HOW SENEGALESE
WRESTLING BECAM
MODERN MARTIAL A
SENSATION
Why You Should Care - “Because this wrestling-boxing combo is bigger t
BY CIKU KIMERIA
T
he crowd is buzzing as the unforgiving
Dakar sun beats down and the stadium
fills past capacity. The crowd is buzz-
ing as the unforgiving Dakar sun beats
down and the stadium fills past capacity. The
air is thick with tension — one fears to step on
anyone’s toes. The drums pound louder in an-
ticipation of the historic match that is about to
begin. Two loincloth-clad wrestlers prepare in an
expansive ring, their feet deep in the sand. Each
grappler is joined by a marabout or two, spiri-
13 | Colossium . August 2018
tual guides who lead their men through rituals
that, while steeped in traditional culture, also
borrow heavily from the mystical Sufi Islamism
practiced by most Senegalese. In the ring is
Fodé Doussouba, the 6-foot-2-inch, 330-pound
star of traditional Senegalese wrestling sans
frappe (without hitting or punching), who has
enjoyed an undefeated, 11-year reign. He walks
through a wooden loop four times to ward off
negative spells. His opponent is the heavy fa-
vorite, Bory Patar, the 6-foot-5-inch, 265-pound