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.

Senegal Street Photography

Street photography is the tradition of capturing human life in public places. In Velingara Senegal, street photography highlights the humanity of city life in Africa's Senegal with spontaneous actions and the natural everyday life of people in their own day-to-day rhythms.


Senegal Street Photography, Traveling in Mbour Senegal, Africa photo by Sanchez Grande Photography
Traveling in Mbour Senegal photo by Sanchez Grande Photography

21 Interesting facts about Senegal


The population of Senegal is 15,020,945 by July 2018 estimates.

Senegal is named after the Senegal River. Senegal’s population with electricity is 55% and the economy is driven by mining, construction, tourism, fisheries, and agriculture.

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


Going home from the market in Senegal.


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

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

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

Sisters braiding hair in Senegal


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.

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.

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

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

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


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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Thies pronounced as chess is a region of western Senegal and is the is the third largest city in Senegal.

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.

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.

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

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


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