Mamadou Diouf is a

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...

ese musician and writer. Since 2007, he also holds Polish citizenship.

Education

Diouf trained as a

veterinarian A veterinarian (vet), also known as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary physician, is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, vet ...

. He first came to Poland in 1983 to study Polish on a language course in

Łódź Łódź, also rendered in English as Lodz, is a city in central Poland and a former industrial centre. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is located approximately south-west of Warsaw. The city's coat of arms is an example of cant ...

. He then moved to

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...

, where he experienced racial abuse, including physical attacks "in broad daylight".

Musical career

Diouf has released a number of albums and has collaborated with

Anna Maria Jopek Anna Maria Jopek (born 14 December 1970) is a Polish vocalist, songwriter, and improviser. She represented Poland in the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest, with the song "Ale jestem" and finished 11th out of 25 participating acts; and in 2002, she co ...

Voo Voo Voo Voo is a Polish rock band formed in 1985. Band members * Wojciech Waglewski – guitar, main vocals, and lyrics. Founder and leader of the band; its name comes from his initials (the English pronunciation of "Voo Voo" sounds like Polish ...

and

Zakopower Zakopower is a Polish Goral folk music group. It is named after Zakopane, the hometown of its lead singer. Awards * 2008 - Fryderyk award for Folk Album of the Year * 2008 - National Festival of Polish Song in Opole, Grand Prix

Writing

In 2011, Diouf published ''A Little Book about Racism'' ("Mała książka o rasizmie"). He has also frequently spoken out against racism in Poland and the use of the racial term

murzyn ' () is a common Polish language, Polish word for a black person (person of Sub-Saharan African descent). Etymology The word '' is derived from a Czech borrowing of the German ''wikt:Mohr, Mohr'', derived from Latin ''wikt:Maurus, Maurus'', s ...

("black" or "negro"). He also co-authored with Stephano Sambali ''How to talk to Polish children about children from Africa'' ("Jak mówić polskim dzieciom o dzieciach z Afryki").

Activism

In 2007, Diouf set up the "Africa Another Way Foundation"''Africans in Poland gradually sinking roots''
Topnews.in to increase "knowledge sharing and communication" regarding African issues in Poland. Diouf has criticised Poland's first black

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

John Godson John Abraham Godson (né Godson Chikama Onyekwere; born 25 November 1970) is a Polish-Nigerian politician, a university teacher and a former Charismatic minister. He served as a Member of the Sejm between 2010-2015, most recently as a member of t ...

, who has said that the word "murzyn" is not offensive and that he is proud to be called one. Diouf has said that the word has only had "negative connotations" (it is used in many pejorative phrases) and that Godson does not know the word's etymology.''"Murzyn to niewolnik. Szkoda, że poseł tego nie łapie"''
TVN24.pl, retrieved 30/11/2011. Diouf: "Myślę, że pan poseł nie zna pochodzenia słowa, o którym mowa" - "I think, that the MP doesn't know the etymology of the word". Regarding racial comments said by prominent Polish figures, Diouf has said: "That's the problem in this country. I'm not even talking about racism, but there's no critique when someone says these things."

References

External links

Africa Another Way Foundation website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diouf, Mamadou Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Polish anti-racism activists Polish musicians Polish human rights activists Polish veterinarians Senegalese emigrants to Poland Polish people of Senegalese descent Naturalized citizens of Poland Serer singers