Here are some pictures that I haven’t gotten around to posting from the trip I took out to the daara and mosque last month. But first, a little bit of background, Megan-style. 

On the way back into Dakar, we stopped at the beach in Yoff. Yoff is a seaside town located north of Dakar and is pretty much inhabited by members of the Layene (Muslim) brotherhood. The Layene, well, there are lots that can be told about them, but I’ll tell you that they are predominately fisherman who are also a community of the Lebou people. If you have been paying attention to my crack blog research, you’ll remember that the Lebou were involved in some bad juju that surrounds the African Renaissance Monument.

 Here is Yoff. I like maps. You should too.

In this area, right on the beach, is a mausoleum built for Seydina Mouhammadou Limamou Laye, the brotherhood’s founder. 

 A mural of the founder right next to the mausoleum. I am told that everyone in this brotherhood has the same last name: Laye.

The mausoleum and sacred well (from which people from all around can come and draw fresh water). This is a sacred area enclosed all around by a wall. You can go in, but you must walk barefoot (the sand is only a little hot) and women must wear a long skirt and a headscarf. The people here are strong adherents to Islamic culture; even private alcoholic consumption is frowned upon in this area.

(Aside: I’m neglecting to tell a story here about how the sea was driven back to its current location by who I think is the founder of this order. At the time I heard the story I was definitely interested, but as many of you know, I like “broad concepts” and will need to do further research before I say anthing else- lest I give you a completely inaccurate and Disney-esque version of the actual story.)

After we left the holy grounds, we wandered up the beach a bit. It is dotted many colorful pirogues (canoes, for lack of a better term) such as this one- many bearing the names of their owners- that go out and gather the daily catch.  

Hmm…apparently Nike owns this particular one…

Behold la plage de Yoff. It’s probably a sign I’ve been in Senegal too long when I look at this photo and don’t notice the sheep until I post it and realize you guys are only used to seagulls at the beach.

oh yeah, and the horse carts are probably a little unusual too…

This picture looks pretty unremarkable. It was taken at La Pointe, which, if you look at the map above, is located as far west as you can go on the peninsula. It is also as far west as you can get on the African continent.  I would say it’s neat, cause you can almost see Cape Cod- except for the fact that it is also rather touristy. That means that women selling gaudy necklaces are hounding you right to the continent’s edge as you are posing for your photograph. Makes you almost want to dive into the ocean to escape them. 

(Note to you visitors. If you are a foreigner, you are looked at as the equivalent of a walking ATM. People gotta eat, I guess.)

 This is located right next to the photo of me at the edge of the earth. It is a pile of rocks where the Lebou gather each year to sacrifice animals, in the hopes for a prosperous year of fishing. That’s what I was told at least, or what I remembered.

Okay, that’s it for right now. I’m still posting this information with a minor concern that a real subject matter expert on Senegal will read this and think “man, she’s got her facts all wrong”.  Hopefully, this more or less gives you a small snapshot into a tiny slice of life here.  As I mentioned, before there is so much more to the community out here- but I still have much to learn about this country as a whole.