INTERVIEWS ....

December 6 - 8

The following story was written with great enthusiasm by Laurence Zankowski, the computer expert on the professional video team.

Simba Festival

I arrive in Dakar,disoriented and dazed from the flight. Wet get to Massamba's home and rest ....

A few hours of rest and Tony asks if anyone would like to go to the beach. Sure I'm for the beach anytime anywhere. Our guide to the beach is Ousseynou. We start off ,having important places pointed out to us: Ousseynou's mother's house, the school where he teaches, corner stores.

The way to the beach is not a very direct or easy path. Twists, turns and surprises are everywhere. Tony mentions in passing that a special theater production was going to happen in the street that day and we might be able to catch it on the way back. The trek to the beach continues. We come to a major highway that has to be crossed to get to the beach. You have very little room to cross, the traffic is crazy and they drive in a very aggresive style. You time your crossing to the flow of cars and trucks. We get to the beach, just a few people, local fishermen, some kids playing. I start off my first trip to a beach in Africa by sitting in the middle of the track where men train for sports.

Mistake number one. (watch where you are at all times)

We have our fill of this near deserted beach and start back. The weather perfect. We come to the crazy highway, time our crossing and safely arrive on the other side.

The word is passed around that the afore mentioned theater event is happening right now and we should check it out.

A crowd has gathered, there is a cloth curtain across the street, a few men selling tickets to the event. Ousseynou arranges for us to watch for free, to the dismay of the organizers. Tony and the rest of the group find some seats on the outside of of this sort of town square/theater (all of this takes place at street level, there is no stage or concert seating. Think of this as a basketball court size area.) I sit right next to the drummers.

Mistake number two (do not insult the drummers by sitting too close if you don't pay)

I'm amazed by the drumming; the intensity was phenomenal. I inch closer to the drummers who keep looking over at me making gestures that I thought meant to play with them. Out of nowhere comes a man, a mini Hulk Hogan, face painted and very very intense. He has his legs wrapped, his arms bound for strength, and symbolic gourd and beads on his belt. Saying he was strong doesn't do him justice. This was the lion dancer. This event is a sort of a community shakedown, rules enforcer, I would almost say a teaching play. Do not think for a moment that this is just a way for some folks to pass an afternoon, it is very serious. The lion dancer is soon joined by another and they search the crowd for those who did not pay or were singled out for having committed some transgression. The lion dancers chase, sometimes for blocks to catch the malcontent, drag him or her into the center of this courtyard, preparing to hit this person if no one comes up and pays for his release. The victims that are caught have a look of terror in their faces. It is a public, open air justice system that keeps people in line.

While the lion dancers are chasing and scaring kids and adults, the ticket sellers finally got Ousseynou to pay our fee to watch. I immediately shove this green piece of paper into my pocket and continue to insult the drummers by sitting too close. The drummers keep gesturing to me. I keep thinking that they want me to play. I sit upright after a gesture from a drummer got me a little nervous. I turn my head. Not more than six inches from my face was terror in a human form.

The lion dancer caught me for not having my green ticket out and in my hand.

Mistake number three( do not pay a lion dancer with a green ticket)

I'm scared, I do not know what to do. I'm frozen in my seat, hundreds of eyes on me,looking at Arnold Schwartzenagger, Jr. who could possibly pick me up and toss me into the middle of this street justice. A flash and Ousseynou is stepping in to help unfreeze me. Got to give money to this terror or I'm going to be pulverized. I search my pockets. I left all my money back at Massamba's house. Oh my, what do I have? Ousseynou is scrambling to get me to look in all my pockets. All I have is my green ticket and a powerbar. I try to give the lion my green ticket. Wrong thing to do. I reach back into my pocket for my power bar. Ousseynou grabs my hand and I put this bar in the lion dancers mouth. The lion dancer is appeased and moves away from me. Ousseynou quickly drags me from my seat and puts me in a seat on the outside with a stern look that says, stay put, keep your green ticket out, and do not interfere with the drummers.

There is a show with music produced by the drummers. The lions and two other dancers do great dancing feats. The show ends with several of our group being pulled out into the main area and asked to dance with the lion dancers. The howls and screams of laughter from the crowd helped in soothing my nerves.

The walk back to Massamba's house was a little bit livelier to say the least.

A closing thought. Drumming is not a curiosity here. It is life and I showed disrespect to it by my actions and was reprimanded . I keep my distance and stand back now, awed by the beauty of the rhythms and skill of these drummers.  

* Back to Senegal Trip title page