Word: toucans
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 2000-2009
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Senegal's capital was unusually subdued for a Saturday night in late February. In Dakar's popular Sicap Baobab district, the normally packed Toucan restaurant was empty and quiet, save for the voice of local pop star Cheikh Lô coming from speakers above the bar. In 1996 Lô hit international fame with Né La Thiass (Gone in a Flash), which warned about sudden changes of destiny. With Senegal emerging from a tumultuous election, the most keenly contested in its history, that lyric is timely again, echoing sentiment about the country's tippy democratic traditions and life under...
...clashed violently and frequently in the streets. While factionalism exercised at the end of a stick may be a standard part of the political process in many parts of Africa, it was a shocking and unsettling occurrence here. "People are nervous - they don't know what to expect," the Toucan's waitress said. "They are stocking up on groceries." The West African country of some 12 million, mostly Muslim and from diverse indigenous tribes, has long been celebrated as one of the continent's leading outposts of peace and stability. But Senegal's secular government doesn't look quite like...