Senegalese Diaspora Home for the Holidays in Dakar

For a Senegalese living abroad back in Dakar in December, Ge'eza, in Point E, offers a setting to reconnect with family around a shared table, a gallery showing the work of three Senegalese artists, and a stop at the concept store to take home an artwork or spices before flying back out.

A homecoming shared around the table

December often brings Senegalese based in France, the United States, the United Kingdom or Canada back to Dakar, for the year-end holidays or simply to see family. Between visits to relatives, a table at Ge'eza offers something different from a home-cooked meal: a villa setting, with a garden and a terrace, where several generations can sit down together over Ethiopian food or the Senegalese dish of the day, served Tuesday to Friday at lunchtime. The guide hosting visiting family in Dakar sets out a wider programme for a family visit, useful if relatives from abroad are part of the trip home.

Discovering a gallery during the stay

Beyond the table, Ge'eza's gallery currently shows the work of three Senegalese artists, open during restaurant hours, Tuesday to Sunday, 8am to 10pm. For someone coming home after years abroad, a gallery visit gives a sense of the current art scene, a change from memories kept from the Senegal they left earlier. It is also a simple way to show children born or raised abroad a piece of the contemporary creativity of their parents' country.

Taking home an artwork or some spices

For anyone wanting to bring something back from the trip, two options complement each other. The concept store offers Ethiopian coffee, berbere spice blend and handmade craft, items that travel easily in a suitcase, sold on site during restaurant hours. For something more lasting, a gallery artwork can be picked up directly in Point E before departure, or shipped later on request if it cannot be carried on the flight. The guide African art for the diaspora covers how to follow an artist and buy a work from abroad once back home; this page focuses on what can be done on site, during the trip itself.

A presence better felt than counted

There is no reliable figure to give on how many Senegalese living abroad come home each year for the holidays, and it is better to stay cautious than to offer an estimate. What does show, though, is the mood of December in Dakar: busier airports, family homes filling up, and places like Ge'eza seeing regulars who have lived abroad for years return, alongside Dakar residents who never left the city.

A taste of home too

For a Senegalese returning after months or years abroad, the Senegalese dish of the day, served Tuesday to Friday at lunchtime at 5,500 F with a drink and attaya included, mafé on Tuesday, thieboudienne on Wednesday, supou kanja on Thursday, poulet yassa on Friday, is a reference point that speaks louder than any Ethiopian dish. Pairing it with a gallery visit or a stop at the concept store fits a familiar taste and a cultural discovery into the same outing, without having to choose between the two.

Organising a homecoming meal

For a meal that brings together several generations of the same family, the shared format of Ethiopian food, a large injera platter at the centre, suits a table mixing those still living in Dakar with those who only come back once a year. Beyond eight people, it helps to also message on WhatsApp at +221 78 660 07 07, on top of an online booking, so the team can set the table accordingly.

A trip that mixes several generations

A homecoming trip often brings together grandparents who never left Dakar, parents who settled abroad decades ago, and children who were born outside Senegal and are discovering the country almost as newcomers. A single outing, a shared meal followed by a gallery visit, gives each generation something to relate to, whether that is a familiar dish, a half-remembered street, or simply a new place to explore together for the first time.

Taking a slower moment

A year-end trip fills up fast with visits and family obligations. Setting aside a calmer moment, such as a coffee ceremony or a quiet gallery visit mid-week, helps avoid spending the whole stay caught up in the rush of reunions. It is also a way to reclaim the city at your own pace, away from the tight schedule family sometimes sets.

Booking and planning the visit

A table can be booked online on the reservation page or on WhatsApp at +221 78 660 07 07. For a gallery visit followed by a purchase, it is enough to come by during restaurant hours and ask for the price of a work on site, or write ahead to geezacultures@gmail.com to plan the purchase before arrival.