"Success" and the Senegalese Spectacle

Abstract

This paper will explore the role of conscious and unconscious efforts to preserve culture in Senegalese society. What might make certain spectacles work? What might hinder others' success? What is considered successful in the spectacles' respective contexts? In order to answer these questions, it is necessary to understand the sense in which I am using the word, "spectacle." Normally, the word means "something to be seen." But as I will show, one cannot justly describe the Senegalese spectacle as the object of a passive observation. The Senegalese spectacle, no matter where it is placed on the modernity scale does not cater to mere spectators. There is usually an interactive element, a momentum, which when misdirected, can lead to the failure of the production. Thus, a spectacle, for my purposes, is an interactive production. It may include ceremonies, concerts, plays, or anything else that summons an audience.