Thus, even on a minute level, all languages are spoken throughout the territory of Senegal, although the percentage of speakers of the respective languages varies according to geographic region.įrom the film’s early scenes, children are shown switching effortlessly from bickering in Baïnounk Gujaher to learning in French and conversing with their elders in Wolof. Population migration in all directions and the resulting human interactions have, for the most part, eradicated traditional linguistic boundaries, and, with them, the correlation between a person’s avowed ethnic affiliation and their mother tongue. Although previously the country’s linguistic map may have coincided with its natural regions, the actual distribution of languages in modern-day Senegal no longer corresponds to these geographical confines. As it weaves between everyday life and the preparations for this one-off event, its message becomes clear – these interactions are a beautiful example of true linguistic diversity.Īs a country, Senegal’s colonialist history remains present in its official language of French, but its lingua franca is Wolof, spoken widely across the nation. The documentary film Kanraxël – The Confluence of Agnack has a simple premise: it follows the village as they prepare for a ceremony celebrating the life of the village’s late leader. A small village in a much maligned and under-represented country, it is introduced to us in shades of sun-dappled green and terracotta, a region of rivers and wetlands, and extraordinary cultural diversity. The subtle multilingual interactions in a village in Senegal are strikingly beautifulĪt the confluence of two rivers lies Agnack Grand in Casamance, Senegal.

Confluence language switcher