After years of grassroots beach cleanups, he launched Copacabana Surf Village, a groovy beachside hangout made from natural materials like bamboo and local wood, which houses a surf school, a lounge, and Dakar's first zero-waste restaurant. Large-scale projects such as Black Rock, the artist residency opened by American portraitist Kehinde Wiley three years ago in Dakar's Yoff Virage, and Dak'Art, Africa's largest art biennial, which takes over the city this month, have pinned Senegal firmly on the global map.Ī surfer at Virage Beach Jessica Sarkodie The ocean advocateĪ childhood in Dakar's Yoff fishing village helped inspire Babacar Thiaw, a former competitive surfer, to dedicate himself to the environment. This is most obvious in the city's arts scene, where transplants have teamed up with locals to create exciting entrepreneurial projects, making what is quickly becoming the most dynamic multidisciplinary arts hub in sub-Saharan Africa. Many other passers-through fall so hard for the place, they never end up leaving. Many from throughout the Senegalese diaspora have returned to the land of their ancestors to be culturally and spiritually enriched, and to enrich.
As a main departure point in the trade of enslaved people, Senegal carries four centuries of traumatic history in its cells. Historians deserve credit for shaping the way we think about Dakar today. It started with the surfers, who loved the city for its waves the music lovers, here for Mbalax and the mighty Youssou N'dour and the fashion scene, drawn by the vibrancy of its fabrics. In recent years, Dakar's friendly reputation has quietly grown around the world.
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