Wrestling in Dakar (2013)

Traditional wrestling, or "laamb", is arguably Senegal's national sport, exceeding even football in popularity. Matches, usually held in open-air arenas, are social and cultural events with fighters and spectators enacting rituals with a significance that date back hundreds of years. The top tier of champions can earn up to $100,000 a fight, an unimaginable sum of money to most Senegalese, and the dream of becoming a professional wrestler spurs on many young men, for a few years at least. In the down-market suburb of Pikine in the capital Dakar - where 70 percent of the population are under the age of 25 and more than half the population lives on or below the poverty line - five friends are determined to become wrestling stars. Thiam, Lamine, Abdou, Cissokho and M'Baye have opened their own, informal, wrestling school and train for hours every day. Their hope is to catch the eye of one person in particular - Madame Ndeye Ndiaye Tyson, one of Senegal's leading wrestling promoters.

Director: Edward Porembny
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 48 min
Release Date:
Country: Poland
Language: English, Wolof
Original Language: en
More Films by Director: Edward Porembny
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Wrestling in Dakar about?
Traditional wrestling, or "laamb", is arguably Senegal's national sport, exceeding even football in popularity. Matches, usually held in open-air arenas, are social and cultural events with fighters and spectators enacting rituals with a significance that date back hundreds of years. The top tier of champions can earn up to $100,000 a fight, an unimaginable sum of money to most Senegalese, and the dream of becoming a professional wrestler spurs on many young men, for a few years at least. In the down-market suburb of Pikine in the capital Dakar - where 70 percent of the population are under the age of 25 and more than half the population lives on or below the poverty line - five friends are determined to become wrestling stars. Thiam, Lamine, Abdou, Cissokho and M'Baye have opened their own, informal, wrestling school and train for hours every day. Their hope is to catch the eye of one person in particular - Madame Ndeye Ndiaye Tyson, one of Senegal's leading wrestling promoters.
Who directed Wrestling in Dakar?
Wrestling in Dakar was directed by Edward Porembny.
How long is Wrestling in Dakar?
Wrestling in Dakar has a runtime of 48m (48 minutes).
What genre is Wrestling in Dakar?
Wrestling in Dakar is a Documentary film.
Where was Wrestling in Dakar produced?
Wrestling in Dakar was produced in Poland.