Senegalese literature
Senegalese literature is written or literary work (novels, poetry, plays and films) which has been produced by writers born in the West African state.
[3][4] Oral traditions, in the form of Griot storytellers, constitute a historical element of the Senegalese canon and have persisted as cultural custodians throughout the nation's history.
Poets include former Senegalese president and philosopher Léopold Sédar Senghor, Birago Diop, Cheikh Aliou Ndao and Alioune Badara Bèye.
[2] The literature which emerged as a result of this new form of expression was initially limited to the study and advancement of Islamic theology such as prayers and religious edicts.
[2] However, secular functions soon followed during the rapid growth of islam during the 11th-15th century, during which time Ajami was used for administrative purposes, eulogies, poetry and public announcements.
[6] Prior to the introduction of written language (Arabic and Ajami) in the greater Senegambian region, spoken word was the medium through which societies preserved their traditions and histories.
[11] Some, however, remained independent and charged a fee for their services at both solemn (funeral rituals) and festive occasions (births, marriage ceremonies and circumcision rites).
[13] The tale follows a Pulaar-speaking cleric called Maalik Sii from Suyuuma, a region within the Futa Toro kingdom, located along the modern day border of Senegal and Mauritania.
[13] He and his followers, through skillful diplomacy and military strategy, expelled the Soninke-speaking Gajaaga kingdom from the region known as Bundu and granted political independence to the many Pulaar people already inhabiting the area.
[14] A typical contemporary example of a "praise-song" would be Khar M’Baye Maadiaga's (a female musician of griot descent) "Democratie", which praised the second president of Senegal Abdou Diouf and the Parti Socialiste.
[1] Having trained as catholic priest in France in the 1840s, Boilat believed in the need for a comprehensive missionary program (outlined in Esquisses), which would convert the "heathen" and "misguided" muslim majority in Senegal to Catholicism.
Diallo's most influential work, Force-bonte (1926) is yet another widely studied Senegalese francophonic text which displayed the writer's admiration for the French colonial administration.
[19] Sall's work, particularly in Les Routiers de Chimeres, has a distinct focus on the intersection of mysticism and realism, with allusions to the postmodernist literary movement.
Her work is an epistolary novel which explores the female condition within Senegalese society as well as the polygamic family dynamic present in certain African cultures.
[19] Her second work, Scarlet Song (1985), explores the dynamic of the interracial relationship from a third person perspective, allowing for an unbiased approach regarding the antagonisms of western and African cultures.
[20] Due to the high illiteracy rates at the time, many directors viewed cinema as a means of reconciling the themes of Senegalese writers and artists with the wider populous.
[16] Acclaimed filmmaker Ousmane Sembene drew inspiration from Nazi director Leni Riefenstahl's Olympiad with regards to film as a platform for national communication.
[21] Boroom Sarret captured the changing landscape of Senegalese society, reflecting the challenges of developing a national identity which incorporates over a century of colonial domination.
[23] Her debut feature film considers the female perspective of arranged marriage as well as the dangers of mass migration from West Africa to Europe.
