Gods of Laamb: The beach wrestlers

Gods of Laamb: The beach wrestlers

Clustered between Club Med and a dozen high end beach hotels in Dakar, lies one of the fishing villages of Ngor. Growing up in the village means you'll either be a fishermen, or be part of the more recently favored hotel-service livelihood. For a few dreamers though, there is Laamb or Senegalese wrestling; a national sport promising fame and the possibility of lucrative deals with sponsors.

Every day, from 4PM until the sun sets, a group of young men gather on the beachside, strip off their hotel apparel and wrap themselves in colorful drabs.

Fights go on until there's a body on the ground. Most takedowns are complex, swift moves that throw the opponent off balance while protecting them from a damaging fall. Laamb focuses on outsmarting your opponent, not necessarily on physical superiority.

However, a wrestler not only needs to be smart, he also needs to be favored by the gods. During professional fights, wrestlers bathe themselves in healing liquids while their Marabauts or Jujuman perform pre-match ceremonies.

These are the gods of Laamb.
All photos: Carlos Centeno Lairet www.carloslairet.com

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