#senegaleses | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bulkbinbox · 2 years

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quatro soldados senegaleses durante a primeiras guerra mundial, paul castelnau.

#paul castelnau #senegaleses #primeiras guerra mundial

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fyblackwomenart · 4 months

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Black Diamond by Mokodu Fall

#Mokodu Fall #Senegalese artist #black women #woc beauty #figurative painting

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writingwithcolor · 1 month

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Sri Lankan Fairies and Senegalese Goddesses: Mixing Mythology as a Mixed Creator

[Note: this archive ask was submitted before the Masterpost rules took effect in 2023. The ask has been abridged for clarity.]

@reydjarinkenobi asked:

Hi, I’m half Sri Lankan/half white Australian, second gen immigrant though my mum moved when she was a kid. My main character for my story is a mixed demigod/fae. [...] Her bio mum is essentially a Scottish/Sri Lankan fairy and her other bio mum (goddess) is a goddess of my own creation, Nettamaar, who’s name is derived from [...] Wolof words [...]. The community of mages that she presided over is from the South Eastern region of Senegal [...] In the beginning years of European imperialism, the goddess basically protected them through magic and by blessing a set of triplets effectively cutting them off from the outside world for a few centuries [...] I was unable to find a goddess that fit the story I wanted to tell [...] and also couldn’t find much information on the internet for local gods, which is why I have created my own. I know that the gods in Hinduism do sort of fit into [the story] but my Sri Lankan side is Christian and I don’t feel comfortable representing the Hindu gods in the way that I will be this goddess [...]. I wanted to know if any aspect of the community’s history is problematic as well as if I should continue looking further to try and find an African deity that matched my narrative needs? I was also worried that having a mixed main character who’s specifically half black would present problems as I can’t truly understand the black experience. I plan on getting mixed and black sensitivity readers once I finish my drafts [...] I do take jabs at white supremacy and imperialism and I I am planning to reflect my feelings of growing up not immersed in your own culture and feeling overwhelmed with what you don’t know when you get older [...]. I’m sorry for the long ask but I don’t really have anyone to talk to about writing and I’m quite worried about my story coming across as insensitive or problematic because of cultural history that I am not educated enough in.

Reconciliation Requires Research

First off: how close is this world’s history to our own, omitting the magic? If you’re aiming for it to be essentially parallel, I would keep in mind that Senegal was affected by the spread of Islam before the Europeans arrived, and most people there are Muslim, albeit with Wolof and other influences.

About your Scottish/Sri Lankan fairy character: I’ll point you to this previous post on Magical humanoid worldbuilding, Desi fairies as well as this previous post on Characterization for South Asian-coded characters for some of our commentary on South Asian ‘fae’. Since she is also Scottish, the concept can tie back to the Celtic ideas of the fae.

However, reconciliation of both sides of her background can be tricky. Do you plan on including specific Sri Lankan mythos into her heritage? I would tread carefully with it, if you plan to do so. Not every polytheistic culture will have similar analogues that you can pull from.

To put it plainly, if you’re worried about not knowing enough of the cultural histories, seek out people who have those backgrounds and talk to them about it. Do your research thoroughly: find resources that come from those cultures and read carefully about the mythos that you plan to incorporate. Look for specificity when you reach out to sensitivity readers and try to find sources that go beyond a surface-level analysis of the cultures you’re looking to portray.

~ Abhaya

I see you are drawing on Gaelic lore for your storytelling. Abhaya has given you good links to discussions we’ve had at WWC and the potential blindspots in assuming, relative to monotheistic religions like Christianity, that all polytheistic and pluralistic lore is similar to Gaelic folklore. Fae are one kind of folklore. There are many others. Consider:

Is it compatible? Are Fae compatible with the Senegalese folklore you are utilizing?

Is it specific? What ethnic/religious groups in Senegal are you drawing from?

Is it suitable? Are there more appropriate cultures for the type of lore you wish to create?

Remember, Senegalese is a national designation, not an ethnic one, and certainly not a designation that will inform you with respect to religious traditions. But more importantly:

...Research Requires Reconciliation

My question is why choose Senegal when your own heritage offers so much room for exploration? This isn’t to say I believe a half Sri-Lankan person shouldn’t utilize Senegalese folklore in their coding or vice-versa, but, to put it bluntly, you don’t seem very comfortable with your heritage. Religions can change, but not everything cultural changes when this happens. I think your relationship with your mother’s side’s culture offers valuable insight to how to tackle the above, and I’ll explain why.

I myself am biracial and bicultural, and I had to know a lot about my own background before I was confident using other cultures in my writing. I had to understand my own identity—what elements from my background I wished to prioritize and what I wished to jettison. Only then was I able to think about how my work would resonate with a person from the relevant background, what to be mindful of, and where my blindspots would interfere.

I echo Abhaya’s recommendation for much, much more research, but also include my own personal recommendation for greater self-exploration. I strongly believe the better one knows oneself, the better they can create. It is presumptuous for me to assume, but your ask’s phrasing, the outlined plot and its themes all convey a lack of confidence in your mixed identity that may interfere with confidence when researching and world-building. I’m not saying give up on this story, but if anxiety on respectful representation is a large barrier for you at the moment, this story may be a good candidate for a personal project to keep to yourself until you feel more ready.

(See similar asker concerns here: Running Commentary: What is “ok to do” in Mixed-Culture Supernatural Fiction, here: Representing Biracial Black South American Experiences and here: Am I fetishizing my Japanese character?)

- Marika.

Start More Freely with Easy Mode

Question: Why not make a complete high-fantasy universe, with no need of establishing clear real-world parallels in the text? It gives you plenty of leg room to incorporate pluralistic, multicultural mythos + folklore into the same story without excessive sweating about historically accurate worldbuilding.

It's not a *foolproof* method; even subtly coded multicultural fantasy societies like Avatar or the Grishaverse exhibit certain harmful tropes. I also don't know if you are aiming for low vs high fantasy, or the degree of your reliance on real world culture / religion / identity cues.

But don't you think it's far easier for this fantasy project to not have the additional burden of historical accuracy in the worldbuilding? Not only because I agree with Mod Marika that perhaps you seem hesitant about the identity aspect, but because your WIP idea can include themes of othering and cultural belonging (and yes, even jabs at supremacist institutions) in an original fantasy universe too. I don't think I would mind if I saw a couple of cultural markers of a Mughal Era India-inspired society without getting a full rundown of their agricultural practices, social conventions and tax systems, lol.

Mod Abhaya has provided a few good resources about what *not* to do when drawing heavily from cultural coding. With that at hand, I don't think your project should be a problem if you simply make it an alternate universe like Etheria (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power), Inys (The Priory of the Orange Tree) or Earthsea (the Earthsea series, Ursula K. Le Guin). Mind you, we can trace the analogues to each universe, but there is a lot of freedom to maneuver as you wish when incorporating identities in original fantasy. And of course, multiple sensitivity readers are a must! Wishing you the best for the project.

- Mod Mimi

#asks #multiracial #multicultural #south asian #sri lankan #senegalese #west african #identity #representation #worldbuilding #fantasy #mythology #folklore #fairies #deities #adoption #identity issues #mixed experiences #coding

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thrdnarrative · 1 month

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"Every Senegalese — mothers and fathers, even the president of the republic — they love Senegalese wrestling." - Khadim Gadiaga, president of the Senegalese Wrestlers Association

The interlocked hands of a wrestler after losing a stadium match. © Nico Therin

#Senegal #Africa #Senegalese wrestling #documentary photography #Nico Therin #Khadim Gadiaga #Senegalese Wrestlers Association

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africanrefugeeswelcome · 27 days

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Refugees Welcome = Increase in the birth rate in declining countries with a serious demographic crisis. Thank you African men for saving us!

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6lack6rutha · 3 months

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#black men are kings #blackisbeautiful #senegal #senegalese wrestling #wrestling

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thunderstruck9 · 2 years

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Omar Ba (Senegalese, 1977), Pedigree Dog, 2012. Gouache, chalk and golden acrylic on cardboard, 191 x 150 cm.

#omar ba #senegalese art #dogs

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sahljournal · 1 year

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A Senegalese girl. Unknown photographer.

#Senegal #girl #West Africa #Senegalese #Mauritania

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dyingenigma · 18 days

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Eid Mubarak friends 💕💕💕

#the boubou is very much giving Senegalese 70s auntie #someone special got it for me #had to straighten my hair yesterday but it didn’t budge #at least i tried #the Eid is blessed and quiet #love love love

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nashvillethotchicken · 2 months

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It is deeply unfortunate that Anne Rice and white culture is hyperobsessed with Europe as the supposed hub of culture so all the "it" vampires flock to Europe and France specifically, because I genuinely think Louis and Claudia would have had a ball in Rio

#vampfam #iwtv #interview with the vampire #louis de pointe du lac #claudia du pointe du lac #iwtv claudia #as someone who ahs traveled a lot. and been to europe and brazil. they would have loved brazil #they might have experienced racism but they are also 1: extremely rich and 2: american they would have been fine #plus theyre lightskin (or at least bailaudia was) and that color caste system is in full effect they would have had a ki #but no i think theyll be “fine” in that theyll be accepted by larger society more easily bc of their class positions and americanness #europeans often see american blackness as exotic. like how some people react to hearing Australian accents. at least in my experience #now if they were Senegalese or Haitian or algerian or any of that theyd be dead but they arent so they good for rn

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yourdailyqueer · 3 months

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Naomi Lareine

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Lesbian

DOB: 17 January 1994

Ethnicity: Senegalese, Mauritanian, Swiss

Nationality: Swiss

Occupation: Singer, songwriter, former prof soccer player

#Naomi Lareine #lesbianism #sapphic #lgbt #lgbtq #female #lesbian #1994 #black #african #poc #biracial #Senegalese #Mauritanian #swiss #singer #songwriter #athlete #soccer

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jareckiworld · 8 months

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Ousmane Niang — The World is Looking for a Future (acrylic, canvas, 2022)

#Ousmane Niang #senegalese art #african contemporary art #pointillism

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thenewgothictwice · 1 year

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Rest in peace, Safi Faye (November 22, 1943 – February 22, 2023).

#safi faye #senegalese cinema

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fredwkong · 8 months

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Very hot. I kinda wanna see how he'd be if he chose the Senegalese flag tho

Amazing conclusion to the 1000 cards story! I would love to see what would happen if Eric had picked the Senegalese card though...

The morning after he picks the Senegalese card, Eric swears he’s getting darker-skinned by the minute. Every time he glances in the mirror, he looks darker, hunkier, more vascular. He’s turning into an absolute beast.

Out at the club on Sunday night with Blair, Eric loses himself in the groove within minutes. He’s bumping and shaking like the music is in his blood. Something about EDM just lets loose sparks in his brain. He grinds so hard against Blair that the little guy almost falls over, but Eric just picks him up and puts him on his broad shoulder.

After his session with Aaron the next day, Eric has a sudden brainwave. “Bro, come stretch with me,” he says. On the mobility mats, he finds himself suddenly dropping into an easy split, bending forward over his front leg to really feel the stretch in his bulky brown hamstring.

Aaron watches in amazement. “I didn’t even know guys your size could bend like that,” he says.

“Dancing,” Eric replies, switching to the opposite leg. “I spend all my time dancing back home.” As he says it, he thinks: Where is home again?

He checks his phone later, and finds tons of pictures of his dark-skinned, curly-haired body riding boats with a dozen uncannily similar looking men and women. Of course, it’s from the last family reunion in Dakar! A griot family like his keeps close ties to each other, no matter how far apart they live. Eric jumps in the family whatsapp and sends an emoji in response to his auntie’s latest culinary photoshoot.

By midweek, Eric notices that his voice has dropped again. He’s speaking slower, his accent smooth and musical. Blair shivers when Eric rumbles in his ear.

“I can feel your voice right through your chest,” he says, lying back on top of Eric. He’s a comfortable weight, like a dumbbell between Eric’s pecs.

Eric laughs deep in his throat, just to feel Blair shudder with pleasure again.

Life’s not perfect. School’s pretty hard as an economics major, especially as the first in his family to come to the States for college. Eric has no idea how he’s going to explain to his family that he’s dating not one non-Wolof boy, but two different non-Wolof boys. But that’s not his problem right now. All Eric has to worry about right now is going dancing, dicking his boys down, and getting ready for football practice to start up again in a couple of weeks.

He doesn't even think about the cards again until months later.