Doha,November 20 (QNA) - The Senegal national football team, nicknamed the Lions of Teranga, is playing in FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 within group A that includes Qatar, Ecuador and the Netherlands.

Teranga is derived from one of the local languages in Senegal and symbolizes the Senegalese culture which is one of the vital African cultural centerpiece, combining a host of the African, Islamic and French cultures.

Senegal has an authentic history that dates back to the onset of the history of mankind, because some studies indicate that the country has been highly populated where French is the official language and is considered one of the members of the Francophone organization, while the popular local Wolof language prevails, which is full of Arabic vocabulary, and has its widespread literature as well. Likewise, the country has significant contribution in the global literature which is presented by the Arabic language along with the French, as the Arabic language has been the first written language in the country.

In addition, consecutive generations of students who had memorized the Holy Qur'an graduated thanks to the pervasiveness of the Sharia sciences, along with the Arabic language, including Maliki jurisprudence and Arabic literature, because Arabic language is widely known among the Senegalese intellectuals and novel authors, which was the mother language that expresses their feelings, along with the stories, proverbs, songs and music coming at the forefront.

Senegal has a long record in theatre, arts and drama. The Senegalese theatre presented several theatrical experiences and has been more visible in the national scene in the post-independence era in 1960 to restore its repertoire of French-speaking plays written in Africa, it was also known even before independence for being a pioneer in African film, and it established a foundation in1969 to undergird the local films and stimulate the production of cinema.

In addition, the Senegalese music is well-known by the Wolof percussion instrument called Mbalax which is the national popular dance music of Senegal, along with oriental-inspired instruments and singing styles. The music there is mainly monophonic with elements of polyphony arising from ornamentation and various forms of Burgundy, in addition to the single-stringed fiddle and strings from one to five strings, the 21-string chorus being the most important instrument. Likewise, percussion instruments such as drums, tapers and hourglasses are available, as well as percussion and flutes.

Senegal is considered a multi-cultural country where handcrafts and textile traditions prevail, in addition to calligraphy, ornament and decoration, along with the archeological landmarks that reflect the attractiveness, beauty and civilization of the country, where 7 sites were recorded on the UNESCO's World Heritage List, and two of them are within the natural category, while the rest are all cultural sites.

Among these sites is the town of Bassari, which combines human achievements with stunning scenery.

The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs in Qatar has issued a book titled: "Muslims In Senegal Milestones Of The Present And Future Prospects " by the writer Abdelkader Mohamed Sila, which includes geographical and human data, methods of Islam spread in West Africa, colonization and the spread of Islam in Senegal, as well as some characteristics of Islam in Senegal, Arabization movement, the foreseeable future of Islamic organizations and the foreseeable future of Islam in Senegal.

(QNA)