Tag: Dakar

Day 6 of my #WestAfricanJourneyTravels visit was quite a full day but one that incorporates legacy and remembrance as well as a little hustle and bustle! By the end of the day, I was completely full and drained at the same time!

Alright my friends, let me drop this bit of information in the post before we go any further.

• So the African Renaissance Monument is the second-tallest topped out structure in the world that you can go in (#1 is the Palais Royale in Mumbai, India and #3 is the Empire State Building in New York, United States), and the tallest statue in Africa
• Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, it is 52 meters tall (171 ft.) statue made completely of bronze and is located on top of one of the twin hills (Collines des Mamelles) outside of Dakar
• Preparation began in 2006, construction in 2008, and completion in early 2010 with a formal ceremony on April 4, 2010…which is also Senegal’s “National Day” celebrating the 50th anniversary of their independence from France.
• On the day of the ceremony, there would be 19 African heads of state present for the unveiling including the Presidents of Malawi, Benin, Cape Verde, Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, The Gambia, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, and Zimbabwe. There would also be representatives in attendance such as Jesse Jackson, Akon, and representation from North Korea. Truly a moment to show honor and unity.

Now before going inside you had two options of how to get in….climb the stairs or take a taxi going up the back entrance….You already know what I did, I took the stairs!! It was no small feat but one of my friends and I made the 198-step climb to the top in just under six and a half minutes (you can see us below). Talk about feeling accomplished.

The above pictures not only shows the stair path up to the top, but the actually monument itself is quite a sight to see. The creation of this project was initiated by the then Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade and has been described as one of the most prestigious projects. Named the African Renaissance Monument, it served as a marker to usher in a new era of African Renaissance. It is a literal visual of moving from enslavement to renaissance. Now what you see is a family looking towards the sky (or one might say the future), the man is carrying his child on his bicep/arm and holding his wife by the waist. They have come from the depths of the earth and going towards new life. What an inspiring imagery and one that more people should know about. I will be honest I knew very little about the monument, but so glad that I made the journey to see live and in living color!!

Once inside visitors can see various videos showing the building process, acknowledgment to the “door of no return”, the history of enslavement and its global impact, the many gifts donated from numerous African countries, and at the top of the monument which is housed in the man head you can look out into the city. There were about 5 levels full of various gifts from many African countries, which was truly inspiring !! To see community building from near and far speaks to what can happen as a collective unit.

Quite a powerful structure and amazed at how much of a message is being conveyed! When looking at the woman in the monument she also offers an intriguing thought, particularly to her child in that even when looking to the future, don’t forget your past!

What I do find interesting is that everything surrounding the monument is either unfinished and/or underdeveloped. It makes you think this massive structure sits in a space where depending on your perspective it is either out of place or the start of something new and fresh.

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To close out the day we went to a traditional Senegalese market to do a little shopping. Now let me just say this, I’m not one to haggle and negotiate. I have a price in my head of how much I want to spend and that’s the parameters I work with to get to the end goal. This is a wholesale marketplace, which means many vendors come here to get there supply and then go to their respective places and sell same said items, typically at a marked up price. The build had to have at least 5 levels, and talk about being overwhelmed, filled with anxiety, and willing to walk right out the door. But let me give a major shout out to our trip facilitator Dr. Kentaya Beeler (#TranquilityPathwaysTravel) who has the haggling game on lock!! I literally watched her find a specific vendor/seller, select her items, grab a seat, and the games began!! It was like watching a master at work, when she quoted a price that was what it was going to be, no ifs ands or buts about it. It takes a special skill to make the magic happen that she did. It was to a point that I became worn just watching it all unfold. I guess I am just used to going to a store finding the sale rack and making my purchase. Talk about being in awe! She was going toe to toe with these men and turning “water into wine.” And I thank her, because she definitely got me some EXCELLENT deals!! All in all, it takes a certain mindset to participate and take the necessary steps for some retail action.

Sidenote: Once again traveling on these Senegalese streets is quite an adventure. I am still blown away by the way locals navigate the roads, whether in a bus like us, traveling on a motorcycle taxi, a bicycle, walking, or even horse and buggy. On MANY occasions I saw my life pass before my eyes. The fearless mentality is beyond my understanding. What I witnessed morning, noon, and night is aggressive driving to the tenth power!! And somehow there were no accidents….

All in all, while it was quite a long day especially when you factor in the travel, it truly did my spirit good!

ONE MORE DAY LEFT!!

You know what’s next, see you soon! ~Dr. G