weightless, that clean in 24 years. The air didn’t feel processed, and from the moment I stepped out of the airport, I could not ignore that feeling. There’s a particular aroma that I, and I assume many others, associate with continental Africa. It’s the same scent when you open a package from back home; the closest I can describe is that it smells of new leather, seaside, Black Soap and fresh herbs & spices. Where I stood was 6 nations away from my beloved homeland of Ghana, yet I hadn’t been this close in so long, and there was an air of familiarity, in a very literal sense, with every breath I took. It wasn’t home, but it was an almost home, and I appreciated it.
The trip almost didn’t happen. When it finally did, nearly everything that could go wrong, went hilariously wrong. My luggage broke the moment I landed, I missed the shuttle, and it took me 8 hours, from the moment I hit the tarmac, to get to my lodgings. I spent 4 hours in the airport trying to reach people I needed to contact, with varying degrees of success. I had to take a taxi, and for 4 hours, my taxi driver Ibrahim, stayed by me until I got into my dormitory. That man left a lasting impression on me, because despite the fact that we each knew at least 3 languages, there wasn’t enough overlap for him to know where I needed to go, yet he got me to EXACTLY where I needed to be. He didn’t ask for too much in return, but needless to say, I paid him whatever he felt fair, plus tip, for the man who didn’t leave me stranded in Dakar. I still have his personal number somewhere, and I can go into further detail about all he did to help me, but unfortunately I did not get a chance to ride with Ibrahim again. As a humble observer, however, he was one of the best ambassadors a nation could ask for. To me, in that moment, for Senegal, there was Ibrahim, then Akon, then Sadio Mané.
Another thing Ibrahim taught me was that Senegalese taxi drivers are some of the best, and most precise drivers you will ever see. There were many times when I found myself a finger's length away what the car next to us, coming to a roundabout, both drivers in full conversation (either on the phone, or with their passengers) yet there was no doubt that not only were you going to make it safely, but that there was going to be no hindrance at all. They gave me the impression that they understood driving in a communal way. How else would you explain how on a two-lane road, there are three cars next to each other, leaving just enough room for a man man on foot to run against traffic in the middle of the road to recover something he dropped off of his moped? No one got hurt. No one slow down. It was damn poetry. Just brilliant.
Very light traffic at the marketplace, Dakar 2018
Senegal was its people. As you can figure from my earlier exploits, these are people who would go out of the way to help somebody even though they barely understood what he was saying. These were a remarkably stylish people. Many of the women I saw would carry out seemingly dismissible shirt-and-jeans tasks in such colorful and beautifully made dress, while the men, so clean cut, we're done up head to toe in such high esteem! Your special occasion is their Wednesday afternoon at the market. While I do my best to look presentable whenever I go out in public, I've never been in a position where an entire city of people made me feel under-dressed. This was made all the worse by the fact that I ended up walking into a Dakar Fashion Week Showcase at the Radisson Hotel. I coordinated my outfit for the day and yet I still looked like a unkempt, retired Bridge Troll by comparison. Now granted, I had my camera on me, I was tempted stick around and try and take part in the event, but my luck thus far led me to believe that I didn't want to risk it.
There was also a widespread devotion to fitness. There were public workout spaces that were constantly in use by people at all hours of the night; people jogging, running, stair jumps, or in some cases running timed sprints. If you ever had the urge to have a pickup football match at 1:37 a.m, might I suggest the beach side of Dakar. I imagine it could be that it’s easier to run when it’s not too sunny out,.. but that still doesn’t diminish the fact that nearly every young person looked like they could have made selection for a representative Football squad, and did so in the same stylish clothing!
Football is life, and the Senegalese live well. I had the good fortune to be in Senegal during the FIFA World Cup, and both times I was at the airport, Senegal was playing. From opening whistle to final, all focus is on the Lions. I was truly lucky to have been engrossed in that atmosphere, and you will find some of the action on my Instagram.
All Eyes On Mané at the Blaise Diagne International Airport 2018
There are a few words of advice I’d like impart at this time:
Never Go To The Market To Browse. Buy or don’t buy, there is no “browse”. Those salesmen are good, they’re persistent, and they work together. Always look like you know what you're doing. Don't ask questions unless they are really specific. Try not to look like you're from the global West. Always negotiate, never look eager. Treat buying a shirt, or bracelet with the same coolness as if you were buying a used car from a dealership.
Learn French. Ideally, you would learn Wollof, but if you can’t find that on Rosetta Stone, or from that not-to-be-f*cked-with owl, at the very least, learn intermediate French. You'll save a lot of money this way, and you won’t look like a complete twat while trying to order a sandwich and juice at the airport.
It’s Okay To Follow Landmarks That Don’t Move. Some of you who know me know that I am able to navigate decently well by recognizing where certain animals are. I was able to find my way around campus a few times by recognizing where certain dogs hung out most often. This worked for 2 days, but not on the 3rd.
Go To Africa. If all goes well, the next time I step onto the continent will be on Ghanaian soil. If you say you need to go, you must go. If you say you want to go, you should go. However you go, whenever you go, what is most important is that you go to Africa on African Terms. Listen to people who are trying to help you, but recognize that they are not there to cater to you. Seek to make friends, not requests.
I am truly grateful to everyone who helped me get there. I am deeply thankful for everyone I met, especially if we got to dance.
Until next time!
-Nii