The photographic series Senegalese Immigrants won third prize in the South American "FotoMigración: Migration through other lenses" organized by the IOM Regional Office in South America. The author is Leonardo Savaris.

Senegalese Immigrants

In the last years, many migrants from the Republic of Senegal have arrived in southern Brazil in search of jobs and better living conditions. Inmigrantes Senegaleses displays some cultural and social aspects that this community preserves and shares on a daily basis with the receiving populations. 

Some traditions maintained in the places where they have settled include thieboudienne, a dish bursting with flavour due to its generous amount of pepper, representative of their gastronomy; laamb, a wrestling sport that used to be done at the end of the harvest season, where the first person who can flip their opponent on their back wins; and the Grand Magal of Touba, a religious festivity characterised by generosity, friendship and union to pay homage to Muslim leader Ahmadou Bamba, who fought for religious freedom in Senegal during French colonial rule.

orto Alegre, Brazil, October 13th, 2018. Sabar dance during the Senegalese Cultural Week. It is a typical Senegalese festive dance to the beat of the drums.
Porto Alegre, Brazil, October 13th, 2018. A young Senegalese man is playing traditional music from his home land with the sabar, a drum typical of West Africa, during the Senegalese Cultural Week.
Porto Alegre, Brazil, December 1st, 2015. Walk for peace in the city centre during the celebration of the Grand Magal of Touba.
Porto Alegre, Brazil, October 17th, 2019. Men sitting in a circle, reading the Koran during the religious ceremony of the Grand Magal of Touba.
Porto Alegre, Brazil, October 17th, 2019. Men standing during the religious ceremony of the Grand Magal of Touba. There is chanting and prayer all throughout the day.
Porto Alegre, Brazil, October 17th, 2019. Senegalese women preparing typical dishes which are then distributed for free to the guests of the religious celebration of the Grand Magal of Touba.
Porto Alegre, Brazil, October 14th, 2019. Laamb fight, a traditional Senegalese wrestling sport, as part of the activities of the Senegalese Cultural Week.
Porto Alegre, Brazil, October 17th, 2019. Senegalese men washing the dishes used during the party of the Grand Magal of Touba.
Porto Alegre, Brazil, December 1st, 2015. Walk for peace in the city centre during the celebration of the Grand Magal of Touba.

Download here the complete book "Migration through other lenses" which includes this photographic series and other winners of the South American FotoMigración Contest.

SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
 

RELATED STORIES