2006年VOA标准英语-Senegalese Surf Scene Attracts More Locals

By Kari Barber
Dakar
02 December 2006

This year marks 40 years since the sport of surfing was introduced in Senegal. The country first gained the attention of the surf world with the 1966 surfing documentary¹ "The Endless Summer." In the following decades many tourists came to surf Senegal. Now, more locals are finding their way to the waves. Kari Barber reports for VOA from Dakar.

glides2 across a wave in Dakar, Senegal" src="/upimg/allimg/070510/1554340.jpg" width="210" border="0" />

Ali Zeia glides across a wave in Dakar, Senegal

In the 1966 surfing cult³ movie The Endless Summer, two American surfers came to the Ngor village area of Senegal. The young characters found surfable waves and a culture curious about foreigners and the sport of surfing.

Forty years later, surf tourism has swelled⁴ in Dakar, and in the past decade more locals are learning the difficult sport.

Ibrahim Bakhoum lives in Ngor village. He makes a living working at a surf camp on the Island of Ngor. He knows of about 50 local Senegalese surfers. Most of them come from his village of about 2,000 people.

Bakhoum says his family was not happy when he began surfing. "'Do not go to the wave," he says they told him. "You are crazy, it is not a good job.' I like surfing, it is my life. It is my life. They said, 'Ibrahim is crazy.' Not accepted. They said, 'Ibrahim is crazy, is crazy, is crazy."

He says his mother pushed him to take up a safer sport like golf and work as a caddy for foreign tourists at the nearby resort.

But as surfing grew more popular, and Bakhoum started making a living from it, the family accepted his decision.

Bakhoum and surf-camp operator Philippe Apack are taking surfers by boat from the island to the shore. Today they are going to a spot called Secrets.

Australian surfer Mark Pople is on his first trip to Senegal. He says the interaction between tourists and local surfers is not competitive⁵ like in many popular surfing destinations.

Camp leader Apack says he is happy when guests enjoy Senegal's year-round waves, but he hopes they will offer local surfers something in return. A used surfboard costs about $200, much too high a price to pay for most Senegalese. "It is a Third World country. It is good for the economy. We have to participate to help their development. So coming here is to enjoy surfing that is a way, but there are other things. We have to help people, bring T-shirts, bring boards to give to the kids. If we are surfers and we travel, we should discover other cultures and help people out," he says.

While he helps tourists find the perfect wave, or at least a good wave, Bakhoum says, ensuring the growth of the local surf scene is his passion. .

As the surf camp wraps up their session at Secrets, they make plans to move down the road where Apack says the waves look better.

Apack says he encourages youth from his Ngor village to try surfing. He tells them it is not just a sport for white affluent⁶ people anymore. He hopes they too might have the chance to enjoy Senegal's endless summer.

1 documentary   

adj.文献的；n.纪录片

参考例句：

• This case lacked documentary proof.本案缺少书面证据。
• I watched a documentary on the Civil War.我看了一部关于内战的纪录片。

2 glides   

n.滑行( glide的名词复数 )；滑音；音渡；过渡音v.滑动( glide的第三人称单数 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔

参考例句：

• The new dance consists of a series of glides. 这种新舞蹈中有一连串的滑步。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The stately swan glides gracefully on the pond. 天鹅在池面上优美地游动。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 cult   

n.异教，邪教；时尚，狂热的崇拜

参考例句：

• Her books aren't bestsellers,but they have a certain cult following.她的书算不上畅销书，但有一定的崇拜者。
• The cult of sun worship is probably the most primitive one.太阳崇拜仪式或许是最为原始的一种。

4 swelled   

增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情）

参考例句：

• The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染，他的手肿了起来。
• After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后，河水猛涨。

5 competitive   

adj.竞争的，比赛的，好竞争的，有竞争力的

参考例句：

• Some kinds of business are competitive.有些商业是要竞争的。
• These businessmen are both competitive and honourable.这些商人既有竞争性又很诚实。

6 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。