La Lutte Traditionnelle

Today was like Super Bowl Sunday in Dakar, minus the commercials and halftime show. The traditional wrestling match that people have been waiting for months for finally took place between Modou Lô and Balla Gaye 2.

Balla Gaye 2

Modou Lô

As I walked home from church this morning, I passed by many Transport en Commun and Ndiang Ndiaye buses filled with die hard fans, singing, shouting, and waving flags en route to the stadium six to seven hours before the match was to begin. I spared my life and decided to watch the fight from the family room with my brothers, sisters, cousins, mom, and uncle. The ceremonies leading up to the fight took hours while the fight lasted only a few seconds. Balla Gaye 2 won the match, much to my friend Emily's chagrin, who has taken to calling Modou Lô her Sénégalese husband to combat the constant inquiries we receive about whether we have a husband. Some weekend soon I plan on going to a lutte and then I will share in detail about the complexities of the spectacle. Until then, enjoy the music video by Viviane Ndour called "Sama Champion" that talks about her life as the wife of a grand lutteur (famous wrestler). It should give you a hint into what this Sénégalese past time is all about, even if the music was taken from Whitney Houston's song "I have nothing". And apparently my Uncle knows Viviane Ndour: he says the first time she held I microphone to sing was at his family's house in Mbour when she was six years old!