Religion In Senegal

Muslim girl.

Religion is a prominent part of the Senegalese culture. Its effects can be seen in the way they dress to the way they greet each other. Girls with the hems of their skirts brushing their ankles will welcome you with ‘As-salamu alaykum’, Arabic for ‘peace be upon you’. 

Mosque in Kaolack

As my Djakarta, Motorcycle-taxi, sped towards the mosque, I was shocked by the extravagant white building growing before me.  I looked to right and saw the dusty roads of Kaolack that I had become accustomed to then looked to the left and was immediately taken to a different place, a different Kaolack.   If the importance of religion was not already clear, it was definitely clear now.

Walking into the Mosque, the roof, the walls, the floor were all decorated with intricate designs and rich colours. I took off my shoes and placed them with all the others.  As I looked around, I saw only men and I was immediately confused. Where are the women here? I turned to see a small man talking to Mountaga, our friend and escort for the day. We are immediately taken to a different section of the mosque, the women’s section, which was just as exciting as the men’s.