Dakar, Senegal

Why I chose to go to Senegal: I wanted the chance to speak French in an exotic location with a culture that’s very different from the ones I know (I live in the U.S., but my mother is French, and I’ve spent quite a bit of time there). I was particularly interested in political issues, development issues and in checking out the music scene in Senegal.

What I identified as the greatest challenges facing me as I began my study abroad program: Understanding Islam, and the religious practices that permeate daily life in Senegal. Understanding Senegalese gender roles, sense of humor, modes of communication (verbal and non-verbal), and perceptions of time.

My ICRP: Recording the Sounds of Senegal

For my ICRP, I am producing digital recordings of the acoustic music of traditional and modern Senegalese musicians, ranging from mbala-types of playing to traditional griot drumming. I hope to be able to demonstrate the great variety of musical sounds and styles produce in this beautiful country. I make contact with various musicians around Dakar, and I make arrangements for a series of recording sessions. This usually amounts to attending several rehearsals, and then conducting 3-4 recocrding sessions. A musician myself, I sometimes perform with the groups. I am very aware of the role of auditory stimuli in human perceptions of place, of culture, etc., and I have learned a great deal about Senegalese music. I have enjoyed the cultural blend that occurs when I make music with Senegalese musicians. The CDs I am making will preserve this experience for me (and others) long after I leave Senegal, and will forever remind me of some of the greatest aspects of Senegalese culture.

See contact page to arrange a speaking engagement.

Read excerpts from my letters home.