21 images Created 10 Mar 2021
The Rock of Ngor
Djibril Ndir is one of more than 10,000 young men who have registered as wrestlers in the Senegalese National Wrestling League, hoping that they will become rich and famous. The young man lives in Ngor, a quarter of Dakar, the capital of Senegal. He gave himself the wrestler name "Kherou Ngor", which means "the rock of Ngor". Kherou Ngor trains rigorously every day in order to become "The King of the Arena" in Senegal. Young men like Kherou Ngor regard wrestling as a way to make it in Senegal, a country where the average annual income is around 1,300 euros. For many, it is “la lutte ou la pirogue,” wrestling or taking a boat across the Mediterranean, in hopes of finding opportunity in Europe.
But Senegalese wrestling is not just about physical strength. Witchcraft and so called Gris-gris rituals also play a very important role.. The Gris-gris rituals are performed as a firm part of the wrestling show, even in the big stadiums, any many believe tat they decide over victory or defeat in the matches. Many wrestlers don't hesitate to use black magic in order to win over their opponents, or even to kill them. This is why Senegalese wrestling is regarded as the most dangerous sport in Senegal.
Kherou Ngor also feels compelled to perform various rituals regularly to ensure his victory and success, as even a single defeat can mean the end of any wrestler's years-long career. Even though he is aware of that risk, he is not afraid to puts all eggs in one basket, hoping that he will be among the few who will become big wrestling stars one day.
Year: 2015 - 2020
But Senegalese wrestling is not just about physical strength. Witchcraft and so called Gris-gris rituals also play a very important role.. The Gris-gris rituals are performed as a firm part of the wrestling show, even in the big stadiums, any many believe tat they decide over victory or defeat in the matches. Many wrestlers don't hesitate to use black magic in order to win over their opponents, or even to kill them. This is why Senegalese wrestling is regarded as the most dangerous sport in Senegal.
Kherou Ngor also feels compelled to perform various rituals regularly to ensure his victory and success, as even a single defeat can mean the end of any wrestler's years-long career. Even though he is aware of that risk, he is not afraid to puts all eggs in one basket, hoping that he will be among the few who will become big wrestling stars one day.
Year: 2015 - 2020
