TITLE:
Science Put to the Test of Mysticism in the “Navetanes”
AUTHORS:
Souleymane Diallo
KEYWORDS:
Mystical Practices, Science, Popular Football, Belief
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Applied Sciences,
Vol.14 No.8,
August
21,
2024
ABSTRACT: Mystical practices or “Xon” exist in virtually every sector of social life in Senegal. Popular or “navétane” football is particularly and profoundly affected by this phenomenon, to the point of raising questions about their place in this sport, which is naturally governed by scientific rules of performance. To provide an answer, we used qualitative methods, including participant observation and semi-structured interviews with 9 coaches and those in charge of the “xonjom”. The main results highlight the predominance of “Xon” over training. The players pay more attention to the mystics. The creation of a commission responsible for occult practices and the efforts made by the players to approach occultists and ensure that their instructions are respected attest to the importance of “xonjom”. As a result of the social anchoring provided by education, popular football is not spared from “xon”. More time is spent practising mysticism than training. They are seen as a source of victory, playing the role of psychological preparation. The centralisation of “xonjom” is reflected in the prioritisation of “xon” over training. The marabouts’ instructions take precedence over those of the trainers.