Fara KONATÉ, Sénégal
September 2017. A violent wind toppled the statue of General Louis Léon Faidherbe, which had stood for 130 years at the heart of Saint-Louis, Senegal. The youth of the 21st century, who denounce symbols of colonialism, celebrated with joy.
As the son of a former soldier (indigène) from French Sudan, this event ignited my desire to finally confront our shared history tied to the actions of Governor Faidherbe and French colonization against Indigenous peoples. More than half a century after decolonization, I embark on a journey in search of the remnants of the past.