I visited a number of historical sites in Saint Louis that the guide referred to as UNESCO sites. At the present moment, we could not go in because the doors were chained. At these UNESCO sites, it appears that no current work is being done. When asked how the Senegalese people feel about the delay in restoration of the UNESCO sites, the tour guide responded that the people understand that UNESCO is quite busy as they are working on site all of the world. The tour guide also said that the people of St. Louis also understand that UNESCO is the one who will ultimately have the resources to restore this colonial sites. UNESCO selects sites and makes designates them as “World Heritage” after governments asked for it. But UNESCO does not provide any financial aid for preservation: the Senegalese government and local municipalities are supposed to handle this. It is very complex in St Louis and in Gorée and in the way it involves the inhabitants.
During the carriage ride, I began to witness that a lot of the colonial architecture was in decay. The sides of building had chipped paint and appeared to be torn down. Some of which also appeared to be vacant, without anyone inside of them. This was a distinct difference between what I had witnessed in Gorée Island, where buildings seemed to have a fresh coat of paint and also appeared to be very well intact. The buildings in Gorée Island also resembled strongly its deep connection to colonial history. The two sites and the images they refer to regarding their common past have not been shaped (by politics, economy, demography, tourism, entrepreneurship) in the same way.
Witnessing all of these decaying buildings led me to question if the Senegalese people in Saint Louis were interested in restoring the colonial beauty of the buildings ? Who were the individuals that restored Gorée Island ? Why had they not come to Saint Louis ? How did the people in Saint Louis feel about the decaying coloniality around them ? Did they want to preserve it ? Was it their choice to preserve it ? Should these buildings be preserved ? Why are certain buildings being preserved and not others ? Should new building be erected that signify a shift towards decoloniality ? What would a change in architecture look like for the Senegalese people ? What would a change in architecture mean for the Senegalese people ?
These places have been the icons of Senegal’s colonial history. These two places would be an interesting case study on these places and the uncovering the historical accounts of the founding of both of these places, particular prior to colonial presence. Understanding the origin stories and asking reflective questions on these particular places propels the research to understand how myths are invented that celebrate the Senegalese people and affirm one’s existence. How do told and retold stories allows one to mediate their identity in a post-colonial space.
I am particularly interested in understanding the founding of these particular cities and role that myths play a role in helping to reclaim the space. Given that history is accessed through memory, it is important to conceptualize how the mystical element of myths aids in the reclamation of the way one understands and interacts with their surrounding with the information given by origin stories. How and when do the Senegalese inhabitants consider the origins of these cities and why? Does it start with colonialism ? If this is the case, how does it shape their narratives ? How does that lead to historical appropriation? What does it mean about the memory that exists of events prior to colonialism ? What narrative is being used to fill those gaps in knowledge ? For instance, while in Bambey Seereer, I was able to speak with one of the chief of the village and ask him about the origins of Bambey Seerer. When asked about the founding of the village, he began to mention the first existence of the “Toubabs” or the Whites, in this instance, the colonial presence. His connection between the origins of Bambey Seerer and colonial history is very interesting in the way it sets and articulates the memory of the space. It is these types of logical connections that fuel my question of trying to understand the current memory that exists.
