Djibril Sy

Third Place, Photo Essay

Djibril is a professional photojournalist who works for the PanAfrican News Agency, based in Dakar, Senegal. For this photo essay, he traveled to the region of Matam in northern Senegal, in order to document a musical festival organized by the internationally celebrated Senegalese singer Baaba Maal, who grew up on the Senegal River. The River, which forms part of Senegal’s border with Mauritania, is also the home to the West African Manatee, an endangered mammal known for its slow movement and gentle ways that is close to extinction in Senegal. The festival programme includes an organized effort by fishermen from the village of Kanel to rescue West African manatees that have been trapped in the River’s pools during the dry season. After locating a manatee, they bring it to shore where they sprinkle water on it to keep it hydrated. They also offer prayers for the survival of the manatee, an animal they consider sacred. Afterwards they returned the manatee to the main part of the Senegal River. 

Every year, during the dry season, a number of villages along the Senegal River, inhabited by the Thioubalos people, organize to rescue the manatees and release them back into the main part of the River. Djibril attended this festival to document Baaba Maal’s involvement in the development of his home region. Djibril was immediately interested in the manatee rescue ceremony.

“Given that I work often with development NGOs on environment related issues, I could not pass up this opportunity and I made the documentary,” he said.