A historical context  
of Violence

 

 

Culture Shock

Two nations, two versions of history. "In times of war, nations narrate their history from one perspective only, theirs. It is the only one considered true. The heroes of some are the monsters of the others. The history, the rights and the culture of the enemy are denied" said Pierre Vidal-Naquet. The history of Senegal and France does not escape this rule. It is in this context that Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba came and brought with him the arm of non violence to save both the oppressed. and oppressor from the eternal cycle of violence.

 

Exit of a period of slavery and advent of colonization

Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba was born in the middle of the 19th century in 1853 in a Senegal under bondage and in a continent disrupted by unrest.

Indeed Africa was subjected to the domination of Western powers with the transatlantic trade of slavery since the 16th century. Colonization took precedence over slavery which was abolished only in practice in 1848.

The continent was thus stripped of its strong forces and had to undergo an unprecedented economic exploitation over a long period. The political structures of African societies were dismantled. Besides, the internal conflicts with the pre-colonial African kingdoms triggered by the foreign powers increasingly weakened the continent.

Military penetration and pacification of the colony of Senegal 

Denial of all rights to Africans- no resort either in terms of constitutional rights or reliance on an international organization.

Birth of the Cheikh in 1853; orphan at the age of 8.

Consolidation of French colonization of West Africa undertaken by Faidherbe who was appointed Governor of the colony of Senegal in 1854 and who was the main architect of this « pacification » process.

Destruction of the political and military structures of the pre-colonial kingdoms.

Resistance movements were organised but were most of the time crushed by the colonial power on account of its military superiority.

  

Construction of Senegal on the French model 

Senegal had to serve as a « model colony » and had to adopt the French model at all levels by a very active policy of assimilation. The colonial power therefore decided to :

Start an administrative organization based on the French model.

Redefine the function of religion which henceforth was relegated to a private sphere. Religion had to serve the interest of the colonial administration. Thus it recognized the religious leaders (cadis, imams etc) in order to consolidate its power and they benefited from military privileges and the trust of the local colonial administration, which relied on them to « control » the population.

Define and apply a cultural strategy based on a policy of "schooling" which would serve as a stronghold for political assimilation. French history became that of the colonized, who according to textbooks, had the « Gauls as ancestors ! »