Experience everything that the “Gateway to Africa” has to offer – right from campus! The 2023-24 Year of Senegal will be a yearlong exploration into the West African country’s culture, history, and global influence.
The Year of Senegal is part of a rich tradition of globally-focused programming that has existed at the university since 1984. We are proud to continue the collaboration with key international, domestic, and campus partners to host special performances, events, lectures, exhibits, and seminars. These offerings help foster local and global connections and engagement across cultures.
The year commences with a talking drummer featured in Marvel's Black Panther film franchise and continues with Senegalese-choreographed productions, film screenings, speakers, and student engagement events. Everyone will be able to take part in Senegalese life and culture throughout the year. Our upcoming events are open to the public and we invite all faculty, students, staff, alumni, and the surrounding KSU community to attend!
We look forward to seeing you at the diverse programming being offered this year as part of the Year of Senegal. Many thanks to the faculty and staff, as well as the campus, community and international partners, who are bringing the Senegalese experience to Kennesaw State University!
Listed below are the Year of Senegal events for the 2023-24 academic year. Event details including the times and locations will be added as information becomes available. Please check back! If you have any questions about the events listed below, please contact Community Engagement and Outreach in Global Education at global.engagement@kennesaw.edu .
Fall 2023
Year of Senegal Kick-off Event
Date: Friday, August 18
Location: Student Center University Rooms (Kennesaw Campus)
Schedule:
10:15-11:00 am - Opening Ceremony
11:00 am-12:00 pm - Reception and Meet & Greet
1:25-2:15 pm - Festivities: Learn more about the talking drum and the Senegal-America
Project that continues to connect people
2:30-3:20 pm - Master drumming class to learn from the experts in this one-of-a-kind
experience
Join us as we kick-off the Year of Senegal as part of KSU's Week of Welcome.
We are excited to bring world-renowned percussionists Massamba Diop and Tony Vacca
to introduce us to the music and mysteries, hope and histories of the talking drum
in Senegalese culture. Before the telephone, there was the talking drum - - and we
get to experience it first hand!
Hear about Massamba Diop's experience when he was selected and his drumming featured
in Marvel's Black Panther films, then experience it for yourself!
*Attendees will receive a limited-edition Year of Senegal t-shirt, wristband, and laptop logo sticker!*
Celebration of Stone Carving in Senegal
Date: Tuesday, September 19
Location: Campus Green (Kennesaw Campus)
Time: 11:00 am-2:00 pm
The Zuckerman Museum of Art and the Year of Senegal invite you to attend the Celebration of Stone Carving, an annual event and mini-festival celebrating the art of stone carving, in honor of Ruth Zuckerman’s birthday! This year’s program focuses on the stone carvings and artists of Senegal! At this event you will learn about the ancient origins of stone carving, see Ruth Zuckerman’s tool set, and learn how the tools and techniques from ancient times are still used today. You can also try some of the hands-on activities: chisel a real block of marble, carve your own small plaster sculpture, or carve your own small sculpture out of sandstone. While there, enjoy a birthday treat in honor of Ruth Zuckerman!
Film Screening of Sembene!
Date: Thursday, October 12
Location: Social Sciences Building, Room 1021 (Kennesaw Campus)
Time: 11:00 am-1:00 pm (Time changed from original promotion)
Called "The inspiring story of the father of African cinema," this film showcases the life of Senegalese director, producer, and writer Ousmane Sembène, who impacted the world of literature and film, while creating social change in the process.
The Cannes and Sundance award-winning film will be watched and reviewed with the support of Radow College faculty; students can also ask questions of the filmmaker.
The "endlessly fascinating... enormously moving" life of Sembène and this award-winning film will inspire you no matter what field of study you are pursuing, so grab a snack, sit back, and take it all in.
This event is sponsored by KSU's School of Communication & Media, Black Studies, and
Global Education.
Goats on the Green
Date: Wednesday, October 18
Location: Campus Green (Kennesaw Campus)
Time: 12:00-3:00 pm
While Senegal is home to over 16 million people, the population of goats in the country is over 6 million! You can find goats everywhere in Senegal - - and on this date you can find them on the Campus Green! Get a close up look and take a photo with these cute animals that are an integral part of Senegalese goat farming and their economy.
Grab your collectible Year of Senegal "I goat this" sticker and win prizes - - from stuffed animal goats to limited edition
KSU GOAT ball caps!
Economic Development Issues in Senegal: Food Safety and Sanitation
Date: Tuesday, October 24
Location: Social Sciences Building, Room 1021 (Kennesaw Campus)
Times:
9:30-10:45 am - Peanuts and the economics of food safety in rural Senegal
11:00 am-12:15 pm - The market for sanitation in urban Senegal
Coles College faculty member Dr. Timothy Mathews and Eric Celler of KSU's Bagwell
Center will lead these sessions.
What impact do these practices have on our own lives and the world? What can we learn, to ensure we are global citizens who make sound decisions and protect people and our planet?
Film Screening of Kemtiyu, Cheikh Anta
Date: Wednesday, November 1
Location: Social Sciences Building, Room 1019 (Kennesaw Campus)
Time: 6:00-9:00 pm
As seen at the African Film Festival in 2020, the film Kemtiyu, Cheikh Anta focuses on the life of Senegalese scholar Cheikh Anta Diop. The documentary will challenge viewers to consider the relationship between many elements of human existence: science and history, geography and identity, and political context and research.
Diop's educational background and experiences will leave you in awe. Studying at the
Sorbonne and translating Einstein's theory of relativity into his native language
are just two uncommon facets of his story. His influence on cross-cultural dialogue
was unparalleled - - his life will challenge and inspire you!
Join Radow College faculty member Dr. Seneca Vaught, who will lead the review of the film. Snacks will be available.
Sage: Performances with Senegalese Artist in Residence Kaolack (Pape Ibrahima Ndiaye)
Dates: Friday and Saturday, November 10 & 11
Location: KSU Dance Theatre (Marietta Campus)
Time: 8:00 pm
Kaolack (Pape Ibrahima Ndiaye) is a contemporary Senegalese dance artist with a substantial history as a performer, choreographer, and teacher. He trained with and performed in Senegal’s premier contemporary African dance company Jant Bi, directed by the “mother of contemporary African dance” Germaine Acogny. He also performed with contemporary dance luminary nora chipaumire (who hails from Zimbabwe and has performed and created work internationally for decades). Kaolack is currently completing his MFA at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and has created works with undergraduate students across the U.S. Kaolack’s approach to contemporary concert dance brings an innovative and important new perspective to KSU's dance department.
The KSU community will be able to enjoy the results of Kaolack's original choreography, created with KSU students over four weeks while he serves as an artist in residence. Dance assistant professor Dasha Chapman oversees this collaboratory experience.
Tickets can be purchased on the College of the Arts website.
Book Club: Get your free book now for this Spring event!
Date: Friday, February 16, 2024
Location: ALC 5103 (Kennesaw Campus)
Time: 3:00-4:30 pm
KSU's Center for Africana Studies (CAS) is hosting its annual book club, featuring "Brotherhood" written by Senegalese author MOHAMED MBOUGAR SARR.
After signing up below, participants will pick up their free book by December 20, read it before February 16, and join the group for discussion on February 16. (Only 20 free books are available.)
Sign up here for this multi-faceted discussion with KSU faculty, staff, and students.
Spring 2024
Taste of Senegal: Spring Semester Kickoff for the "Year of Senegal"
NEW Date: Wednesday, January 24, 2024
Location: Wilson Student Center (Marietta Campus)
Time: 2:00-5:00 pm
Taste food and beverages from Senegal and enter to win prizes! Find out more about The Dakar Rally, which is often considered the most dangerous race in the world (and for good reason)!
Learn more about this historic two-week race that ended in Dakar, Senegal for 29 years
and now continues in Saudi Arabia after a few rallies in other locations.
“The Fabric of Family: The Cultural Economy of Clothes and Fashion in Senegalese Society”- AND -“So You Can Still Dance?” Women, Family, and Performance in a Transnational Griot Family- Presented by Dr. Marame Gueye (COTA’s 2024 Distinguished Lecturer)
Date: Thursday, January 18, 2024
Location: Dance Department, 1200 Chastain Pointe, Suite 300 (Kennesaw Campus)
Time: Workshops at 9:30 am and 12:30 pm; Program at 4pm
FEATURING: Dr. Marame Gueye is an Associate Professor of African and African Diaspora Literatures at East Carolina University. She is a Senegalese American Feminist whose work focuses on the verbal art of women, gender, hip-hop, and migrations. She is a scholar-activist of women’s rights in Senegal and its diaspora.
WORKSHOPS: 9:30 am and 12:30 pm
“The Fabric of Family: The Cultural Economy of Clothes and Fashion in Senegalese Society”
In fall 2022, Dr. Gueye challenged herself to wear African and African-inspired outfits
whenever she taught. The challenge allowed her to engage with her students and colleagues
beyond her anticipation. It proved to be an effective tool to lift certain stereotypes
of Africa, while sharing the role of fashion and fabric in Senegalese social relations.
Hear firsthand about this experience and see some of her outfits.
LECTURE: 4:00 pm
“So You Can Still Dance?” Women, Family, and Performance in a Transnational Griot Family
This lecture centers on women's verbal art in the Saloum region of Senegal. Hear how song and dance constitute heirlooms passed down between generations of women. Looking at how griotte women produce and share traditional music emphasizes what it means to be a griotte (keeper of performance traditions) in modern-day Senegal and how issues of migration, belonging, and education intersect within one family whose primary role is to produce music and entertain.
This program is sponsored by KSU's College of the Arts Distinguished Lecture Series.
Interpretive Poetry Reading: "Black Poetry, Black Performance, Black Politics: A Poetic
History of Senegal and Black America"
Join us for an interactive poetry reading based on, or inspired by, various lines of poetry from Leopold Senghor's work matched with lines from Black American poets, contemporary rap lyrics, and/or elaborated upon in original pieces, as shared by KSU students and community members in an open mic session.
This program is hosted by KSU's Department of English, the Interdisciplinary Studies
Department, and the Black Studies Program.
"Brotherhood" Book Club
Date: Friday, February 16, 2024
Location: ALC 4201 (Kennesaw Campus)
Time: 3:00-4:30 pm
KSU's Center for Africana Studies (CAS) is hosting its annual book club, featuring
"Brotherhood" written by Senegalese author MOHAMED MBOUGAR SARR. Faculty, staff, and
students are asked to get their free book, read it before February 16, and join the
group (and hopefully the author) for discussion on February 16. Twenty (20) free books
are available.
Location: Social Sciences Building, 1019 (Kennesaw Campus)
Time: 3:30-4:30 pm
Race, the arts, humanities, and STEM, focusing on the life of Senegalese scholar Cheikh
Anta Diop and the connection he made between various fields of study.
As seen at the African Film Festival in 2020, the film Kemtiyu, Cheikh Anta focuses on the life of Senegalese scholar Cheikh Anta Diop. This discussion of his life and the documentary will be led by KSU faculty from a variety of disciplines. The panel will challenge participants to reflect on Cheikh Anta Diop's work and the relationship he considered between many elements of human existence: science and history, geography and identity, and political context and research.
This panel is hosted by KSU's Interdisciplinary Studies Department and the Black Studies
Program.
Senegal's Musical and Cultural Diversity
Date: Friday, March 1, 2024
Location: Morgan Concert Hall, Bailey Performance Center (Kennesaw Campus)
Time: 11:15 am
Oumar Traore is a contemporary Senegalese musician, performer, band leader, composer, producer, sound engineer, and teacher with thirty years of experience in live band performance and an unparalleled background in musicology, culture, and various ethnic musical genres in Senegal and The Gambia.
This presentation will introduce you to Senegalese musical traditions, and will broaden
your knowledge and understanding of the style and structure of West African music.
This session is co-hosted by the Dr. Bobbie Bailey School of Music and Norman J. Radow
College of Humanities & Social Sciences.
QUATRE-HEURES: Le Sénégal
Date: Thursday, March 21, 2024
Location: Carmichael Student Center, 205 (Kennesaw Campus)
Time: 4:00-5:00 pm
As part of National Francophonie Month, KSU's Department of World Languages and Cultures is hosting QUATRE-HEURES: Le Sénégal.
We will explore Sénégal in French and in English. All are welcome for this cultural discussion led by Dr. Cherif Diop, Senegalese by birth and KSU Professor of English.
Dr. Noëlle Brown, Senior Lecturer of French is leading the event.
KSU's Symposium on Alcohol Policy and Research in West Africa with a Focus on Senegal
Date: Thursday, March 28, 2024
Location: Prillaman Indoor Plaza (Kennesaw Campus)
Time: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
West Africa is a region with high alcohol burden, but with limited research and fragmented policies. This panel will be discussing alcohol policies and interventions and whether they have the desired effects, especially with a reported rise in alcohol use among youth in Senegal.
The symposium is co-hosted by Dr. Monica Swahn, Dean of Wellstar College of Health
and Human Services and Professor of Health Promotion and Physical Education AND Dr.
Brandon Lundy, Chair of the Department of Geography and Anthropology and Professor
of Anthropology.
Recognizing the Movement in Social Movement: Culture, History, and Healing in Senegalese
Dance and Drum (Dance/Movement Workshop)
Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Location: Social Science Building, Room 4060 (Kennesaw Campus)
Time: 12:30-1:45 pm
Join dancer, choreographer, and artistic director Pape Moussa for a discussion and
workshop about the role of dance and music in Senegal as a key vehicle to transmit
culture, build community, and affirm identity. An expert in his craft, Pape Moussa
has performed nationally in Senegal and around the world, carrying the rich traditions
and contemporary innovations in Senegalese popular performance.
This event is hosted by KSU’s Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, in collaboration with KSU’s Department of Dance.
A Taste of Senegal
Date: Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Time: 12 pm-Sold Out
Location: The Commons and Stingers
With a quick swipe, you can sample some Senegalese food and get a little "taste" of
this African country, along with your meal! No additional meal plan entries required.
KSU Day of Service: Books for Africa
Date: Friday, April 5, 2024
Location: Books for Africa Warehouse. Volunteers will take a shuttle from the Kennesaw or Marietta
Campus.
Time: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
As part of KSU’s 10th annual event, we’ll be hosting the Books For Africa project! All volunteer slots for this event are currently full. Please visit KSU's Days of Service to register for other open service opportunities.
Khaware (Xaware): Year of Senegal Spring Ceremony hosted by KSU's College of the Arts
Date: Saturday, April 6, 2024
Location: Bailey Performance Center (Kennesaw Campus)
Time: 8:00 pm
The Department of Dance will present Khaware (Xaware), directed by Dasha Chapman and
Teresa Howard. This celebration of African dance features sabar, a Sengalese dance
form accompanied by drumming. The KSU Percussion Ensemble, directed by John Lawless,
will accompany the dancers with traditional Senegalese rhythms, using authentic instruments
for this performance. Immerse yourself in an evening of total theatre with Khaware
(Xaware).
Tickets are required for this performance. Please contact the COTA Box Office for
more information or purchase tickets here.
Senegal: A Tradition of Sufism
Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Location: Prillaman Hall, 2204 (Kennesaw Campus)
Time: 11:00 am - 1:30 pm
Join Professor Souleymane Bachir Diagne the Director of the Institute of African Studies at Columbia University, as he discusses Muslim Brotherhoods and Sufism in Senegal.
This program is hosted by KSU's Center for Africana Studies (CAS).
The GOATS are baaaaa-ck!
Dates: Monday, April 22 (K) and Thursday, April 25 (M), 2024
Locations:
4/22 - Campus Green (Kennesaw Campus)
4/25 - K Field (Marietta Campus)
Time: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Get ready to pet some goats, take fun photos, and learn about this animal's role in
Senegalese culture AND in U.S. sustainability practices as part of the Year of Senegal
and Earth Week!
This event is hosted by KSU's Department of Sustainability and Global Education.
Senegal Exhibit
In collaboration with KSU's Museums, Archives, and Rare Books (MARB) and Professor Adina Langer’s Museum’s Exhibitions (HIST 4427) class, the Year of Senegal has developed a set of introductory exhibit panels to give a general overview of the country of study, including definitions, images, and historical figures, with additional context provided below. KSU Global Education wants to thank the following students for their contributions to the exhibit panels: Carson McCullough, Clifton West, Colin Malek, Logan Disher, Malika David, Michelle Sallie, PJ Skinner, Rafael Dixon, Reagan Earnhart, and Sierra Mchugh-Bryan.
The Year of Senegal panels can be viewed outside the Global Education offices (Academic Learning Center, 5th floor, Suite 5625). Below you will find supplemental terms, locations, and figures that are bolded on the panels.
Baobab
A short tree with a thick trunk and edible fruit native to Africa and Australia. Senegalese
people have traditionally considered baobab trees to be sacred. People take special
care of these trees in Senegalese villages, often asking the spirit of the tree for
good fortune, health, or success.
Fula
An ethnic group in Sahel and West Africa that dispersed across the region traditionally
consisting of semi-sedentary/ semi-nomadic people. Their history dates back to the
5th century CE.
Jola
An ethnic group found throughout Senegal, but especially in the Lower Casamance region.
They are one of the oldest indigenous peoples in the Senegambia region.
Lingua franca
A language adopted as a common language between speakers whose native languages are different. The etymology of the term derives from a common language spoken by people around the Levant and eastern Mediterranean Sea to support commerce and diplomacy from the late medieval era to the 18th century.
Maison des Esclaves
Built of red terra cotta around 1776 as a holding place for enslaved people waiting
to be transported across the Atlantic Ocean, the Mason des Esclaves has served as
a museum telling the story of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade since 1962. In 2015 the
International Coalition of Sites of Conscience agreed to oversee the revitalization
of the museum with a focus on engaging visitors in dialogue based on up-to-date historical
interpretation.
Adama Paris
Fashion label owned and operated by Adama Amanda Ndiaye, a Senegalese fashion designer. Her pieces are manufactured in Morocco and sold around the world including in New York, Tokyo, London, and Paris.
Negritude
Literally the quality or fact of being of Black African origin, but used colloquially
to mean affirmation or consciousness of the value of Black or African culture, heritage,
and identity.
Harlem Renaissance
Intellectual and cultural revival of African American music, dance, art, fashion, literature, theater, politics, and scholarship centered in Harlem, a neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City, in the United States during the 1920s and 1930s.
Birago Diop (1906 - 1989)
Senegalese poet and storyteller whose work promoted interest in African folktales around the world.
Mbokk
The Wolof word for family deriving from the concept of "people with whom you share.
Wolof
The largest ethnic group found in northwestern Senegal, the Gambia, and southwestern
coastal Mauritania. A Wolof empire thrived on the coast of West Africa between the
Senegal and Gambia rivers from the mid-14th to the mid-16th centuries CE.
Serer
The third largest ethnic group in Senegal, making up 15% of the Senegalese population.
The traditional Serer religion focuses on ancestral spirits and reincarnation.
Senegambia
Historical name for the geographical region in West Africa that lies between the Senegal
River in the north and the Gambia River in the south.
Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
A segment of the global slave trade that transported between 10 and 12 million enslaved
Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americans between the 16th and 19th centuries.
Sea Plaza
The first high-end shopping center of its kind in West Africa, Sea Plaza Dakar hosts more than 70 shops and restaurants with an emphasis on internationally known branded outlets.
Aboubakarim Ndaw
Senegalese fashion designer originally from Guinea with an accessories label known as Kakinbow. He is best known for his Touki (meaning "traveler in Wolof" bags made with local mud cloth and his poncho wraps made in earth-tones inspired by the region.
Leopold Sedar Senghor (1906-2001)
Senegalese poet, politician, and cultural theorist who became the first president
of Senegal (1960 - 1980). Senghor was an African socialist and proponent of African
culture and empowerment within French-African relations.
Cheikh Anta Diop (1923-1986)
Senegalese historian, anthropologist, physician, and politician whose studies focused on the origins of humanity in pre-colonial Africa.
Teranga
Roughly translated as "good hospitality," Teranga emphasizes the warmth, generosity,
and sharing that Senegal is known for, as it integrates their culture.
