Fibres de mon cœur vert.
Épaule contre épaule, mes plus que frères,
O Sénégalais, debout !
Unissons la mer et les sources, unissons la steppe et la forêt !
Salut Afrique mère.

Red sky at night….sunset at UCAD bode well for the following day’s significance.

Today is April 4th- a day that will forever hold something special in my mind- long I after I have departed West Africa and returned to my decidedly haze gray employment. It is Independence Day here in Senegal and as we are all well aware, there is much to celebrate.  Of course, one could argue that the festivities really starting gaining momentum after the first round of elections, and this is simply a logical continuation. I continue to feel fortunate to live in this great country right here and right now.

A land that is known for its endless supply musical talent, the eve of Independence Day was full of concert offerings spread across the city. I opted to check out the free show at my Alma Mater, Université Cheikh Anta Diop.

As we were waiting for the multitude of sound checks to run their course, we watched the crowd gather in front of the university’s library.

Call me patriotic (and I am! I mean, I joined the Navy because I wanted to give back to my own country), but it gave me goosebumps to see the starred tricolor raised up on high for most of the show. Here, the crowd broke into the Senegalese national anthem (the refrain of which began this blog entry). Did you know that it was written by Senegal’s first president (and genius poet) Léopold Sédar Senghor? I have much love for countries who place artistry in such high distinction- and Senegal is unquestionably a leader in this category.

It’s been really cold outside (like in the 60s), and my friend and I- along with much of the crowd were in full “winter” gear. I know, you are impressed by my fantastic skills of portraiture captured here.

This will never get old to me. Although this catchy tune has served a direct order for President Wade to leave office, the tone of the concert was not anti-Wade. Each performer praised the strength of the democratic process and painted the elections as a real victory for this country’s people. Prayers for peace in the Casamance, best wishes for President Sall, and calls for citizens to continue to build a better future reverberated throughout the night.

You know, I hesitated to even post this entry- because between you and me, I didn’t stay for the whole show. I wanted to stay up and witness the triumphant return of Souleymane Jules Diop to his patrie, but my decidedly old soul fatigue got the best of me. Indeed, as I was leaving the crowd, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It turned out to be a long-lost Senegalese friend named Cheikh. We exchanged greetings and he asked, “Are you leaving?!”
 “Yes,” I told him, “I’m old- this is your night.” I wished him and his country a bonne fête as we headed out from the now packed campus grounds. It was clear that the party was only beginning.

Soon all of this graffiti will be covered over and replaced by something new- another cause célèbre worth highlighting across the walls of this city. For now, Senegal has shown that they remain vigilant in protecting their county’s individual freedoms- and I have no doubt in my mind that this country will continue to celebrate many more years of independence with rightful pride.