Photography in Senegal Photos by Rob Aft (Unless Noted)
Baye Nar Amar Touba , Senegal , 2014
About the Photographer I‘ve been lucky to have had the opportunity to visit Africa many times over the last seven years as a speaker for the UN’s World Intellectual Property Organization. I lecture on film industry business issues, but I’m mainly there to experience the region and take pictures. I always try to take “useful” pictures – ones that document a moment in time .
I first visited Senegal in September of 2014. Prof. Allen Roberts of UCLA connected me to a great guide, Ousmane Gueye, and through him, the local Mouride Sufi community in Dakar and Touba - the spiritual center of Mouridism.
On the road to Touba
In March of 2015 I returned to Dakar and traveled south to the Petite-Côte region and the town of Mbour where I documented the local fishing communities. The treatment of many of the photos is inspired by colonial postcards, and I start this presenation with a brief history and examples from the period.
For those interested in the technology, I shoot with a Sony A7 with 55mm, 16-35mm and 70-200mm lenses. I process with Photoshop Lightroom and NIK add-ons.
Off-roading on the Petite-Côte
Colonial Postcard Photography “Frozen Stereotypes” “We should be well aware of the fact that all these images were created in a power relationship predicated on the colonial situation: the photographer/colonialist could impose and enforce his will if he so desired.” “As Mack and Schildkrout and others demonstrate, there were certainly variations and eve some situations where a more personal relationship between photographer and photographed narrowed the distance between powerful and powerless.” “More than any other photographic product, the postcard reflects and enforces the preoccupations of its creators and viewers and demonstrates how they invented Africa.” - Christraud M. Geary, Old Pictures, New Approaches , African Arts Oct. ‘91
Wolof Woman, Anonymous, circa 1912
Colonial Postcard Photography Postcards Published in French W. Africa 1900 – 1918 – about 7,210 images 1919- 1939 – about 930 images 1945- 1963 – about 600 images Most photographs are anonymous. Major Themes: -
Ethnic and Racial Types Views of Places The World of Work Women Social Life Political or Historical Events
- David Prochaska, Fantasia of the Phototheque; French Postcard Views of Colonial Senegal, African Arts Oct. ‘91 Toucouleur Women, Dakar, Anonymous, circa 1910
Colonial Postcard Photography
“Postcards from Colonial Africa constitute objects of cultural consumption produced in colonial societies for the needs of expatriate communities.” - Philippe David – Postcard Researcher
Most sent by Europeans to Europeans
Fantée Woman by W.S. Johnston, circa 1920
Senegal Children Then and Now
Children in Touba, 2014
Young Cérères, Anonymous Postcard circa 1910
Markets Then and Now
Market in Saint-Louis, Senegal Anonymous Postcard, circa 1910
Market on the Road to Touba, 2014
Dakar Central Train Station Then and Now
Central Station, Dakar Anonymous Postcard, circa 1930
Waiting for the Last Train, Dakar, 2014
The Two Most Famous Photos in Senegal
Cheikh Amadou Bamba – Founder of Mouridism Anonymous Photo, 1913
Cheikh Ibrahima “Lamp” Fall – Bamba’s Disciple Anonymous Photo, Early 20th Century
Images of Bamba and Fall Based on These Two Photos Are Everywhere in Senegal
Cheikh Amadou Bamba and Cheikh Ibrahima Fall Images Decorating a Dress Shop - Dakar, 2014
Empire Mouride by Pape Diope - Mural Dakar, 2004 Photo – Allen Roberts
Photos of the Khalifs, Sérignes, Imams and Other Religious Figures Have Talismanic Qualities
Coffee Cart with Image of Amadou Bamba Dakar, 2015
Public Bus with Religious Photos and Ousmane Gueye, Dakar, 2015
Prayers at Mouride Mosque, Dakar, 2014 While the mosque is under construction, the 1,500 or so worshipers there that day were on the sand around the building site.
Prayers at Mouride Mosque, Dakar, 2014 When the worshipers rise their faces are covered with fine sand.
Mouride Mosque, Dakar, 2014
Imam’s Daughter, Dakar, 2014 In the background a group of men and boys chant Sufi poetry.
Sérigne Omar Sy, 101 Years Old, Straw Mosque Near Touba, 2014
Yélimane Fall, Artist, Calligrapher, Mouride Mosque, Dakar, 2014
Photographer Babacar Diongue in His Studio, Dakar, 2014
Tailor Studying Islamic Text, Touba, 2014
When I asked to take his picture, this young man grabbed a book in Arabic and insisted that he be shown reading it – which I took as a sign of pride in his scholarship.
Literacy Mural, Dakar, 2014 Generally men are instructors at the schools, so I thought it was interesting that this mural shows a woman lecturing a group of young men.
Gueye Sisters at Home, Dakar, 2014 They also insisted that they be shown reading religious texts in their pictures.
Boy with Koranic Study Tablets, Mbour, 2015 These wooden tablets have been used to teach the Koran for hundreds of years. Writing is done in charcoal and easily erased for re-use. Sometimes an elixir is made from the water used for erasing the text.
Students, Nguéniène near Mbour, 2015 A really nice little school with eight classrooms and welcoming teachers who seemed used to tourists interrupting their day to take pictures. The kids all had great personal style – no uniforms.
Girl with Village Boys, near Mbour, 2015
Market, Touba, 2014
Boat Captain’s Family, Nguéniène near Mbour, 2015 The captain of our small boat wanted to show off his daughters and the rest of his family on the island. The woman in the center was clearly the head of the family.
Gathering Under a Shade Tree, Near Touba, 2014
Fish Sellers, Touba Market, 2014 Once the client selects the fish and agrees on a price, they tear the flesh off the bones and then grind it to make “boulettes de poissoin” or fish ball stew – the national dish.
Girl Returning from Shopping, Touba, 2014
Sisters with their Father, Spring of Mercy, Touba, 2014 When Cheikh Amadou Bamba founded Touba, there was so little water that no one thought the town would survive. Allah led him to a spring that could supply the growing city and it still produces abundant water that people drink for it’s spiritual qualities.
Young Tailor, Touba Market, 2014 On the third floor of one of the building in the sprawling market at Touba there was a shop with about ten tailors working. They appeared to be between 14 and 18 years old and all wanted their pictures taken.
Young Tailor, Touba Market, 2014 This young man had secured his cell phone to his head with a strip of cloth – stylish but probably not very healthy.
Cart Driver Exercising His Horse, Mbour, 2015 The main public transport in Mbour is horse-drawn cart and the cart driver’s take their horses to the beach to wash them and let them run a bit. The horse and the rider both seem to enjoy the break.
Girls Waiting for a Ride, Mbour, 2014
Lingerie Seller, Touba Market, 2014
Touba Market, 2014 A horse cart passes a girl carrying a basket on the crowded streets of the Touba market, the largest open market in Senegal.
The Crew of the “Obama” Offloading their Catch, Mbour, 2014 The fishing boats pull right up to the beach in Mbour and are unloaded by strong young men who carry 75 pounds of fish at a time on their heads through the surf to the nearby market.
Touba Market, 2014
Baye Fall (Mouride Follower of Ibrahima Fall), Touba, 2014
Woman and Child, Gorée, 2014
Hussein, Muslim Missionary, Mbour, 2015
Baobab in Joal Fadiouth Mangrove Swamp, 2015 Baobabs are sacred in Senegal and this giant stands all alone in the middle of a mangrove swamp . We approached it from miles away and as we got closer it became clear why the locals believe the trees have spiritual qualities.
Mangroves and Blue Heron, Joal Fadiouth, 2015
Woman on Porch, Gorée, 2014 The island of Gorée' is usually full of life and color, but this corner of dilapidated colonial structures, clotheslines and shacks seems devoid of life. Time even seems to have forgotten the woman sitting on her porch to the left.
Presentation by Rob Aft Email:
[email protected] Web site: www.horizonhunter.com Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/harrisonf Instagram: @robaft I generally practice “creative commons” copyright and my photos are free to use for non-commercial purposes provided that I am credited (and I get a copy if there’s a publication). Thanks for looking.
