African Food and Art

Thank you to our latest donor, Tony. Thank you, Tony. We were able to purchase three new stainless steel pots to continue our cooking and teaching heritage.

Interesting facts about Senegal

Senegal in Africa

Interesting fact number one about Senegal, it has a population of over 13 million ranking 69th on the world’s most populous countries.

Senegalese girl

Interesting facts about Senegal

Explore and understand Africa through her food and culture


The population of Senegal is 14,668,522 by July 2017 estimates

1. Senegal is located in Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania.

Women stopping to chat in Velingara Senegal ~ Senegal Street Photography photo by La Rue Joyeuse
Women stopping to chat in Velingara Senegal

2. It is slightly smaller than South Dakota.

3. Senegal has a population of over 13 million ranking 69th on the world’s most populous countries.

4. Senegal's nationality is Senegalese using both the singular and plural form.

5. Senegal's capital is Dakar which was home to the Dakar Off-Road Rally until 2009 when the race moved to South Africa.

6. There are 11 regions in Senegal comparable in function to county seats, Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, and Ziguinchor.

7. The Dutch established a slave port on the island of Goree in 1588 and years later in 1659, it became a key slave trading port.

8. During the Seven Years War 1756–1763, Britain took over French posts in Senegal forming the colony of Senegambia.

9. Slaves, ivory, and gold were exported from the coast during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Senegal’s Patriotic Symbol the African Renaissance Monument is to symbolize the achievement of Africa but some have serious issues with the nudity and symbolism of the 164-foot statue.
African Renaissance Monument

10.In 1960, Senegal exerted its independence from under French rule as an independent nation.

11. The 40-year reign of Senegal's Socialist Party came to a diplomatic end in the 2000 elections.

12. Senegal’s Patriotic Symbol the African Renaissance Monument is to symbolize the achievement of Africa but some have serious issues with the nudity and symbolism of the 164-foot statue.

13. The statue depicts a very muscular man, holding a baby in one hand, leading a voluptuous woman with one exposed breast and supple thighs with the other.

14. Climbing the 216 steps to the African Renaissance Monument you would not immediately discern that local African artists feel unfairly denied the chance to work on a project of national pride.

15. Located in the Senegalese capital of Dakar the African Renaissance Monument cost millions to create, $27 million dollars to be exact.

16. The Senegalese Ex-President, unable to pay the $27 million price tag on the work, gave real estate to North Korea’s Mansudae Overseas Project, which later sold the land at profit in exchange for the statue.
Newsstand in downtown Dakar Senegal in Africa

17. Languages of Senegal may not surprise you since Senegal was once a French colony, the official language is French, and the other major languages are Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, and Mandinka.

18. Wolof is a language spoken in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania, and it is the indigenous language of the ethnic grouping of the Wolof people.

19. Wolof is the most widely spoken language in Senegal even though the official language is French, by most Senegalese.

20. Republic of Senegal Motto: "Un Peuple, Un But, Une Foi” "One People, One Goal, One Faith"

Senegal population is concentrated in the western part of the country; approximately 70 percent of the population is rural.


Together we build awareness that boost harmony, education, and success, below are more links to articles you will find thought provoking.

  1. Deadliest routes for refugees
  2. Cooking with shea butter oil
  3. Worst serial killers recorded in history are women
  4. Indigenous healers and plants used
  5. Night running illness or magic
  6. What is back to Africa

Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=

Week’s Best African Culture Posts

What is the difference between ugali and fufu

Image
How to make the popular African recipes Ugali and Fufu and what is the difference.  Ugali is a starch dish in Kenya and Tanzania made of fine cornmeal cooked in boiling water into a soft dough. Fufu is a thick, dough-like West African food made by boiling then pounding a starchy vegetable such as yam, plantain, or cassava or a mixture of starchy vegetables. The main difference between fufu and ugali is fufu is boiled first then pounded while ugali is simply boiled. Ugali recipe. Easy Ugali Recipe Prep time 5 minutes Cook time 30 minutes Total time 30 minutes Ingredients 4 cups finely ground cornmeal 8 cups water Directions Heat water to boiling in a saucepan. Slowly pour cornmeal into boiling water stirring continuously. Add more cornmeal if necessary until it is thick as soft bread dough. Serve immediately with vegetables, stew, or any dish you would use a spoon with to soak up the sauce, ugali is purposely bland tasting on its own. What is the difference between ugali and
Learn More About Africa

Top 20 Largest Countries in Africa

Image
African Country by Size List. Africa Which are the top twenty largest, smallest, and territorial country in Africa by land area? 1. The continent of Africa is the world’s second largest based on land area and population just after Asia. 2. Top five largest countries of Africa are Algeria, Congo Democratic Republic of the, Sudan, Libya and Chad. 3. Top five smallest African countries and territories are Mauritius, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Saint Helena and Mayotte. African Country from largest to smallest Area sq mile Area sq km Algeria 919,595 2,381,740 Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) 905,568 2,345,410 Sudan 718,723 1,861,484 Libya 679,362 1,759,540 Chad 495,755 1,284,000 Niger 489,191 1,267,000 Angola 481,354 1,246,700 Mali 478,767 1,240,000 South Africa 471,011 1,219,912 Ethiopia 435,186 1,127,127 Mauritania 397,95
Learn More About Africa

Ethiopian Midwest American Hotdish

Image
Our Ethiopian hot dish combines Ethiopian cooking with classic Minnesota Midwest casserole meal. The hot dish’s origins are a product of settlers traditions in Midwest America dating back to the early 20th century. A hot-dish or casserole is a one-pan meal that traditionally includes a combination of starch like potatoes, pasta, or rice, ground meat, vegetables, and a creamy canned soup base, all topped with crunchy goodness like breadcrumbs or tater tots. The concept of hot dish became popular in the Upper Midwest, particularly in states like Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, in the 1930s and 1940s. This period was marked by economic challenges, including the Great Depression. The need for economical and filling meals led to the creation of dishes that could be stretched to feed many people using simple, affordable ingredients . Hot dishes became synonymous with potlucks, church suppers, and social gatherings. These events were central to rural and small-town communities, where
Learn More About Africa

Neck elongation rings how to put on and take off

Image
Neck elongation rings how to put on and take off. Idzila are Ndebele wives traditionally wear rings around the neck as a status symbol and wear rings around the arms, legs, and neck. Wearing Neck Rings. For centuries, married South African Ndebele tribes’ women saw wearing heavy rings around their neck as an honored status symbol. Neck rings are any form of stiff necklaces worn around the neck of an individual. The neck rings are usually made of copper or brass. During initiation, girls wear an array of colorfully beaded hoops called izigolwan around their legs, arms, waist, and neck. After marriage, the Ndebele wife would wear copper and brass rings around her arms, legs, and neck, symbolizing her bond and faithfulness to her husband, once her home was built. Idzila rings were believed to have strong ritual powers. Husbands used to provide their wives with rings; the richer the husband, the more rings the wife would wear. These outward symbols can be removed only in ca
Learn More About Africa