Food Discrimination and Restrictions in Senegal (1914-1945)

The confrontation of two cultures very often results in an ambiguity of status and roles which can generate isolation, confusion of identity, socio-economic exclusions. Thus, during colonization (from early 1914 to the end of the Second World War), the food consumption of local populations in Senegal was mostly assimilated to negative representations, contempt, and even socioeconomic exclusion. There was a mismatch between the living conditions of the local populations and those of the Europeans established in the colony of Senegal. This context of colonization, marked by socio-economic and political and military crises, gives way to a system of food discrimination between the oppressed and the oppressors on the whole territory. To put an end to the lack of food in Senegal, the colonial authorities thought that they could regulate food, either by enacting a law or by imposing food rations. So, the period we studied was marked by considerable restrictions of food consumption by the local populations, because priority was given to the European civilians and soldiers who were benefitting from their food cards. Actually, the black population was living on cereals, especially millet, sorghum and rice grown in Africa. While the Europeans were living on meat, wine, bread, butter, sugar, fruits and vegetables. This rationalization was well seen among the Lebou community in Dakar, the villagers in Matam, the Joola Bainouk in the Lower Casamance, the Fulani in Ferlo near Louga region. The populations found it difficult to get accustomed to this cereal-based diet. They protested against the substitution of millet and rice with barley. In addition, they were fed up with malnutrition. Diseases, lack of food and starvation caused human losses all around Senegal. Facing their fate and food discrimination, some populations put into practice strategies for survival in this period; some people wore poor quality wrappers; others stole cotton-made shrouds in graves. Fraud and black market were getting widespread. In some villages, the animists invented the fetish food to save their religious guides from the predation of the local authorities who wanted to have control over everything. Some rice fields and parts of the forests were haunted by the ancestral spirits in order to ensure the survival of the local people during this period of restriction of the consumption.