Inside a Senegalese Wrestling Match in Montreal’s Hochelaga

This story originally appeared on May 6, 2025 in URBANIA, an online magazine based in Quebec focused on pop culture and society.

“The joy of the traveler lies in not knowing what awaits around the corner,” wrote Nicolas Bouvier in his masterpiece L’Usage du monde. But sometimes, the greatest detour happens without ever leaving your own city.

That morning, I locked up my bike to a rickety pole in Hochelaga, convinced I’d be staying on familiar ground. “Nothing to get excited about,” I told myself. I had no idea just how disoriented that simple trip would leave me.

For the 12th edition of Senegal Month in Canada 2025, the Centre Pierre-Charbonneau opens its doors to a world that at first feels familiar. But soon, something shifts: a scent lingers in the air, reshaping the senses. Aromas from elsewhere drift in, a cuisine simmers gently. And suddenly, it no longer feels quite like Montreal.

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