This weekend has been a real killer for me in terms of paper writing productivity. I am a bit embarrassed to tell you that I have only gotten so far as copying and pasting one paragraph into a new word document. Yes, that is all. I should be transcribing items out of my notebook (and then fleshing out this research with fantastic and insightful observation), but alas I am hopelessly chained to the political events currently taking place in this country. And when I say chained to events, I mean to say that I have been glued to internet reporting – especially to the Twitter feeds of #Sunu2012 and #kebetu.
For those of you who are still mystified and highly suspect of Twitter’s real utility, I’ve gotta tell you to get with the 21st century. Anyone lives in a place that experiences volatile dynamism will tell you that Twitter is one of the best sources for breaking and developing news stories (this extends to sports, by the way). I’m not going to sit here and give you a tutorial on Twitter, but suffice to say that I have been using it a whole lot more than I did even a year ago. And I find out about things faster than you.
In this midst of this presidential imbroglio, I have been reading Tweets and articles while keeping a running list of French words that I have had to look up along the way. It struck me this morning that these mots inconnus paint a somewhat startling portrait of what’s being experienced in this country. Check it out:
s’embraser – to erupt into violence
fustiger – to lambast, castigate (okay, I used to know this one)
essouffler – to leave breathless
matraquer – to club
l’enclume – an anvil
le marasme – stagnation/doldrums
sévir – to clamp down
tabasser – to beat/hit
s’apprêter – to be about to do (something)
machiavélique – yes, I obviously knew this one, but wrote it down anyway
soudoyer – to bribe
le butin – haul/spoils/loot
louche – seedy/shady
taf – travail à faire
le trouille – scared to death
No one really knows what the next 27 days 18 hours 10 minutes and 44 seconds will bring, but I can tell you that most of us seem to be sitting back and just watching. There has been endless chatter on the subject of the Constitutional Council’s ruling (“Nous n’accepterons pas cette décision!”), but I am kind of wondering to myself whether the opposition has the right mix of cohesion and volonté to put their ideas into action that will bear fruit. I’m just another stupid toubab bystander, so I really don’t know for sure.
I can tell you that the Senegalese are sick of seeing the international media fawn over the celebrity and invalidated campaign of Youssou N’Dour. In the eyes of the Senegalese, he has nothing to do with the fact that this country is demonstrating. While the singer may be on his way right now to a suburb to visit a student who was injured in the demonstrations (see, Twitter does tell you useful stuff), I can tell you that he’s only a footnote in a more significant issue: safeguarding the integrity of this country’s democratic principles. People in this country are smart, and they expect their leaders to respect the laws that govern everyone.
Right now I can look out my window and see The African Renaissance Monument. It is not on fire, and neither is the skyline of Dakar. It’s another beautiful January day- although I imagine that this one will be interspersed with more discussion, tire burning- and yes, maybe some violence. But I hope not.
For now I would say to everyone who is far away and kinda worried- thank you paying attention (especially if you aren’t Senegalese), but don’t let your imagination (or the media’s reporting of sexy bonfires) run away with you. When CNN.COM puts Senegal above reporting on Demi Moore’s 911 call, then maybe you should start getting a little more concerned. But stay concerned anyway.
