M'bour between the fishing port and Kankurang

M'bour has two very different sides: the fishing port and the Kankurang, a culturally rooted initiation rite. The combination of these themes appeals to travellers who want to include a harbour setting and a regional tradition in their holiday plans. Which side matters more to you may also play a role in choosing where to stay.

Kankurang: an initiation rite in its regional context

The Kankurang practised in M'bour is an initiation rite. It usually takes place between August and September; in the wider region, the rite is associated with circumcision ceremonies and initiation rites. In the wider region, the central figure of the Kankurang is an initiate. They wear a mask made of tree bark and red fibres from a tree called faara, are dressed in leaves, and have their body painted with plant-based dyes. The rite's initiation aspect and the central figure's striking appearance offer two different ways to approach the subject: through the rite's cultural function and through the design of its central figure.

Fishing port and the return of the pirogues

M'bour's fishing port is described as Senegal's second-largest fishing port. Each time the colourful pirogues return from fishing, they offer a spectacle. The ranking places the port in a nationwide comparison, while the returning boats provide a vivid picture. Alongside its cultural tradition, M'bour therefore also offers a maritime scene that is particularly relevant to travellers interested in fishing.

The two themes also differ in their timing: August to September is the usual period for the Kankurang, while the harbour scene is tied to the pirogues' return from fishing.

More to discover in the wider Thiès travel destination

The wider Thiès travel destination offers further landscape and cultural highlights. The Région de Thiès has a northern and a southern seafront, separated by the coast of the Région de Dakar. In the Département de Mbour, the Région de Thiès's tourism offering is predominantly focused on beach tourism; the Département de Tivaouane, by contrast, is characterised by religious tourism, with Gamous and Ziarras. Different regional focuses thus sit side by side within the Thiès travel destination.

Landscape highlights include the bay of Ngaparou, with a large sandy beach. A large baobab with a diameter of 32 metres stands in the forest of Nianing; its age is estimated at 18 centuries. In Joal-Fadiouth, pirogue trips are offered through the mangroves and past millet granaries, and the alleys of Fadiouth are paved with shells and oyster shells. The Bandia Reserve offers family safaris to observe African wildlife; sightings vary depending on conditions. Cultural history is also part of the wider travel destination: the Manufactures sénégalaises des arts décoratifs in Thiès were founded in 1966.

When looking for a holiday apartment, it therefore helps to set clear priorities: do you want to focus on M'bour's fishing port and Kankurang, or are you mainly interested in the other landscape and cultural themes in the wider Thiès travel destination?

Discover more destinations: Palmarin, Kafountine, Niaga, Toubab Dialao, Saint-Louis, Ndiongo, Dakar, Tambacounda.

Back to the overview of destinations: Senegal.