In Senegal, Independence Day is a public
holiday celebrated on April 4th.
This day is the National Day of Senegal and
celebrates independence from France on April 4th 1960.
History of Senegal Independence Day
From the 15th century, the region now known as
Senegal had attracted the attention of the European colonial powers.
By the end of the 17th century, France had taken
control of the area around modern Dakar as effectively a staging post for the
Atlantic slave trade. It wasn't until the middle of the 19th century that the
French extended their control deeper into the mainland, taking over almost all
the local kingdoms.
In April 1959 Senegal merged with the French Sudan
to form the Mali Federation. A transfer of power agreement was signed with
France on 4 April 1960, which led to formal independence on June 20th 1960.
The Mali Federation proved to be very short-lived
and broke up on August 20th 1960, when Senegal proclaimed its independence. A
month later French Sudan (later renamed the Republic of Mali) followed suit.
Léopold
Sédar Senghor became Senegal's first president in September 1960, leading the
country until he retired in 1980. He was followed by Abdou Diouf who was also
president for twenty years, giving the fledgeling nation a continuity in
leadership rare in the region.
The
day is marked by a parade by the armed forces in Dakar, the capital of
Senegal. Other festivities include music, parades and indulging in
delicious cuisine—like the national dish of thieboudienne, a Senegalese Jollof
rice traditionally served with vegetables and marinated fish.
No comments:
Post a Comment