Isolation in Little
Senegal: A Country Embedded Within A Country
In
a clothing and movie store on 116th street, a young man stands
behind a counter, looks through a window, and awaits passing customers. Mansour
is a Senegalese immigrant who recently arrived in Harlem in May of this year.
Like many Senegalese immigrants, he left his family and country looking for a
more sustainable life. “You love the country, that’s why you come,” says
Mansour. “Anything you want to do, you can here.”
Within
Little Senegal, Mansour’s situation is typical. Most Senegalese immigrants,
however much they enjoy the US, miss Senegal terribly; they only stay on
account of their family’s circumstances; if their family is here, they stick
with them, and if their family is back home, they send money. “We come to work,
and we don’t need much else,” Mansour remarks. However, he reaps more rewards
than just his family’s satisfaction; he’s able to attend a community college
and receive an education, which is another layer of success. After 1990, the
immigrants who came from Senegal to New York were increasingly younger and more
educated — an estimated 65% of immigrants had at least a high school diploma,
which is a step up from Senegal’s literacy rate of 40%.
Although
over eighteen thousand Senegalese immigrants reside in New York, their
community remains separate from the rest of the population. “People live here
like they do in Senegal. Same language, same food. You see people live here for
20 years and they don’t speak English” says Humanity in Action writer Purnima
Kumarathas. All of their needs are enclosed in their neighborhoods—friends,
family members, Senegalese movies, restaurants, and religious establishments.
95% of the Senegalese people living in New York City are Muslim, and it shows
through the importance placed on community mosques. In the article West Africans: Trading Places in New York,
Paul Stoller writes that mosques serve as “a buffer against the city life in
New York.” Moreover, the Islamic religion “provides explanations about the
existential absurdities of life.” Through mosques, they can feel a sense of
connection and fellowship, which can be hard to find in a new country.
Many
of the West African vendors and storeowners appreciate the economic
opportunities, but they feel social and cultural isolation: an alienation from
mainstream American culture. The
question — Did the Senegalese reject Harlem or did Harlem reject the
Senegalese?
Those we
spoke to felt little connection to any places other than the blocks between
Lennox Avenue & Morningside Park on West 116th; therefore, they
contributed little to the Harlem community as a whole. According to Paul
Stoller, many view America as a “violent, insensitive, time-constrained place.”
Sitting in front of his mosque, Masjid Aqsa, a Sufi man, describes his
relationship with his country, family, and Harlem. At 18 years of age, he came
without further contact from his family. He tells us that the community is
isolated because of stereotypes between the West African groups and the
African-American community, some of which believe that West Africans sold their
ancestors into slavery. There’s further animosity between African shoppers and
the Senegalese because of the short-term economic exploitation they conduct.
“It takes seven or eight years before you can be comfortable in New York City,”
says one member of the neighborhood. Until then, many Senegalese are resigned
to live in a place they cannot call home.
I really like this article. Both exploratory and informative, it explores interesting topics. I especially appreciate the Senegalese vs. Harlem question. I also noticed that there is a pattern between all immigrants, a sort of universality to being an immigrant in NYC.
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ReplyDeleteDid you run into any second generation Senegalese immigrants? If so did they seem to accept their culture or had the simply blended into the rest of the Harlem African-American youth?
ReplyDeletePhineas, I'm Senegalese, and we didn't meet any 2nd generation youth, but we talked to parents. And one lady, Angelique, said that her whole family is Muslim, which is the religion for the majority of the Senegalese and that her children speak French as well. But, she also stated that her children loved to do American things like partying, shopping,like any other normal teenager. So, yes the 2nd generation, in this case, is led by their parents to harbor their culture. But, I can't generalize all 2nd generation experiences with assimilation but it seems to be guided by their parents and family.
DeleteLittle Senegal is a community devoted to preserving authentic Senegalese culture and a place for immigrants from Senegal to feel familiar with and comfortable in. The immigrants we talked to still feel stronger ties with their homelands than with America. Second generation Senegalese immigrants are more likely to feel at home enough in this country that they can disperse to other neighborhoods and areas that are not primarily inhabited by Senegalese people. There must have been second generation Senegalese people in little Senegal but the population was overwhelmingly first generation.
DeleteI, too, find the Senegalese vs. Harlem question very interesting. To me, New York seems like a place where you have to be a self-starter, you have to go out and find or ask for the things that you want. I wonder if the Senegal immigrant population would find more success if they were more willing to leave the confines of their neighborhood and branch out, because the language barrier does not seem to be an issue...?
ReplyDeleteLinne, the reason why most of the Senegalese work in Little Senegal because all they know is Senegalese culture. They lack necessary skills and education to branch out of Little Senegal. So, they use their culture to provide an income. I think that it's a genius and productive idea! But, maybe they should try to learn and adapt the skills to be able to work in true America instead of focusing on Little Senegal...Do you think this will be beneficial to the Senegalese? Also, Linne, the question you are touching on is in the "jobs" article. What are the intentions of the Senegalese by immigrating to America? Is it to assimilate and work in American society or honor their culture and gain an income to support Senegal?
DeleteYes, I am wondering those same questions at the end as well.
DeleteIts interesting to draw connections between the Senegalese' relationship to Islam and the Koreans to Presbyterianism (as well as many Chinese immigrants' relationships with the Catholic Church). Is there a reason why immigrants are drawn to these religious centers? Does it provide a community in New York City where they are comfortable? In my group, we found that many second generation Koreans ended up not relying on the Presbyterian Church as much as their parents. Do you think this is a common thread that might appear as the Senegalese population ages?
ReplyDelete(Senegalese) To answer your question, I think religion creates a community that connects the people under one hopeful roof. They all have something to collectively depend on. In this way, even if they come from different parts of Senegal or backgrounds, they can all come together as one unit and work together as a common race.
DeleteGreat comment Megan! Nice response Kelly! And to answer your last question, Little Senegal is overwhelmingly teeming with first generation immigrants, who are for the most part Muslim. Therefore, my hypothesis is that, if this influx of first generation immigrants is maintained,the resistance to assimilate in America will just get even stronger. Little Senegal will always be a home for the Senegalese where they can socialize, pray, and thrive together.
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ReplyDeleteDuring our Harlem unit, we read some pieces about African-Americans identifying with their roots back in Africa, yet it seems that they do not want a connection with other Africans. Is this a stereotype? Or perhaps there is some animosity between the two groups that is contradicting the idea that African-American's identify with Africa.
ReplyDeleteAlso, does this change Harlem's identity of being accepting to all African-Americans? what is the criteria for becoming a "Harlemite?" (Besides having lived there for an extended amount of time. But perhaps that's the distinguishing factor)
There is an indifference in Harlem between the Africans and the African Americans because as much as either group wants to be accepted into each other's culture, they never really will. they both come from completely different backgrounds, and hold several variations of premises. Personally, I think the only common ground between these two groups is their skin and where they are living. Other than that, they have very few cultural and ways of thinking in common. For one thing, their form of worship is completely different. Senegalese people are mostly Islamic, and many Harlemites would categorize themselves as Christian. Also, African American Harlemites have grown up with the United states cultures, and thus have ti embedded in them. Africans still have the remnants of African cultures as they enter into this country. SO they may be of the same race,... but these people have plenty of differences, which is why I think they will never fully assimilate with each other. The empathy just isn't there, and they don't feel like trying to find it.
DeleteSeneglese immigrants are not African-American. They are not part of the culture, or, at this point in time, the race of blacks who can trace their american ancestry back 400 Years.
DeleteThe Senegalese are resistant to assimilation therefore reclutant to interact with African Americans. But, Claudia my Harlem exploratory essay was exactly about the definition of a Harlemite. I've found that it is very complicated topic. But, it is not an issue for the Senegalese because their home is Senegal, not Harlem. Their home will always be Senegal.
DeleteKelly, that's a really important thing to point out: African American culture and West African culture are wildly different. As a white person, I liken it to the hypothetical scenario of living in a neighborhood of white Americans and white Russian people. If, hypothetically, blacks were the dominant racial group in the USA, and whites were a minority, the external world would expect the white Americans and the white Russians to have virtually indistinguishable cultures. We would be frustrated and annoyed by these assumptions, but maybe also try to live up to them to some extent, as African-American have tried, often in vain, to "reconnect" with their African roots. Touré, who wrote about this in his "Quintessential Americans" (title?) piece, addressed how this attempt to combine two differing cultures have further embittered African-American's relationship to the United States. It has forced them into a limbo, a place where their identities and identification do not match up, but the desire to smooth over that knot persists.
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ReplyDeletethat is so interesting that some of the African-Americans feel like the Senegalese sold their ancestors into slavery. you pose an interesting question of "Did the Senegalese reject Harlem or did Harlem reject the Senegalese?" if feels like a chicken versus the egg kind of situation. I'm just curious, did you talk to any non-Senegalese residents in harlem about the Senegalese community? I'm also curious to know if there were any cases of African-Americans trying to bond with the Senegalese over being from Africa but were disappointed to find the Senegalese do not think of them as African. i know were heard of a few stories of that nature during the Harlem unit, of Black people going back to africa, is it the same now that Africa is coming to New York?
ReplyDelete(Senegalese) We actually did meet a woman named Janice, who has become a Harlem resident in the past couple of years. She was an interesting character because she mentioned that "They do their own thing and we do ours. I don't have to get up in their business. They isolate themselves, and that's fine with me. We come from different places..." I don't think there is a problem between Africans and African Americans as much as there is some tension because of the obvious differences they have. We didn't talk to any Harlemites who considered themselves African... because they don't. It seems to be that simple. Harlemites consider themselves American while Africans consider themselves Africans in America. Many of the people we talked to immediately made the comment that "Senegal is home. Not America."
Deletethat's true, i suppose the idea of black people in harlem considering themselves african is a bit outdated. i wonder what it is about Senegalese culture that makes them feel less attached to America than maybe other immigrants that do feel as though America is their new home.
DeleteInteresting question! I think that many Senegalese come to America very proud of their culture, and still strong ties back to where they are from. Many immigrants who have had a bad relationship from where they are from drop their culture quicker when they come to the United States. I think the Senegalese people have only had a bad relationship with their economy, and not other parts of Senegal. Therefore, Senegalese feel more connected to their homeland.
DeleteI came into the immigration project with some previous knowledge about Koreans, Chinese, and Mexicans, however I knew very little about Senegalese, so I found this article along with your two others to be extremely interesting.
ReplyDeleteI want to know more about the question you raised: "Did the Senegalese reject Harlem or did Harlem reject the Senegalese?"
did you come to any conclusions, or form any hypotheses regarding this question? In the last article you seem to imply that you decided it was Harlem that rejected the Senegalese is this true?
In the ever-changing Harlem, do you believe there is a place for the Senegalese community to develop further (knowing that they are a relatively new group of immigrants)? Do you believe that this community will grow, and integrate further?
Thanks
The fact of the matter is that many Senegalese in Harlem do not feel tied down there, and, should htey have a chance, would leave for another place. The effort to connect to Harlem is minimal as well as unneeded in their eyes.
DeleteAdam, when you say that they would leave for another place if they could, under what circumstances are you speaking? Why would they come here if they want to leave? And where do you imagine them going? Because they don't have a desire to be connected with their surroundings, would they be pushed or pulled to leave, and what would these factors be?
DeleteWell, then, with whom/where do they want to connect? Or do they want to make connections here at all? They must want their community to grow and prosper, but how do they wish to achieve that without accepting the greater community that they have settled themselves in?
DeleteHi Elliot!!!!!!!!
DeleteOne of the push factors that brought the Senegalese to Harlem was the fact that it was a Black Mecca. From the get-go they understood the differences between themselves and those in Harlem, but they wanted to be there because it was a place where colored people had achieved success. It think that though the differences are recognized they embrace the fact that they abide in a community where all have relatively the same skin color.
As of now, I'm such sure how much more both societies can integrate. There is a place called "Harlem's African Market" where many Africans and Harlem alike come to shop. Many African Americans also use the resources provided by the Senegalese (food vendors, taxis, hair braiding). I think that they see each other as acquaintances, but will only be truly integrated when the Senegalese see their roles & places in the U.S. as more than a way to shuttle money back home. It might take something big to cause a rupture in Little Senegal's community, but maybe that will tie Harlem together as a whole.
I found that while reading all of the articles the different ethnic groups stick to themselves and keep with the old ways until the new generations start to become Americanized.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why Harlem why not Flushing?
(Senegalese) Harlem is mainly a black-skinned neighborhood as we saw in our Harlem exploration. It would make more sense to go to a place where your specific race resides, even if you don't have much in common except for how you look. It wouldn't make sense for them to settle in a place that is mostly of Asian descent...
DeleteI found it very interesting that the Senegalese feel very little connection to the other neighborhoods within New York City.
ReplyDeleteDo they just have tension with other African groups within the city, or do they have tension with other non-African groups?
If so, which groups?
Also, are there other concentrations of Senegalese people in other parts of the city?
Also, do you think that it is necessary for the Senegalese community as a whole to embrace the American culture, in order for them to be successful or do you think that they will be able to live somewhat isolated and still succeed?
DeleteI'm wondering about the idea that both the Africans in America and the African Americans want to be accepted into each others culture but can't or won't. What would need to happen for them to be accepted into each others worlds? They are obviously able to coexist but how does a society work to maintain its culture but adapt to form a new more accepting one?
ReplyDeleteI'm also curious about the specific things that show the differences (and similarities) between these two groups. In one of your other articles someone commented on hair braiding techniques. This would have been an interesting to touch upon and what it says about the communities.
I really like the whole "country within a country" idea, and there's so much surrounding it. Do you think there are any conceivable ways for the Senegalese to assimilate, or will they remain separate? That question may be a bit broad or unintelligent, but I'm just wondering because it seems like such a common thread between the four immigration groups to isolate themselves from everyone else. Is it even necessary to assimilate? Sorry, my thoughts are somewhat unorganized, but I'd love to hear what anyone has to say.
ReplyDelete