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Great Folks Found in Dakar: Moustapha Dieng of Baye Fall

Moumtala (Baye Fall), Dakar Senegal

Moustapha Dieng is the second Baye Fall brother I met in Senegal, after my interpreter and guide, Tafsir Diop (he referred to Moustapha as Moumtala). Moumtala has an open-air ‘antique art’ shop (Musée de Kermel en Pleine Air) in one of the Dakar markets close to the DAK’ART 2014 offices. Tafsir and Moumtala thought our meeting would be about buying something but the honorable ways of Baye Fall brothers (and my vibe) inspired someone to say “get him some tea” (in Wolof and English). And I sat down in front of Moumtala as tea was brought to me, the “American”: no charge (I have a very strong feeling that I bought one of Moumtala’s bogolan mud cloth handbags—for my daughter—out of Tafsir’s backpack a day before our meeting). Moumtala and I exchanged pleasantries like the aging African men I’ve seen in Gaston Kaboré films and then I became aware of the tea…

The tea was sweet with an acidic edge. It was served to me in a shot glass. I do not know what it is called (I think it is called attaya) but it tasted great! Rita Bianchilli writes about what I assume is the same tea I had and details:

As we handed him the glasses, he said: “The first glass represents life, so you drink bitter”. With respect sacred took in his hands the glass and sipping it, I tried to understand, fully, the meaning of this ancient rite…words continued to flow when it came second glass: “This glass is the love and as such should be strong and slightly sweetened,” he said. [translated by Google]

According to eatyourworld.com:

If you are not invited in by a local for attaya, you will likely encounter this drink in Dakar on the street, where you’ll receive just one tiny but potent cup of tea.

…which is exactly what happened to me!

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