Senegal, a country with 500km of coastline, has more than 21,000 handmade pirogues in their ports, from Saint Louis to Ziguinchor, principally engaged in the transport of people and goods between towns, but also used for tourism. Senegalese wooden pirogue, vividly painted, can be found both along the coast, as well as on the great rivers, especially in Siné-Saloum and Casamance. In some regions are even today the main means of transport.
Besides, Senegal is named after the Senegal River, the etymology of which is contested. One popular theory is that it stems from the Wolof phrase sunu gaal, which means "our pirogue", resulting from a miscommunication between 15th-century Portuguese sailors and Wolof fishermen. This theory has been popularly embraced in modern Senegal for its charm and its use in appeals to national solidarity (e.g. "we're all in the same canoe").
About the stamp
The stamp is part of a series of four, Fight Against AIDS, issued on April 6, 2006 (although the stamps say 2004 on them).
Sender: Holger
Sent from Dakar (Dakar / Senegal), on 18.01.2016
Photo: Baidy Sow
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