I’m so proud to be a part of Team BT!
And with that out of the way, please read on:
On Saturday I had the opportunity to visit a daara, or Koranic school here in the Dakar banlieue. A daara is a learning institution akin to what some of my friends know all too well as Catholic school. The particular school that we got to see is under construction, but classes are still being held.
Primary school. You can see that there is Arabic and French on the chalkboard (I can’t read Arabic, but I am told the sign above the board says “God”). There is a children’s song on the right in French that says something a little like: “Every morning when the day starts I say hello, every morning I take a bath and brush my teeth, every morning I break my fast and eat a good meal…”
We went on a Saturday, where the full-time students were not in class, but the Saturday children were busy with their studies. As I understand it, in Senegal parents have the option to send their children to Koranic school (Catholic school also exists here by the way) or a French-based school. Many families who opt for the secular route also send their children to Koranic school on Saturday for instruction as well- think Sunday school for us.
Still primary school- I was impressed that they were doing geometry. I really don’t think I saw a hypotenuse until high school.
I’m to explain how this works in terms that are tangible to us in the States. I still feel like many of us hear the word “Islam” or “Koranic” and immediately flash to Muslim extremists. The Senegalese are an extremely pious people, with Islam making up a large part of their life since at least the eleventh century. Maybe I’m not giving you guys enough credit but I don’t want you to read about my trip and think that Senegal is preparing an army of religious zealots. Nothing could be further from the truth.
This is blurry because I didn’t want to use a flash (a vain attempt to not draw too much attention to the three toubabs watching the little ones learn).
In preschool is where kids start their studies- if it’s in the daara, they start by memorizing chapters of the Koran and learning the Arabic alphabet. It’s interesting to note that the daara is taught in Arabic, French-based schools are taught in French- most children grow up with neither of these languages as their first language (usually it’s Wolof or another ethnic language).
In the mosque that adjoins the school. You will notice that I showed my respect for this place of worship by donning matching socks. I know Mom and Dad, I did you proud.
Right across from the school and mosque is a medical center that was constructed just a few years ago. It is not funded by the government, and operated based on the generosity of others. Think of it as a free clinic for anyone requiring medical attention (doesn’t matter if you don’t belong to the mosque, or how rich or how poor you are). I also feel compelled to tell you that the majority of the women in Senegal are not “covered”, even though about 95% of the population is Muslim.
This is a huge subject to attempt to tackle, and I want to hold your attention, so I will limit my little book report with these bits of data. While here I want to further my understanding of the different Sufi orders (religious brotherhoods) and how each one operates within Senegal- it really is fascinating. For now, I don’t want to overload myself (or you), or worse yet, give incorrect information….as I am sure that I have already presented some inaccuracies. A lot of good work is being done at the grassroots level in Senegal- in my observations, people take care of their own.