From March 26 to 28, 2026, researchers from more than twenty countries gathered at an international conference titled “Rethinking Forced Displacement in Africa” (A New Approach to Forced Displacement in Africa), organized by the Merian Institute for Advanced Studies in Africa (MIASA) and the Laboratoire d’Études et de Recherches sur les Dynamiques Sociales et le Développement Local (LASPAD) at Université Gaston Berger. The discussions highlighted the diversity of forced displacement across Africa, which is caused by factors such as natural disasters, armed conflicts, economic hardships, religious dynamics, and environmental policies.
In this context, Idrissa Manka, in collaboration with colleagues from the University of South Bohemia, presented a paper titled: “From Ancestral Lands to Protected Areas: The Anthropology of Forced Displacement and the Memory Ties of Local Communities in Parc national du Niokolo-Koba (Senegal).” The study focuses on the park’s establishment in 1954 and its expansion in 1969, which led to the forced displacement of several dozen villages and the loss of ancestral lands and cultural heritage.
The research demonstrates that despite these disruptions, the displaced communities have maintained strong ties to their ancestral heritage. Through practices such as annual pilgrimages and temporary visits to sacred sites, they continue to express a lasting commemorative connection to their original territories, highlighting the resilience of cultural identity in the face of forced displacement.
You can watch the recording of the lecture in French here:
https://laspad.org/miasa2026/#direct
Idrissa Manka
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