Dakar is the gateway to Africa. It juts into the Atlantic Ocean, hemmed by water on three sides. The farthest westerly point on the continent, it is closer to Lisbon than to Cape Town. The first thing that strikes you is the teranga. The Wolof word translates loosely as “hospitality,” but it's more like a way of life—one that goes beyond the smiles and “Ça va!”s on the streets to encompass sharing, inviting, and including. It's teranga when the surfer you catch a break with insists you chat afterward over bissap juice somewhere along the waterfront Corniche, or when bartering for wax fabrics ends with attaya tea with the vendor.
In recent years, Dakar's friendly reputation has quietly grown around the world. It started with the surfers, who loved the city for its waves; the music lovers, here for Mbalax and the mighty Youssou N'dour; and the fashion scene, drawn by the vibrancy of its fabrics. Historians deserve credit for shaping the way we think about Dakar today. As a main departure point in the trade of enslaved people, Senegal carries four centuries of traumatic history in its cells.
Many from throughout the Senegalese diaspora have returned to the land of their ancestors to be culturally and spiritually enriched, and to enrich. Many other passers-through fall so hard for the place, they never end up leaving. This is most obvious in the city's arts scene, where transplants have teamed up with locals to create exciting entrepreneurial projects, making what is quickly becoming the most dynamic multidisciplinary arts hub in sub-Saharan Africa. Large-scale projects such as Black Rock, the artist residency opened by American portraitist Kehinde Wiley three years ago in Dakar's Yoff Virage, and Dak'Art, Africa's largest art biennial, which takes over the city this month, have pinned Senegal firmly on the global map.
But Dakar's creativity is in its genes. Women wear flowing boubous in bold oranges, purples, and greens. Humble fishing boats are striped like rainbows. The vividly painted central Médina area is like an open-air museum. “Everyone has their own relationship with art here,” says Sarah Diouf, a former Marc Jacobs executive who left Paris for the Senegalese capital six years ago. As Dak'Art launches this month, we meet a cohort of makers and visionaries writing the city's next chapter.
The industrious artist
After pursuing art school in Japan, Brazil, and the United States, Malian-born multimedia artist Papi Wata, a.k.a. L'Artrepreneur, arrived in Dakar and decided not to leave. “People were meeting here and transforming. A biotech guy became a photographer. A computer engineer started to make sneakers. I wanted to contribute to that,” he says. His projects include Mwami, a fashion label, and Lives, which documents everyday life in Dakar and other African metropolises on social media. This month, Lives will host Lives Fest, a pop-up hub at Dak'Art, allowing artists, designers, and musicians to meet and create together in a physical space.
“Sunset here has a palette I haven't seen anywhere else in the world. At the end of the year, the sky turns a fiery red. Two of my past exhibitions were inspired by Senegal's cloudy, moody, colorful skies.”
“OH Gallery is downtown and dedicated to fine arts. They have big exhibitions from local artists. They sell sketches and smaller works from bigger names to allow young people to start to collect. Also check out DM Média for photography.”
“Nio Far by Milcos is a local sneaker maker. It sources mud cloth and indigo in Mali, then makes and sells its shoes here. Le Sandaga is a boutique owned by a friend that sells her brand of boubou, Lartisan.”
“I catch musicians like Obree Daman, Kya Loum, or Ashs the Best at La Fourchette. They are singers who collaborate with rappers to create a sound really particular to Dakar. It's a new style and genre.”
“Nothing here starts before midnight, and there are three big parties to know about. DJ King Mouss hosts The Bashment party at Copacabana. This goes all night; come to dance. La Base is bigger, the venue is always different, and the DJs play ElectrAfrique—African electronic. The third is Fool Moon. It's on every week at the African Renaissance Monument."
The design visionary
Through his accessories label Kakinbow, named for the village in neighboring Guinea where he was raised, Aboubakarim Ndaw exports a touch of West Africa to the world. His Touki (meaning “traveler” in Wolof) kat bags are made with local mud cloth, and his poncho wraps pull in the earthy colors of the region. The world is starting to notice Senegalese style, he says. “Even during the pandemic, more foreigners were heading here to see what is happening in Dakar fashion.”
“The people here are natural entrepreneurs; resources are sometimes limited, so we have to get creative. Everything is colorful and loud; people will even dress up their horses!”
“The sound of the mosque in the morning is typical in Dakar. When I've traveled and hear the call to prayer, I know I'm home.”
“Head to Club de L'Union or Lagon 1.They face Gorée Island and are filled with a mix of people from all over—Senegalese, Lebanese, French, American—which is pretty standard in Dakar.”
“The best way to shop for me is to hop on my moto and cruise around the markets and Médina. I hunt for fabrics at HLM market, then bring them to the tailors. I do the same for my bags that I design.”
The style guru
Paris-born, Ivory Coast-raised designer and entrepreneur Sarah Diouf grew up visiting her parents' native Senegal, and in 2016 moved to Dakar permanently. The city inspired her to launch Tongoro, a label favored by Beyoncé and dedicated to African artisan producers that Diouf hopes will address the lack of accessibility between African fashion and the international market.
“When I visited, I would get the tailors to make me something completely original, and friends back in Paris would ask me to bring pieces back for them on my next trip. I recognized a business opportunity. Moving here six years ago has been the best decision of my life.”
“Africa is having its moment. Our traditional pieces like the boubou, which is similar to a caftan, are being integrated into fashion everywhere.”
“I love to go to Sandaga, a fabric wonderland of a market where I haggle for hours. The tailors next door will make anything you desire. Yesterday, I bought cotton and chiffon to make into a jumpsuit. For accessories and more, Soumbédioune Market in the fisherman's village sells hand-carved wooden plates and jewelry.”
“When I have friends in town, we will head to La Pointe des Almadies. It's no-frills but serves amazing grilled seafood; I always get the thiof, a local catch. Often there are drummers and singers too. For something a little fancier, I go to Seku Bi, a boutique hotel with a restaurant inside an old colonial house in downtown Dakar. The views of the ocean from the dining room are phenomenal.”
“The Mamelles Lighthouse is one of the highest points in Dakar and has a café. Go late, grab a drink, and dance all night long. It feels as if you are dancing on top of the city. It's so cool.”
The urban gallerist
In 2010, the curator and entrepreneur Mamadou Boye Diallo, better known as Modboye, his graffiti name, launched Yataal Art, which means “expanding art” in Wolof. Through the initiative, he invites artists to paint the colonial buildings of central Médina, which were at risk of destruction. He hosts art tours of the area and this month will show at Dak'Art.
“For art, do Musée des Civilisations Noires. La Galerie Antenna has bronze and wood—masks and sculptures from across West and sub-Saharan Africa. And Trames gallery hosts contemporary artist residencies and apéro dinners on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.”
“La Maison du Karité, in Médina, is owned by a couple who makes soaps and oils for the hair and body in a traditional way. Ousmane Mbaye Design is from Ousmane Mbaye, a self-trained local artist and furniture designer known for his work with galvanized metal. His pieces are genuine works of art."
“After touring Médina, head across the water to Îles de la Madeleine, which is mostly deserted so you can bring a picnic.”
“Mamelles Beach has good waves. Set yourself up there at Chez Max to hang out, eat, and drink between swims. You may even see rock climbers on Mamelles Beach.”
The ocean advocate
A childhood in Dakar's Yoff fishing village helped inspire Babacar Thiaw, a former competitive surfer, to dedicate himself to the environment. After years of grassroots beach cleanups, he launched Copacabana Surf Village, a groovy beachside hangout made from natural materials like bamboo and local wood, which houses a surf school, a lounge, and Dakar's first zero-waste restaurant. Thiaw is the founding member and president of the Senegalese branch of the Malibu, California–based Surfrider Foundation, dedicated to keeping our oceans clean.
“The quality of surf is on par with California and Australia, but we are so under the radar. Kayar is a favorite spot. It's down the coast from Yoff and fairly unknown. It has a reef break and a beach break, which produces a really rideable wave. The best time to go is September through December.”
“It is a lively, chaotic, but also peaceful, city”
“Noflaye Beach is Senegalese-owned, unlike many of the restaurants on the Corniche. It has a real local vibe.”
“Don't skip Gorée Island, The House of the Slaves. Our past was traumatic, but it is important to understand what happened to appreciate how things are now. It is an undeniable part of our history.”
“My friends and I will dance to Senegalese Afrobeat and hip-hop until 6 a.m. at Soleil Café. Monaco and Ngor beaches host outdoor concerts in the summer, with local acts like Wally B. Seck.”
The next-wave musician
Inspired hip-hop artist Aida Sock rose to fame on The Voice Afrique Francophone, the region's version of the popular talent show, in 2016 and has been helping the music scene evolve ever since, creating a genre she calls SAHH, or Soulful Afro Hip-Hop, and singing in Wolof, French, English, and Spanish. “There are so many different types and styles of music that can be found in different corners of town,” she says. “You can bump into anything.” Her latest album, Salaama, is due to be released later this year.
“Coffee and thiopati, the traditional beignets we make in Senegal, bring me back to my childhood. We don't grow coffee in Senegal, but we have a preparation called Café Touba, made with ginger, clover, citron, and red pepper.”
“I grew up in Médina, and I consider it the heart of Dakar. Go in the afternoon, when the kids are running around everywhere. It's filled with energy.”
“So much live music happens in the restaurants. A few spots with great acts are La Cabane du Surfeur, which is open-air, and in Almadies—I also perform there—Alkimia, and the Pullman Hotel. I catch hip-hop duo Daara J.”
“It's the center of the world, which is empowering”
“We are so sports-oriented—visitors are sometimes shocked to see beaches filled with people working out! The Corniche is packed with runners, basketball courts, and soccer fields.”
The connector
Through her adventure-lifestyle brand Spirited Pursuit, Lee Litumbe, a photographer and influencer, documents the luxury side of everyday living across West Africa. Born in Cameroon but partly raised in the United States, she moved to Dakar in 2016. “The city made me feel creative and reconnected to Africa,” she says. Litumbe launched Eluwa, her artisanal homeware brand, in March.
“The city is visually very interesting. There are islands like Ngor and Gorée. Horses are often still used to move things around. The women dress like flowers, so colorful and bright. A lot is possible here due to the ingenuity of the people.”
“Spend a day on Ngor Island. You get there by a boat from Ngor beach, where locals are washing their animals in the water. You leave what feels like a hectic place to this island with no cars, across clear water. At the island's highest point, you will see surfers below; this is where The Endless Summer was filmed. There is a painter named Abdoulaye Diallo, who has a beautiful red home on the island. He sometimes opens it up as a guesthouse.”
“Two or three hours out of the city is a town called Djilor. It's home to the Mahicao [Museum of Art and History of Western African Cultures], which talks about pre-slavery. It is where I first saw a map of Africa that plotted ethnic groups without the borders of countries drawn by colonial powers. It has artifacts from a personal collector and a dedicated guide. My family loves it.”
“I feel most alive in this city at a market. At Soumbédioune Market, everything is a one-off, like the mustard-yellow, black, and indigo fabrics from Mali, and baskets and fans from central Africa. My favorite is a vendor who sells all types of African masks. He has labels that provide the origin and context of the piece, so buyers know what it means.”
This article appeared in the May/June 2022 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.
