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Great folks found in Dakar: Koko Zauditu-Selassie

Koko Zauditu-Selassie

The poetic ways of Margo Crawford introduced me to the fiery Dr. Kokahvah Zauditu-Selassie of Coppin State University. It became clear to just call her Koko—and Koko is a writer from Compton. Her web site domain name says it all: http://kokowrites.com/

So let’s imagine that my mother—my arguably overprotective mother—would take steps to make sure that her baby (me) would be looked after for his first trip to Africa. My mother would have sent Koko. I really can’t hand out higher compliments. To me Koko served as a transitional figure for my first trip to Africa. She represents the greatness of African America, the kind of greatness that teaches the world how to protest for their civil rights. Hers is a familiar, warm character juxtaposed on all of that Francophone newness (Koko speaks French, by the way, by way of Louisiana)—new to me. Her hospitality was effortless and memorable—they don’t make ’em like that any more! African Spiritual Traditions in the Novels of Toni Morrison

One of the many scholarly-yet-down-to-earth things Koko laid out for me is around the Islamic heritage of the Senegalese. I think this topic came up when we were talking about Margo’s leg-friendly dress code in a defacto Islamic country (this is not a complaint—just of a student’s question). Koko suggested strongly that the Senegalese flavor of Islam is very tolerant and can be considered matriarchal. So, for those who were concerned about my recent travel, I consider this heritage most responsible for my ability to make it from the airport to my hotel without an escort (a driver standing in baggage claim holding up a card with my name on it).

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