Bloody Elbow · Jan 22, 2019
Mini-documentary: Cain Velasquez experiences traditional Senegalese wrestling
Senegalese wrestling is known by many names. In Wolof it is called laamb. In Serer it is called njom and in Bambara it is known as si\u0272\u025bta. The French, who once colonized Senegal, refer to it simply as lutte sénégalaise (Senegalese fighting) or lutte avec frappe (fighting with strikes).
The wrestling style that is broadly described by all these terms is widely practiced throughout Senegal and parts of The Gambia by mostly the Serer people. The Serer name for the practise means ‘heart’ or ‘honour’ and within Serer society wrestling participation is seen as a rite of passage for young men.