Chic African Culture Blog

Did you know?

1. No African country names begin with the letters F, H, I, J, O, P, Q, V, W, X, or Y.

2. Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent.

3. African tech startups raise billions of dollars annually, seven African start-ups were included in the World Economic Forum 2021 cohort of 100 Technology Pioneers.

Warriors and Bare Hands Wrestling

Mbeurkatt is the Wolof word for a wrestler, wrestling is a very popular national sport in Senegal.

The traditional sport of Senegalese wrestling is a grassroots that started from the villages versus global, football handed down from the colonial authorities. The mighty Senegalese wrestler Tyson Tyson was the innovator of Senegalese bling Rockstar wrestling from 1995 to 2002.

Senegalese wrestlers fight with bare hands and without any protection however in traditional wrestling there is no punching, kicking or striking. Senegalese wrestling does not traditionally allow striking blows with the hands but since the 1990’s it is standardized with the Lutte Traditionnelle Sans Frappe and Lutte Traditionnelle Avec Frappe for the striking version. Traditional Senegalese wrestling was designed to measure the strength of men and designate the champion of the village.

Mbeurkatt is the Wolof word for wrestlers
Mbeurkatt is the Wolof
word for wrestler


Warriors and Bare Hands Traditional Wrestling in Africa.

Senegalese wrestling purists have issues with the Lutte Traditionnelle Avec Frappe striking version and advocate for Senegalese wrestling to return to the more conventional Greco-Roman style wrestling. Today Senegalese wrestling resembles the WWE and MMA rolled into one sport more popular than soccer in Senegal.

However, Senegalese wrestling has evolved into a widely televised, money-making event and its champions have rock star status. Becoming a popular wrestler, king of the arena and making money is why so many young men enter the sport wrestling for hours a day. Sponsors and developers are willing to pay big money to athletes.

Mouhamed Ndao alias Tyson Tyson was the star par excellence of Senegalese wrestling from 1995 to 2002. By itself, Tyson Tyson phenomenon is just like Hulk Hogan of the former WWE, he was the most popular fighter in the history of the sport.

Early WWE superstar Kamala “The Ugandan Giant” was born and raised in the US State of Mississippi, not in Uganda Africa. Promoted as a cannibalistic headhunter from the African jungles, Kamala was one of the most terrifying villains of the WWE during the '80s and '90s, today Kamala who real name is James Harris is living life as a double amputee.

Senegalese wrestling looks like a simple contest between two big strong men fighting in the sand dressed in loincloths but no wrestler regardless of his strength or technical abilities will enter the ring without his marabout. The marabout in Muslim Africa is believed to have supernatural power. The wrestling competition has many mystical rituals, which are supposed to instill bravery into the wrestler and fear into his opponent.

Mouhamed Ndao alias Tyson Tyson was the star par excellence of Senegalese wrestling
Mouhamed Ndao alias Tyson Tyson of  Senegalese wrestling

The mystical ritual ceremonies are to ward off bad luck before each fight. Before each confrontation, the mbeurkatt engages in "Baccou" of singing prowess to intimidate the opponent and seduce the audience dancing to the rhythm of drums.

Songs, also sung by griots and the appointed cherries, was then called "Ndawrabine". Under the watchful eye of three referees, a fight lasts a few minutes up to 45 minutes and can include a few 5-minute breaks.

The wrestlers fight with bare hands and without any protection however in traditional lamb there is no striking. The winner is whoever puts his opponent on the ground, whether on his back, butt, stomach, or a combination of hands and knees.


King of the Senegalese Wrestling Arena

Tyson is the arena name of Mouhamed Ndao, a superstar Senegalese wrestling athlete. Born in the Kaolack region of west-central Senegal, he spent his childhood in Pikine, in the suburbs of Dakar. Tysons first major victory on July 4, 1999, came against Manga II, indisputably the greatest Senegalese wrestler of all times.

On December 25, 2002, Tyson finally loses his title to Bombardier arena name of Serigne Ousmane Dia also known as B52by. Tyson defended his title twice being king of the arena for two and a half years however, he forever changed the sport of wrestling into a profitable money-making business.

The traditional sport of Senegalese wrestling is a grassroots that started from the villages versus global, football handed down from the colonial authorities. Traditional Senegalese wrestling was designed to measure the strength of men and designate the champion of the village.

Senegal wrestling athletes belong to stables, the same as football and baseball players belong to teams. There are well over 80 stables as Senegalese wrestling is a cultural and commercial phenomenon event selling out huge arenas.

Wrestlers are bigger stars than their footballing equivalents, and thousands of young boys dream of a lucrative career in the ring. Indeed, it is often said that wrestling has overtaken football in popularity and status.

Did you know? WWE is very popular throughout the world. The WWE Network will be available in the Middle East and North Africa; there is a loyal following in South Africa.

Getting to Know more about Africa

African Country Names Your Saying Wrong
What do Waist Beads Symbolize in Africa?
About African Healers and Witchdoctors
Hurricanes are Angry African Ancestors
Highest Temperature and Lowest Temperature in Africa
About African Night Running

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Africa is surrounded by water but is not an island, here are a few African Island facts.

Madagascar is the 4th large island in the world and is located in the Indian Ocean supporting a unique biology, about 90% of its plants and animals are found nowhere else on earth.

Composed of 155 islands, Seychelles is Africa's smallest country. By far the largest island is Mahe, home to about 90% of the population and the site of its capital city of Victoria.

Cabo Verde has a strategic location 310 miles or 500 km from the west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site.

Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent. Continents can not be considered islands because of their size and also by historic definition since many people who study geography define islands and continents as two different things.

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African journalism heavyweight Dr. Walter Rubusana was a Lovedale Missionary School superstar who paved the way for Nelson Mandela's political career. Steven Biko, one of South Africa's most significant political activists was a student at the Lovedale Missionary School along with Nelson Mandela. Tiyo Soga was South Africa’s first indigenous Black African to be ordained and work for the Presbyterian Church in 1857, he also attended Lovedale Missionary School. In 1824 Scottish Presbyterian missionaries John Bennie and John Ross of the Glasgow Missionary Society founded the city of Lovedale South Africa and later in 1841 the Lovedale Missionary School. Lovedale Missionary School later changed names to Lovedale College, then Lovedale Public FET College in 2002.  In 1835 British Kaffraria governed by Lieutenant General Sir Benjamin D'Urban restricted the Xhosa tribe to specifically designated areas. The new territory was named from British Kaffraria to the Province of Queen Ade
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Percentage of White people living in Africa

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Largest white populace in Africa. The African country with the largest white population of European descent is South Africa with 7.8% of the total population of 56.5 million people, the second is Botswana with 7% of the total population of 2.3 million, third is Namibia with 6% of the total population of 2.6 million. Smallest white populace in Africa. There are seven African countries tied for the smallest number of whites living in Africa and they all begin with the letter S and Z, they are South Sudan, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Sao Tome and Principe, Zambia and Zimbabwe with .01% of the total population in each African country. Minorities in Africa. Race and ethnicity in Africa is complex because of the colonization of all 54 African countries except Ethiopia by white Europeans of the United Kingdom, Germany, Romans, Danish, the French, the Dutch, China and many others. The listing of white inhabitants on Africa’s mainland and Islands uses data from 2020 World Fact Boo
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Using Amen and Ashe or Ase

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Usage of Amen and Ashe or Ase Ashe to Amen learn about the custom of using the words Ashe and Amen historically. Where did the word Amen and Ashe come from why is it said and what does it mean? In Judaism, 3,500 years old and Christian religions 2,000 years old, Amen, means may it be so. In the African Yoruba language among the Yoruba people whose culture is as old as time, Ashe or Ase means may it be so. Ase or Ashe means power, commandment, and authority, the ability to make whatever one says happen from the spiritual to the physical realm. In the Yoruba language, Ashe is omnipresent spiritual energy. Followers of Judaism and Christian religions use the word Amen. It is the word utilized to end prayers as an affirmation for the requests to be provided by God. Yoruba is as old as time, Ashe refers to the life force within all living things, the spark that animates life. It is used as a term used in the same manner as Amen at the end of appeals and prayers as an affirmati
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Russia Military Training in Africa

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Russia's military presence in Africa is a long historic one. The Russian Congo military deal was signed in May 2019 to fix old war machines and guns. In the African country the Republic of the Congo Brazzaville,  a military cooperation agreement was signed with Russia in May 2019 providing military specialists to service Russian-made military hardware and equipment.  The government state organization the Congolese Armed Forces  is out armed using aging Russian Soviet-era weapons .  The Russian Congo military deal was signed in May 2019 after talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and  former Marxist  Congolese president Denis Sassou Nguesso.  Sassou Nguesso employs  Private militias, which are are armed military groups that are composed of private citizens and not recognized by federal or state governments.  Many of the Russian military trainers are labeled as  unarmed advisers but are speculated to be soldiers and private contractors working for the Russian government.  Ru
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African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

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Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My father and mother are historians of African culture and history and their influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.

Chic African Culture

Be better than average and support African history and culture. Since 2008 Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet highlight Africa through her food and culture. Contact us culture1africangourmet@gmail.com