Transmission, hybridation, inventivité : lutte et techniques corporelles au Sénégal

Sunu Coosan: Creating “our tradition” in Senegalese wrestling songs

“…In the years since Senegal's independence, many professional musicians (who are not necessarily of géwël origin) have taken up various elements of Làmb music in the popular music industry 16 . Starting in the 1960s and 1970s, ensembles borrowed rhythmic themes from wrestling songs and inserted them into their own music (Wane, 2014, 148–50). More recently, professional singers have performed Làmb songs as part of their repertoire.…”

“…3 The nationalization of Làmb was a prolonged process that changed over time yet persisted despite political and economic upheavals. During the period of French colonization, urban wrestling arenas had already emerged as important spaces for reclaiming Senegalese masculine identities, and in the years leading up to independence, arenas became sites of political mobilization (Seck, 2015;Wane, 2014). Léopold Sédar Senghor, Senegal's first president, was known for his support of wrestling and even wrote several poems in praise of the sport.…”

“… 15 15 Mystical rites play a central role both in the preparatory stages for and in the actual Làmb wrestling as it is practiced today, as a means of protecting the wrestler from harm and of attempting to weaken the opponent. These public rituals have been cited by some scholars as the primary draw for contemporary audiences (Fall & Tribou, 2018; Wane & Chevé, 2017). However, locals explain that spells may sometimes miss their target and harm others in the vicinity instead of the opponent himself.…”

“… 16 16 Many popular musicians in Senegal are from the géwël caste or identify as géwël , but they are not the only ones who have taken up music as a profession. For more extensive scholarship on the modern music industry in Senegal and géwël professional involvement in it, see, for instance, Hearn (2014), McLaughlin (1997, 2011), and Wane (2014). …”

“Tying your ngemb”: Negotiating identity in Senegalese wrestling

“…The wrestling world is a far cry from the sporting model of European clubs with their well-equipped training centers, recruitment systems, and financial means that enable them to produce champions. In Senegalese wrestling, a muscular or attractive body or style, an original nickname, and oratory or dancing skills can also provide an opportunity to stand out, build one's reputation, and show ambition (Wane, 2016;Wane and Chevé, 2017). Here, it is the wrestlers, the neighborhoods, the media, and the social groups that bring wrestling into being.…”