Mbaye’s Story: Building the Boat
Mbaye is Soumbédioune’s master boatbuilder. With the imposing frame of a wrestler and the sure, knowledgeable hands of an artisan, he fashions wooden pirogues plank by plank, stroke by stroke—finishing each one with bright paint and intricate motifs.
Meticulous and unhurried, Mbaye’s rhythm sets the film’s tempo. As he shapes a hull, he thinks aloud about those who once left in boats like this—and those who never returned. For him, a pirogue is never just wood and nails; it embodies a lineage of craft, the grind of physical labor, and a restless urge to move.
The craft passes from generation to generation, yet every vessel carries a new question: Who will claim it, and to which horizon will it sail?
More from Barça ou Barzakh
Discover exclusive behind-the-scenes content and extras from the documentary.
Step deeper into the world of Barça ou Barzakh with members-only access to a curated collection of behind-the-scenes photos and video shorts. Go inside the bustling shipyards of Dakar with Mbaye, a master craftsman, as he selects timber, carves hulls, saws, and drives each nail with intention and skill.
Then follow Chérif, the painter who continues the work once the carpentry is complete — adding vivid colour and symbolic detail to each boat, carrying forward a tradition of resilience and artistry.
These exclusive extras offer rare insight into the people and processes behind the film — an intimate look at labor, legacy, and the textures of migration.
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