00:01Power presents itself in many ways, though often one of the first that comes to mind
00:07is physical strength, sweat, grit, competition.
00:11Here in Senegal, athleticism reigns supreme.
00:15The massive beach run is what I can't quite understand.
00:21And it's traditional wrestling that is celebrated everywhere,
00:24though more specifically it is the male wrestlers who are celebrated.
00:28But we're here to meet a woman whose tenacity and skill inside the wrestling ring
00:32is gaining worldwide acclaim and inspiring a new generation of girls.
00:37Because the female fight is known, but it's not too known.
00:42But we hope that it will improve.
00:45It will help us.
00:57Our story begins here, in the capital city of Dakar.
01:01We've just arrived in Senegal, where the national sport is wrestling.
01:05Here, wrestling is so much more than a sport.
01:08It's a tradition with really deep cultural roots.
01:10More popular than football, wrestling is almost a religious pursuit here.
01:15Called LAM, it's a cultural rite of passage that isn't just a sport.
01:20The centuries-old game has its origins in rural fishing villages and farms.
01:24It combines dancing, mysticism, and support from the entire community.
01:29To win is to honor your entire village.
01:33Today, sponsors and television broadcasts have brought the once rustic ritual to the masses.
01:39Champions make fortunes and become national celebrities.
01:43Yet for the most part, women are on the sidelines.
01:48To get some perspective on a women's place here in the ring and outside of it,
01:52we meet up with Amnesty International Ambassador, Amanatou Saar.
01:57We're here exploring what wrestling means to the culture here and how women are participating.
02:02But we also just want to know, like, what rights are they fighting for?
02:07There are lots of women who are still not going to school.
02:11There are lots of girls who are not going to school.
02:13There are still lots of early marriage and forced marriage.
02:17And, of course, there are lots of issues on even controlling your own body,
02:21having control over your sexuality,
02:24having control over your, if I may say, contraception.
02:29These are still very taboo issues.
02:31If you could describe what cynicallys women are like, how would you describe them?
02:35Ha!
02:36The most beautiful, brilliant, they are so bright and so open.
02:42And then they are not that shy.
02:45What's your name?
02:46My name's Alison. What's your name?
02:49Princess.
02:49Princess.
02:50Princess.
02:51That's a beautiful name.
02:52Yeah, that's a good name.
02:55Goodbye.
02:56Goodbye.
02:58Goodbye.
02:58Goodbye.
02:59I admire many of the women that I see in this country.
03:02When you see this even single poor woman selling fish or selling peanuts,
03:08the way that she would just stand, taking care of her own life.
03:12If we want to be taken seriously, we need to be active.
03:16We need to get involved and we need to stand for our own rights.
03:21Nobody will do it on our behalf.
03:22So I would say that the Senegalese women are very brave and they are fighters.
03:35How do you feel about female wrestlers?
03:38A lot of people will say, no, this is not how we would like to see women.
03:41If strong women don't fit into the framework, as we would say.
03:49Do you think that women participating in wrestling can be a tool for addressing gender equality?
03:57Definitely.
03:58There is no reason why they shouldn't wrestle.
04:01Because wrestling is part of our culture, why would women not be part of that?
04:08Isabel Sambu is one such champion whose achievements have made her a formidable role model internationally and at home.
04:16She's a five-time national champ.
04:19And at the London Olympics in 2012, she was just seconds away from bringing home the bronze.
04:25Now she's one of the eight international female ambassadors known as the Super Eight,
04:30who are promoting the sport to women and girls around the world.
04:35As part of her mission, Isabel has organized a very special event, an all-girls wrestling tournament in her hometown.
04:43And she's invited us to attend.
04:48So we're heading 200 miles south of Dakar to the region of Casamonts.
05:06When we arrived, the opening celebrations for the tournament were already underway.
05:12It was just so clear that she held a position of high esteem amongst the village leaders.
05:16It really meant a lot to us that even in the midst of the festivities, she found time to have
05:22a chat about what wrestling really means to her.
05:24It changed a lot. It changed a lot. It changed a lot in my life.
05:30When I was domestic, a little girl, I stopped to come and fight.
05:40It was where I found something in the future.
05:44So it changed a lot in my life.
05:47So, she didn't know what I'm talking about.
05:52Now, let me know if she started playing in the field of training,
05:54she was very excited, so I could have seen her in the field.
06:03She was very excited to share her in the field.
06:14Isabel was discovered at a wrestling match just like this, and it carried her to an
06:20international stage.
06:22It was beautiful to witness her paying it forward and organizing a tournament for young
06:27female wrestlers to be seen.
06:29Do you think it's important for more girls to join the sport?
06:34Yes, yes, it's very important, it's very important that there are other girls who fight, because
06:41I'm here today, even if I told myself I would stop the fight, I know there will be girls
06:47behind me, and they will do better than me.
06:52The fact that they will benefit from here, at home, it will make a lot of good, because
07:00girls will know that the fight is very important.
07:05We were blown away, and honestly, a little intimidated by the grit that these young female wrestlers
07:11displayed.
07:13Because the women's fight, in fact, is known, but it's not too known.
07:19But we would hope that it will improve, that it will help us from the front, and for the
07:25future children who will come, the future champions of the world, champions olympic champions who
07:30will come, who will be, maybe, like us, more than us.
07:50We were moved to see how the women rallied around Isabel, and honoured her as an outlier.
07:59We learned that Isabel's story is one of resilience and tenacity.
08:06She was orphaned as a small child, and was raised by the women of the village.
08:13And now this community of women who raised her, honour her as a hero, and designate her
08:20a leader of the highest order.
08:24SILVA ANGENATTAL
08:25SILVA ANGENATTAL
08:56As the event begins to wind down, a few hundred yards from the center of town,
09:01we are invited to join Isabel and some of her star students amongst the ancient trees,
09:07a place considered sacred by the village.
09:22Finally, it seems, it's our turn to step into the ring.
09:27We are dancing to the circle in a symbolic moment of acceptance that was both thrilling and humbling.
09:45As each person took their turn in the circle, we couldn't help but consider their future.
09:59Some of these girls may go on to be champions themselves, while others may choose a different path.
10:05Politics, business, family.
10:08But meeting Isabel and watching these young contenders, one thing is clear.
10:12When girls are allowed to step in the ring, great things can happen.
10:17Do you think wrestling will help other young women become leaders in their communities?
10:22Yes.
10:24Of course.
10:25Of course.
10:27Of course.
10:27They have already started.
10:30And whether they win or lose, giving girls the opportunity to be seen, stand tall, and get
10:37in the ring would give them the confidence to realize their own worth and potential.
10:42To be continued...
