Senegal: Religion and History through Art
Monday, September 19, 2005
By: Holly Peterson

Join SIT and the Experiment's first alumni trip, June 2-10, 2006

Trip Overview
Spend nine days and eight nights in scenic and artistic Senegal.  From our base in Dakar, explore artistic expression and the interplay of art with religion and history. Participate in lectures and activities that afford a basic understanding of Islamic practice in Senegalese society, the history of the Senegambia region, and the importance of art in post-colonial Senegal, including cooking, drumming and batik classes. 
To enhance your understanding, excursions will include meeting working artists at the Village des Arts; and visiting Goree Island, site of a once-active slave house, French and British forts and a contemporary thriving artist colony; and visiting other sites in the greater Dakar area. To deepen your understanding, you will select a specialized 3-day excursion to either the Petit Cote or St. Louis, devoted to Islam and religious expression or Senegalese history.

Important Notes
The trip will be 10 days long, and participants must be able to participate in moderate physical exercise (2-4 hours of walking per day, high heat and humidity, 3-4 hour bus rides). 
Participants should be in good overall health and should be able to be physically active.
Trip activities are subject to change or rescheduling depending on local conditions.

Trip Focus
Senegal has a rich history of artistic traditions, from painting and other visual arts to music (especially drumming), jewelry making, baskets and handicrafts. 
Our trip focuses on the expression of beliefs, including the majority Muslim culture, through the arts.

Itinerary and Accommodations:

Day 1
We arrive in Dakar in the evening, and proceed to the Hotel Meridien President, on the outskirts of Dakar.  Take a Photo Tour of the Hotel.
Those who arrive early have the option to visit the IFAN (L'Institut Fondemental d'Afrique Noire) museum.

Day 2
Orientation and introduction to French & Wolof (indigenous language of Senegal)
Introduction to Islam and Senegalese Culture, and a visit to the Mosque by the Sea or an overview of Senegalese history
Tea ceremony an important cultural practice.
Visit Village des Arts and meet local artists.
Welcome Group Dinner

Day 3
Visit Goree Island, including lecture from the Goree Institute on the history of the slave trade on the island.  Take a virtual tour of Goree.
Visit Slave House
Visit Museum of Women
Lunch at one of many outdoor cafes on the island.
Shopping at local artists’ stalls for local paintings and handmade jewelry.

Day 4
Morning: Split into groups for classes on history and spirituality.
After lunch, take a drumming class, or just enjoy the music.

Day 5
Depart for Excursions:

History Excursion (St. Louis)	Spirituality Excursion (Touba and Petite Cote)
Day 5: Depart for the drive to St. Louis, up the Atlantic coast.  We’ll visit the scenic Lac Rose (Pink Lake) along the way.  When we arrive at St. Louis, we’ll have a quick orientation and tour of the island, and visit to its sister fishing village of Nguet-Ndar.	Day 5: We’ll leave early to reach Touba and tour the historic Mosque.  We’ll be treated to a lecture on the mosque and its historical and spiritual significance.  In the afternoon, we’ll depart for M’Bour on the Petite Côte, arriving in time for dinner at Tama Lodge, where we’ll stay.  Tama is home to local art and antiquities.
Day 6: In the morning, we’ll take a walking architecture tour of the city, including learning about the history and significance of St. Louis as the provincial capital. The afternoon is free, or attend a lecture on fishing and the economy in this part of Senegal.  Enjoy a group dinner on the open-air terrace of the Hotel Sindone.	Day 6: Enjoy a free morning swimming in the turquoise water and relaxing on the beach, or join an optional shopping excursion to Saly.  Following a short lecture on Joal Fadioute, the unique island Christian/Muslim village, we’ll depart for a guided tour of the island and its beautiful part-Muslim, part-Christian shell cemetery.  Enjoy a group dinner on the beach at Tama Lodge.
Day 7: After a morning visit to the museum, we’ll depart St. Louis.  A stop at a unique part-Muslim, part-Christian village will also include an opportunity to buy local baskets from the artisans themselves.  We’ll visit the Reserve de Bandia to see giraffes and rhinoceros and see the Serere Pyramids, traditional burial places of the Serere people.  Return to Dakar.	Day 7: We’ll depart M’Bour in the morning, stopping at the Reserve de Bandia to see giraffes and rhinoceros and see the Serere Pyramids, traditional burial places of the Serere people.  In the afternoon, we’ll visit the scenic Lac Rose (Pink Lake).  Return to Dakar.

Day 8
In the morning, choose between a dancing or “ceeb-u-jen” cooking class
Lunch will be at the classroom, feasting on food cooked by the cooking class, followed by a short performance by the dance class.
In the afternoon, learn how to make batik cloth.

Day 9
In the morning, visit the local craft market or the IFAN Museum.
In the afternoon, we’ll wrap up the trip and synthesize what we have learned.
The trip will end with a reception featuring the artists from the Village des Arts, who will be displaying their works.

Wrap up
This trip covers some of the highlights of the SIT Senegal: Arts and Culture program.  We hope to give an overview of what students learn and an opportunity to experience Senegal, a marvelous destination often undiscovered by American travelers.  We hope you’ll be able to join us for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  See More Photos, or Register Now.

Questions? 
Email holly.peterson@sit.edu or call 802-258-3370 or toll-free 888-272-7881, ext. 3370.