Domou Walo, one of the many young Senegalese men fighting for a better life in the country’s capital of Dakar, believes that wrestling is not simply a pastime, but a destiny. British filmmaker Tom Sweetland captures the athleticism, ritual, violence, and brotherhood that underpins the sport, where the young challengers train to improve their family’s lot in a country where many survive on an average income of only $10 a day. Six figure prizes for the top fighters have now become the norm. alking about his portrait of this close-knit sporting community, Sweetland explains: “Originating as a seasonal competition to test the skills and strength of young Senegalese men once the hard-graft of the harvest was over, the traditional sport has evolved into a frenzied combo of boxing and grappling. As a sport, it is close to the heart of both ancient and modern Senegal."
___
Subscribe to NOWNESS here: bit.ly/youtube-nowness
Like NOWNESS on Facebook: bit.ly/facebook-nowness
Follow NOWNESS on Twitter: bit.ly/twitter-nowness
Daily exclusives for the culturally curious: bit.ly/nowness-com
Behind the scenes on Instagram: bit.ly/instagram-nowness
Curated stories on Tumblr: bit.ly/tumblr-nowness
Inspiration on Pinterest: bit.ly/pinterest-nowness
Staff Picks on Vimeo: bit.ly/vimeo-nowness
Subscribe on Dailymotion: www.dailymotion.com/nowness
Follow NOWNESS on Google+: bit.ly/google-nowness