Generations long the sea was the domain of men. But along the coast of West Africa, more and more women are breaking tradition.
Due to a constant swell, the ocean swell that provides waves all year round, more and more surfboards appear among the colorful wooden fishing boats. And the increasing popularity of surfing offers new opportunities, allowing girls to grow on the waves as well. Déguène Thioune even grew into a two-time Senegalese champion and African champion. With her success, she wants to inspire young girls and fights against the traditional expectations for women.
Traditional expectations
In Senegal, girls face various obstacles. By far most girls attend primary school and complete it more often than boys. Nevertheless, in the end less than 20 percent of the girls finish secondary education with a diploma. Early marriage, pregnancy or concerns about safety stand in the way of their school career.
As girls grow older, they more often face traditional expectations about how a woman should behave. For example, Thioune wanted to quit school to help her family. "Especially if you grow up in a large family, it is quickly said that you have to help with the household. Then you get less chance to go outside."
Déguène Thioune is an example for many girls:
Sports are not self-evident for all girls and are sometimes seen as something for boys. Girls who want to surf therefore have to be resourceful.
At first, Thioune kept her surfing adventures to herself and sometimes chose to hide so she could still go surfing. She knew her family found the sport too dangerous for a girl. But she could no longer keep her talent hidden from the world.
By now she is the pride of her family by winning prizes and by committing herself to putting women's surfing more on the map. "My hope is that women's surfing in Senegal will grow further. Unfortunately, it is still mainly boys who get the opportunities in the sports world."
To offer girls more perspective, she focuses with 'Surfkids Shredding' on the next generation. Along the Senegalese coast, she visits places to teach girls to surf. In the fishing district Yoff in the capital Dakar, every wave is greeted with cheers. The shallow part of the Atlantic Ocean is a wave pool for families on weekends. Just next to the bustle, Thioune explains on the sand to her eleven pupils how to stand on a surfboard and which dangers to watch out for.
Falling and getting up
The girls look up to her enormously and see her as a role model. "When I grow up, I want to be like her and maybe even better," says 10-year-old Ndeye with a broad grin. With a determined look, the girls walk through the surf towards the sea.
It does not take long before they catch their first waves on the surfboard, with their arms forward, exactly as they were taught.
As soon as they fall, a smile appears and they hurry back into the sea with their brightly colored board for another attempt. In that attitude, Thioune recognizes herself: "Surfing has given me confidence. It has taught me to persevere, not only on the waves, but also at school and in other situations."
And surfing has brought her more. It ensured that she kept going to school, she can earn money by teaching, and by participating in national and international competitions it gives her the chance to travel.
Thioune, who feels more at home on the water than on land, hopes that more girls will seek the freedom of the sea and feel free to decide for themselves how they want to live. A message that after a tiring but successful introduction to surfing has reached Ndeye: "This sport is not just for men. It is also for women. Surfing can give women opportunities to become successful."