Senegal: Laamb Wrestlers and False Lions

The African nation of Senegal contains a number of fascinating cultures and social customs. In the past, we have briefly turned the lens away from the Japanese fundoshi loincloth to spotlight other loincloths such as the langot of India. Just as the langot is used as an athletic garment for kushti wrestling in India, an analogous garment is used for the highly physical wrestling art known as Laamb in the Wolof dialect, or commonly called Lutte Senegalaise in French.

A parallel tradition involves dancers called Simbs, or False Lions, whose ornate red, black, white, and yellow body paint and elaborate costumes create striking imagery next to the imposing, more austerely attired wrestlers.

If you'd like to know more about Wolof wrestling, read this article.

To see a collection of photographs from Senegal of grapplers and dancers, read on!