First Lady Marieme Faye Sall: ‘The good Senegalese woman’
Madame Sall’s husband, Macky Sall, has just been elected as President of Senegal. Her significance lies in the fact that she is the first woman of Senegalese birth and ancestry to become First Lady of Senegal. (Previous First Ladies have either been French or in the case of Madame Diouf of Lebanese descent.) This has made her a sensation, especially amongst Senegalese women; this is the first time they are seeing someone they recognize as one of their own in the presidential palace. Some more poetic accolades for her—within Senegal—have included “daughter of the land,” “a committed housewife,” “real Senegalese lady,” and “future burner of thiouraye (a secret mixture of oils, perfumes, seeds and fragrant wood used as a body [perfume], with an exotic, sweet, spicy, herbal aroma) and harbinger of Africa-ness to the state residence.”
Seriously what were all those men thinking making white and Lebanese women First Ladies of a country that is comprised of mostly Black women?
Also if thiouraye is turare, I don’t get why it’s been referred to as “a secret mixture”, isn’t it just locally made incense?
:O
Senegal never had a first lady who was black and/or Senegalese decent?
