[Antoni Porowski]
I'm Antoni Porowski.
-Hello.
-[woman speaks indistinctly]
[Antoni]
And as a son of immigrants,
-I know that food
-Ooh!
can tell you more
about who you are
Nothing makes me feel
more Polish than this.
and where
you've come from
-This is it.
-than you ever imagine.
So now, I'm leading
six curious Hollywood stars
-Are you excited for this?
-Yeah.
[Antoni] on their very own
journeys of a lifetime.
I've been waiting for
this moment my entire life.
[both laugh]
[Antoni]
I'll be delving into
their family histories
Do you see your name?
[gasps]
Florence?
[Antoni] tracking down
culinary clues
Oh, my gosh, it's so good.
to unlock the past.
[Issa Rae] It almost feels
unreal to think that
I descend from a king.
[Antoni] And it all begins
-Ha!
-For you, Nonna.
-[Antoni] with just one
-Mmm.
-[laughter]
-[Antoni] family recipe.
[kiss smacks]
-It's crispy.
-Mm!
[Antoni]
This time, Issa Rae,
creator, producer, and writer
of the hit series Insecure,
star of American Fiction,
Spiderman Across
the Spider-Verse,
and all-around powerhouse,
is traveling to her father's
homeland of Senegal.
-We made it.
-Yeah.
It's so beautiful!
[laughing]
[Antoni]
Issa wants to know more
about her West African
heritage,
and there are some
big surprises in store.
So, we're actually gonna
meet somebody right now,
someone who knew her.
Because I'm about to
dish out some family secrets
and some
delicious traditions
Oh, my God!
Oh, yes! Oh!
[Antoni] and show Issa
she's inherited more
from her ancestors
than she could ever imagine.
-Yet another woman, right?
-Another powerful woman
-Right?
-just breaking barriers
-Yeah.
-running in the family.
That's crazy.
♪♪
[Antoni]
What is Senegal to you?
Senegal is family.
-Mm-hmm.
-It's beauty.
My dad is from Senegal,
so I would go back
pretty much
every summer growing up.
[sea birds crying]
[Antoni] Issa Rae's dad
was born here in the 1940s,
when Senegal
was still a French colony.
He moved to France
for his medical studies
and met Issa's mom,
who was also studying abroad.
The couple moved to LA,
where Issa's dad
worked as a pediatrician.
Issa's childhood vacations
were often spent
visiting her dad's
big family here,
but she mainly grew up
in California.
So, your mother
is African American.
Having parents from two
completely different cultures,
is there one that
you've kind of felt
like you were more
a part of growing up?
Has it been more 50/50?
It's been more 75/25.
I would say when I was younger,
it did feel more like 50/50.
-Mm-hmm.
-But the older I've gotten,
-the less connected I feel.
-Yeah.
And so,
that percentage has shifted.
I've realized how much
I don't know about Senegal.
I don't know much
about the history.
I mean, my grandmother's
side of the family,
-who I was named after.
-Right.
When I meet other
Senegalese people
out in the States, I can't
really connect with them
-Yeah.
-'cause I don't feel like,
you know, I grew up here,
I know as much.
Is that something that
you want to, like, change?
Like, what do you want
to get out of this journey?
I want to feel like
I have a solid foundation
and newfound appreciation
of Senegal.
That puts a lot
of pressure on me. [laughing]
Yeah, you got it.
Just give me everything I need.
Fulfill that 75%.
[Antoni] Issa may feel that
her Senegalese credentials
are lacking, but lucky for me,
there is one area
where there is a connection.
It really is through food
where I feel like,
"Oh, this is
this is my culture,"
and I love I love it.
-Eating is
-Eating?
Like, that's it.
Honestly, what is my aunt
cooking,
what's on deck,
what's the meal schedule
-for the week?
-[laughing]
For me,
my personal favorite
-is soupe kanja.
-Yeah, okay.
And that's like
a Senegalese gumbo.
Sorry, I love
how you're smiling
when you're talking
about the food.
-[laughing]
-It gets me excited.
It's like really early,
but I'm ready to try some.
No, this is good.
This is good.
[laughter]
[Antoni] Since soupe kanja
is one of those dishes
you eat at home, we're heading
to Issa's aunt's place
on the other side of Dakar,
Senegal's capital,
which holds the title
for the westernmost city
on the African mainland.
Over three million people live
in this bustling metropolis.
One of the most chaotic
roundabout exper
It's a free-for-all.
And the best way
to get around is by car rapide,
or "fast bus" in French,
still the official language
of this former colony.
There's a cow
literally right over here,
and there are goats running.
No! [laughing]
I've got a feeling
my French-Canadian upbringing
is gonna come in handy.
Merci.
[Issa] Merci.
[people chattering]
[laughter]
I missed you too.
-What's your name?
-I'm Antoni.
-Antoni?
-Yeah.
Oh, okay.
[Antoni] While Issa's aunties
set the table
we're hanging back
with Cousin Marie
to make the soupe kanja.
Which starts with okra.
This dish might be
Issa's favorite here,
but it's clear she's as new
to cooking it as I am.
[Antoni]
Luckily, we're in good hands.
Ah!
[Antoni] So, this is your
grandma who taught her,
who you were
named after, right?
[Issa] Yes, who I was
named after,
and apparently
was an amazing cook.
Ah!
[Antoni] Saint-Louis,
Senegal's old colonial capital,
is famous
for its delicious cuisine.
And it's also where
Grandma Isseu was from,
and where she learned to cook.
This is therapeutic.
[laughing]
[Antoni] Her recipe
for soupe kanja
is a firm family favorite.
Issa, did you ever meet
your grandma?
I didn't meet her.
-Okay.
-So, I'm so curious about her.
I'm named after her.
-Mm-hmm.
-But I have so many questions.
[Antoni] As the onions
and peppers soften,
it's time to add
the ingredients
this dish is famous for
seafood, seafood,
and more seafood.
Mussels. Dried mussels.
Right, okay, ocean snails.
Okay.
[Antoni]
So, the whole fish just goes
in a shallow base of water.
-Crab claws?
-Uh-huh.
-Yes!
-Okay.
[Antoni]
While the soupe kanja simmers,
I'm on the hunt
for some info.
Issa's dad
was the eldest of seven,
and with three of his sisters
all together at the table,
it's the perfect time
to learn more about the woman
behind this
beloved family recipe,
Grandma Isseu.
Like, what kind
of a woman was she?
'Cause I'm getting, like,
very strong, like
-Very strong. Strong woman.
-Yeah.
Matriarchal, like female vibes
in this household.
Yeah.
But she raised us
to be a strong woman,
because she loved my father,
despite the family
telling her not to marry him
because he's a musician.
-Ah!
-Musicians are not good.
[laughing]
And she was like,
"No, I will marry him."
[Antoni]
It was a bold thing to do,
because in 1930s Senegal,
all marriages were arranged
according to social status,
and a musician simply
wasn't considered a good match.
But Grandma Isseu insisted
on making her own choice.
[Antoni] So, she was loving,
generous, but also a rebel?
Mm-hmm.
She knew what she wanted.
[Antoni]
See, she committed to love.
-Okay.
-Didn't she?
-It worked out.
-[laughing]
We're here because of her.
-Yay!
-Yay!
Oh!
[cheering]
[Antoni] Grandma Isseu
may no longer be here,
but lucky for us,
her legendary
soupe kanja lives on.
The little pools
of oil on top.
-Oh my gosh! Perfect!
-Mm, mm, mm!
[speaking French]
-It really reduced a lot.
-Yeah.
Oh my gosh,
I'm so excited! Okay.
-Bon appetit.
-[all] Bon appetit.
♪♪
Oh my gosh,
this is so good!
-Mm-hmm.
-No shortage of spice.
[Issa] Oh yeah.
It warms the heart, right?
-[laughing]
-Ah, I knew it.
[laughter]
[Issa] To sit there
and enjoy that with my aunts
after such a long time,
I haven't done that in years,
so it was so special.
And your grandma,
what a woman!
She married for love
and you have to be brave
to do that.
-Mm-hmm.
-When people speak about her,
it is with
so much adoration
and, yeah, I just want
to know everything.
[Antoni]
Learning about Grandma Isseu
through her signature
soupe kanja
has been a delicious start
to our journey.
But if Issa really wants to
feel like she belongs here,
we're gonna need to venture
a little further
than she's used to.
I want us to kind of truly
really get into
your family history
and just do like
a proper deep dive.
I can't wait to see
where you take me.
-I love surprises.
-I do too.
And there's food
around every surprise.
-100%.
-Then I'm game.
[Antoni] Issa hasn't spent
much time exploring Dakar,
so today, we're hitting
the streets.
Do you come here often?
[Issa] Never been here
in my life.
[Antoni] Really?
I feel like I didn't really
get out, you know,
to see the city,
it was more about family.
[Antoni] But we're not
just out for a stroll.
I've been doing my homework,
and it's become clear
that for Issa to connect to her
Senegalese side more deeply,
she needs to understand
a pivotal moment here.
So, I promised you
to get outside
of the comfort zone
of your auntie's place.
-Have I succeeded?
-You have absolutely succeeded.
[Antoni] Her grandma
moved to Dakar at a time
when Senegalese identity
was undergoing a revolution,
transforming everything.
But before we get into that,
I've got an errand to run.
We gotta stop here
to pick some stuff up.
Okay.
[Antoni] And I'm putting
in a bulk order
Bonjour! Bonjour!
to bring along
to our next stop.
Excellent.
-Merci bien.
-Merci.
[Anotni] Ndambe is a spicy stew
of black-eyed peas
smeared onto
a fresh baguette.
It's a Senegalese French fusion
that was eaten around
the period Issa's grandma
was discovering these streets
for the first time.
So, she moved
with her husband
in the early 1960s
from Saint-Louis to Dakar.
And there was something major
that was going on
culturally and politically
at the time, as well.
And so, today,
we're gonna understand that.
I'm very excited.
I know nothing.
I can't even guess.
Independence?
-Oh, was it the independence?
-Mm-hmm.
-I can guess then. [laughing]
-Yeah.
[Antoni]
Senegal gained independence
on August 20, 1960,
which marked the end
of around 300 years
of colonial rule.
As the winds of change
swept through,
the capital shifted
from Saint-Louis to Dakar.
And so did Issa's grandparents.
Grandad Amadou, who was now
working in teaching,
landed a big new job
at the Ministry of Education.
And Issa's 18-year-old dad
joined the military,
where he started
his training to be a doctor.
-Ah.
-Here.
-So, you got the goods?
-I got the goods.
[Antoni] We're delivering
our breakfast order to someone
who can explain
how the sandwich
is connected to Issa's story.
Local artist, author,
and filmmaker
Fatou Kande Senghor.
She's asked us to meet her
at the rehearsal of a dance
that anyone who lived through
independence would recognize.
[drummer speaking
in native language]
[drums playing]
[Fatou] The lead drummer
makes the calls,
then you come in as a group
and you perform.
[drumming continues]
It's the outlet.
You just come out
of their bodies,
try to reach to the sky
and get all the energies out.
[Antoni] The '60s were an
exciting time to be in Dakar.
The city became the center of
a Senegalese cultural revival
as the identity
of the new republic was reborn.
[drumming continues]
[Antoni] From the rhythmic
beats of its music
Wow! Bravo
[Antoni] to its
mouthwatering cuisine.
This spicy bean sandwich
was a radical reinvention
of the traditional
French baguette.
[Issa] Let's dive in.
[Antoni]
Adapted to local tastes,
using homegrown crops like
chilies and black-eyed peas.
[Issa]
It's seasoned very well.
The black-eyed peas
-are definitely the star.
-Mm-hmm.
[Antoni] And it fueled
the growing workforce
flocking to the new capital.
First meal of the day,
and it'll take you until 5:00.
In the '60s, there was a wind
of independence.
So, it was the time,
at last, to shine
with our own ideas
of Blackness.
Now we had a country,
everybody wanted
to be part of building it.
-Mm.
-Through the dance,
through the food, of course.
New dishes were introduced
during that time.
This was a new,
fresh generation
that needed to carve
their own ways.
How exciting!
[Antoni] Many were swept up
in this transformation,
including Grandma Isseu.
[Issa] My aunts told me
that she married for love,
and that just didn't happen
during that time.
So, for her to decide to go
for what she wanted
makes so much sense
aligned with this period
where so many other people
were deciding,
"I'm gonna go for
what I want in this new city.
"I'm gonna shed
some of the past
-Right.
-"and these traditions
and start anew."
And it makes me wonder also,
just where is she getting
the courage to make
these decisions?
That's an excellent question.
I love your train of thought.
Issa's really
onto something here,
because I've been
speaking to her family,
and although independence
did influence Grandma Isseu,
it wasn't the only reason
for her bold, confident nature.
There's another explanation,
one that lies far from here.
We are heading to
Issa's family's ancestral home,
Saint-Louis.
A hundred miles north of Dakar,
this historic port city
has a distinctive location,
sandwiched between
the Senegal River
and the Atlantic Ocean.
Issa's family goes back
five generations here.
But despite visiting a couple
of times over the years,
she isn't that familiar
with this place,
or her forebears
who lived here.
-Saint-Louis, so here we are.
-Wow!
There's just so much
that I feel like I don't know.
-Yeah.
-Even seeing this
-doesn't mean anything to me
-I mean, it's stunning.
'cause I've never
seen it up close.
[Antoni] Like, so colorful
and vibrant now.
[Issa] Yes.
[Antoni] I've been doing some
research into Issa's family,
and it turns out
that Grandma Isseu
was raised by a leading light
in the community here
her mother Bineta,
who lived and worked
with her husband Abdoulaye.
He actually ran a very
successful trading company,
and he basically
traveled with salt
on fishing boats like these
down the Senegal River,
and Bineta would actually sell
these goods at the market
right along this side,
right over here.
Yeah, that's so interesting.
I had no idea that
that was the case.
-Yeah.
-[boaters shouting]
-Oh, they love you.
-That's what's up.
[Antoni]
It must be a family thing,
because by all accounts,
Issa's great-grandmother Bineta
was well-loved here too.
And I want Issa
to find out why.
So, we're actually gonna
meet somebody right now.
-Someone who knew her.
-[Issa gasps]
-Yeah.
-Someone who knew her?
Someone who knew her.
Through this way.
[Antoni] We're in the part
of Saint-Louis
where Issa's great-grandmother
Bineta used to live.
And we're hunting
for the compound of someone
who remembers her well.
Good morning.
Well, how are we connected?
Wow!
[Antoni] Papa Laye
is Issa's dad's cousin.
Bineta was his grandma
and looked after him
when he was just a boy.
[Antoni] Ah!
She was an avenger.
Love it.
[Antoni] Yeah.
Were they similar,
Issa and my great-grandmother?
Now, I know where I get it from.
Yeah. [laughing]
[Antoni] But Bineta passed on
much more than her dimples.
She also handed down a certain
way of approaching the world.
That's beautiful.
[Antoni] But this spirit
of hospitality
was more than
just being sociable.
It's a highly prized Senegalese
trait called teranga,
a kind of paying it forward,
which left a lasting impression
on Bineta's family.
[crying]
[Issa]
Oh, man.
So, he was there when she
That's why.
Can I hug you?
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Okay.
That filled my heart.
-Aw!
-It really did.
[Antoni]
It's been over 50 years
since Bineta passed away,
but I want Issa to experience
the dish she would cook
to demonstrate this prized
Senegalese value
of hospitality, or teranga.
Wow!
[Issa speaking]
[Antoni] And I know
just the place to go.
Thank you.
Thank you
so much for having us.
[Antoni] Fatima Fall Niang
is an expert
in the most quintessential of
Saint-Louis dishes, ceebu jën.
And in place of Bineta,
Madame Yaseen is dishing up.
-Oh, yes!
-Okay, so sweet potato
[speaking in French]
okra, carrots.
-Yes.
-Butternut squash and cabbage.
[Antoni] In addition
to this array of vegetables,
there's fish stuffed
with herbs and garlic.
-Damn!
-Oh my gosh!
[Antoni] Broken jasmine rice
is then poured
into the rich broth to cook.
Its uneven grain size means
it'll soak up all the flavor.
That's gonna absorb everything.
[Antoni] Many of the
ingredients of ceebu jën
are from elsewhere,
but living in a port,
Bineta enjoyed access
to tons of imported produce,
and this history of trade
and mixing with people
from the outside world
shaped way more
than what went into the pot.
Saint-Louis is a place
where people can eat
and people have the teranga.
-Mm.
-Okay.
I remember growing up also,
just our house
was always full of a guest,
because my dad taught us that
if somebody comes to the house,
you have to house them.
So, as a kid,
I didn't understand, I was like,
"Why do I have to give up
my room to this stranger?
-I don't know them."
-Yeah.
But they would stay
with us for months at a time
and that was just
the way it was.
-That's how he grew up.
-He was like teranga.
-Yes.
-[laughing]
[Antoni] People here take
hospitality so seriously,
that even the way
you eat ceebu jën
-is a lesson in teranga.
-[Issa] Yes!
[Antoni]
No individual portions.
No elaborate place settings.
Just one great big
delicious bowl,
heaped with goodies
that everyone can dig into.
And Papa Laye
is joining in on the feast.
Ooh!
[Antoni] But sharing
a communal dish like this
requires some ground rules.
Okay.
I focus
on what's in front of me.
-Yes.
-Stay in my lane.
[laughter]
-[Issa] Oh!
-[Antoni] Wow!
[Issa] Wow!
Wow!
Wow!
-Bon appetit.
-[Issa] Bon appetit.
[Antoni]
Bon appetit.
Mm.
Oh my gosh!
Mm.
[laughing]
[Antoni] The rice has absorbed
all of the rich flavor
from the tomato broth, and it
tastes out of this world.
Fish is so perfectly cooked.
[Antoni] I can see why
ceebu jën was the dish
Bineta turned to again and
again when receiving others.
My favorite. Sharing.
[Antoni]
It's a masterclass
in the Senegalese value
of teranga,
passed down
through the generations.
It is very important.
I will, everything that
I've received here,
I will pass on.
[Antoni]
Today was a good day.
[Issa]
Today was a really good day.
Papa Laye, in particular,
was emotional.
It was incredible.
He was passing
on what was taught to him
by your great-grandma,
all of that generosity.
Yeah. I even recognized
that just in my own family,
there's this thing that's built
in of paying it forward
and treating others
with kindness.
And I see that it comes
from this culture.
-Yeah.
-Like, it is a culture
of looking out for one another,
and giving, in some cases,
the shirt off your back,
and having
a handy meal present.
Yeah.
I hope that he saw
some of Bineta in me.
Mm.
[Antoni] Sharing her
great-grandmother's
signature dish with someone
who knew her so well
has certainly helped Issa
feel a strong bond here.
But there's a whole
other mystery to dive into,
because I've been
investigating a family rumor.
And for Issa to feel truly
connected to this place,
there's something
she needs to know.
All right, maybe just one or
two more of these little babies.
[Antoni] Climbing trees
isn't my usual pastime,
but I just need a special
ingredient for our next stop.
Is this enough?
Oh, these look nice.
Although Issa
doesn't know it yet,
these moringa leaves
relate to her family story
in a really interesting way.
Perfect!
Very, like,
herbaceous and sweet.
Okay, I smell a faint
But what do you
do with these?
[laughing]
You can if you want.
No, I don't.
-Bye, tree.
-Bye, tree.
So, we've learned a little bit
about your grandmother,
your great-grandmother.
There's one more person
on that family line
that we're gonna
learn about today.
-Okay.
-Your great-great-grandmother.
Okay, so, Isseu, Bineta,
and now
Isseu, Bineta,
and now Bineta's mom.
[Antoni] Oral history
can be vague on dates,
but Issa's
great-great-grandmother Khary
was born here in Saint-Louis,
long before there were doctors
or hospitals
as we know them today.
And she had
a very special skill
that was highly prized
back in the day.
So, according to your cousins,
your aunties, your dad,
Dr. Diop,
it turns out she was a healer.
Like a doctor
of her time, or what is it?
-Exactly, yes.
-Okay.
The interesting thing
is that, traditionally,
healers in Senegalese culture
was always men.
And apparently, all the men
in the family at the time,
they were very jealous
that she was a healer,
so it's very special.
I'm curious about the transition
from healer to then doctor,
-'cause obviously
-Mm!
a couple generations later,
my dad became a doctor.
Now, I want to know
what exactly a healer did.
Was it, like, herbal medicines?
Or was
-[clicking tongue] Okay.
-[laughing]
Okay, now I know.
[Antoni] As usual,
Issa's got tons of questions.
But luckily, I know just
the person to connect the dots.
[doorbell jingling]
-Bonjour.
-Bonjour.
As promised.
Yes.
-[Antoni] Uh-huh. Uh-huh.
-[Issa] We're ready to work.
[Antoni] Marie-Caroline worked
as a health care professional
in France.
Since moving to Senegal,
she's become passionate
about the native plants here
and their healing properties.
-[Issa] Such a gorgeous home.
-[Marie-Caroline] Thanks a lot.
[Antoni] Today, she's gonna
teach us to make
a very traditional recipe
called ceere mboum,
that harnesses the unique
medicinal powers
of the moringa leaves
we've gathered.
-And why this leaf?
-[Marie-Caroline] It's a plant
which is supposed
to be the plant of life.
It's supposed to help you
not to get too old.
-[Antoni] Oh!
-It's supposed to have
a lot of antioxidant benefit.
[Antoni laughing]
As she rubs it in her face.
And it it has a lot
of benefits.
[Antoni] Moringa leaves
are nutrient-rich,
and Issa's
great-great-grandma Khary
would have used them to treat
everything from skin infections
and asthma to heart problems
and digestive disorders.
But before they can be cooked,
every leaf needs to be
carefully stripped.
And it's the perfect moment
to get some answers.
I just learned
that my great-great-grandmother
-was a healer.
-Okay.
But I don't exactly
know what that is.
So, it's a lot of spirituality,
a lot of religion in there.
These healers are supposed
to be gifted.
This ability to get connected
with spirits is something
that can be transmitted
generation by generation.
My dad has said that
that runs in our family,
being connected spiritually,
being able to see the future,
elements of the past.
But I always thought that
that was strange.
But you're confirming that
that is something
-that may run in our family?
-Yes.
And the fact
that she was a woman,
is that relatively rare?
There is less women doing it.
But it depends also
on tradition in the family.
A lot of tough independent
women in Issa's family,
-we've been learning.
-Yes. [laughing]
So, it actually totally tracks
that your great-great-grandma
-would be a healer.
-Yeah.
[Antoni] And it's now time
to turn those moringa leaves
into something delicious.
[Antoni] Yeah.
[Antoni] First, the leaves
need to be blanched.
And now, we need
to prep the couscous.
-So, it holds together?
-Oui.
[Antoni] It's the perfect base
for the other part
of ceere mboum, a rich stew
of Senegalese pepper paste,
black-eyed peas,
and tasty pieces of beef.
Ooh, this looks gorgeous.
[Antoni] And this one's been
simmering for a while.
This is delicious.
I could eat a bowl
of this by itself.
Okay, so now
we're adding my hard work.
Oh yeah,
look how rich that is.
[Antoni] With the leaves
now cooked to perfection
and their antioxidant
properties released,
it's time to dig in.
-Bon appetit, madame.
-Let's go.
Wow!
The beef is so flaky
and very lean cut too.
Wow! That's incredible!
The beef has like
a sweetness to it.
May I add a little bit?
-Yes, of course.
-Okay.
-Let me just
-[laughing]
-One of those.
-Yes.
Knowing that
this is something
that my great-great-grandmother
would have prepared as a healer,
knowing that it has these
health benefits from a plant
that she would have
harvested herself,
and I guess prescribed
during a time
when they didn't have access
to hospitals or modern medicine,
I just feel the deep connection
to this dish
-as a result.
-Mm-hmm.
[Antoni] Making ceere mboum
has brought
great-great-grandmother Khary
into focus
better than
any photograph ever could.
What does it feel like to have
a healer in the family?
-Yet another woman, right?
-Another powerful woman
-just breaking barriers.
-Right? Yeah.
Running in the family.
That's crazy.
It makes sense why Bineta
felt brave enough
to run her business.
-Right.
-You know, then Isseu
also felt brave enough
to make her own decisions,
and choosing love,
and moving out of Saint-Louis.
And then, you know,
that trickles down
to the strength of my aunts
and, like,
it's just there's a clear
through line
-Right.
-here in the family.
[Antoni] Issa's inherited a lot
from the formidable matriarchs
that came before, and now that
she feels a strong connection
to the women in her family,
I have a surprise for her
a secret that comes by way
of one of her male ancestors,
and Issa has no idea.
♪♪
[Antoni] We've come to the
traditional fishing quarters
of Saint-Louis called
Guet Ndar,
a narrow crowded sandbank
with around 25,000 inhabitants.
And I've discovered an ancestor
who has a crucial connection
to something that defines this
place more than anything else.
Boats.
And there's someone here
who can tell us more.
Karim, meet Issa.
Issa, Karim.
-Hi, good to meet you.
-Enchanté.
You both share an ancestor.
-Really? Who?
-Mm-hmm.
Never heard of him.
[Antoni]
Issa's distant relative Karim,
who works as a researcher
in Saint-Louis,
has grown up steeped
in the legacy
of their special
shared ancestor.
And he knows
just the spot to take us
to hear Dethie Diouf's story.
The meeting place
of the village elders.
[Issa] That's so interesting.
[Antoni] It's a fantastic tale.
The stuff of legend.
Five generations back,
on Issa's great-grandfather
Abdoulaye's side,
Dethie Diouf was born
in the early 19th Century,
when Senegal was divided
into kingdoms.
He was the eldest son
of the royal family of Sine,
a kingdom 200 miles
south of here,
and was next in line
for the throne.
So, when his father died,
Dethie expected to be king.
Okay.
[Antoni] Fearing for
his safety, Dethie realized
he couldn't stay
in his kingdom.
Okay.
So, he fled
to save his own life?
Wow.
Dethie was forced
to abandon his birthright
and become a fisherman
in Guet Ndar.
[Issa] I'm curious
about the royal status.
You know, if he had
to humble himself,
and not, in a sense,
acknowledge it,
that means his kids
also wouldn't acknowledge it.
-Yeah.
-So, it essentially disappeared?
-Mm-hmm, exactly.
-Wow!
[Antoni] But as one door
closed, another one opened.
And fishing
in this prime location,
a natural harbor at the mouth
of the Senegal River,
meant Dethie
saw an opportunity.
[Antoni] Dethie's legacy here
stretches far beyond
his family,
and Guet Ndar wouldn't be the
place it is today without him.
His success is so legendary,
that Karim wants to show us
something else.
Wow!
A certain custom that only
the fishermen here know.
Yeah.
[Issa] Wow!
[Antoni] Wow, it's not
every day you discover
your ancestor's name
is used as a prayer.
All of this is 'cause of your
great-great-great-grandfather.
[Antoni] Merci beaucoup.
That's cool.
[Issa] Incredible!
I thought it'd be nice
to finish the day off
-with a little barbecue.
-My favorite part.
[Antoni] And star of the show
is fresh grouper,
or as it's called here, thiof.
[Issa]
What's in the marinade?
-[Issa] Wow!
-[Antoni] Oh!
-Merci.
-Merci.
[Antoni] Waiting to eat fish
fresh from the ocean,
caught with the lucky charm
of an extraordinary ancestor,
I mean,
does it get any better?
To know that
I'm part of a tradition
that brings abundance
and success,
listen, I'll take it.
-It smells good.
-It does.
-The thiof is smelling good.
-Yes.
It's so interesting, 'cause
I've gone fishing with my dad
and never caught a fish
in my life,
so I'm going to actually
bring this prayer back to him,
and I want to know
if he's done it.
Yeah, do you think
he knows about the
He has to, but I don't know.
If he considers himself
a true fisherman,
which I think he does,
he has to know the prayer.
[Antoni] Yeah.
Speaking of which,
our own prayers
have just been answered.
Merci.
Oh, we each get our own.
-Wow!
-Oh!
[Antoni]
Merci beaucoup.
-[Issa] Oh!
-[Antoni] Wow.
-Bon appetit.
-Bon appetit.
Wow!
Oh yes! Oh!
How is it?
Is anybody going
for the cheek?
-Oh, I got a fat cheek here.
-That one's a fat cheek.
[Issa laughing]
Oh, my God!
Hearing we're descendants
of Dethie
-Mm-hmm.
-his story
is like the drama
that I dream of.
Like, imagine having
to humble yourself
and come to an entirely
new land
-and start over.
-Mm-hmm.
And I thought about
even just my own family
and, you know,
how we have in many cases
had to humble ourselves
and start over.
In that way I could relate.
I don't know,
it almost feels unreal
to think that I descend
from a king.
♪♪
[Antoni] It's Issa's
last day in Senegal.
[Issa]
You got more hands, baby.
[Antoni] Okay, okay.
And she's spicing things up.
No more playing
the guest for her,
because today, she's the one
hosting her aunts
and cousin Marie.
[Issa] You know, I might
have a reputation in my family
for not being the cook.
So, it's a little intimidating
serving them a dish
that they make all the time.
[Antoni] Prepping a meal
for this foodie family
on their turf is no joke.
So, with the help
of a local chef,
Issa's trying out
a Senegalese crowd pleaser,
a rich lamb stew
with vegetables,
all blanketed in a spicy tomato
and peanut sauce called maafe.
-So, why maafe?
-Maafe's legit.
It's extremely rich,
and I think
it's the richest
Senegalese dish, hands down.
Meat time!
Lamb.
You're gonna brown it.
This smells amazing.
Ah! [laughing]
[Antoni]
And now, it's time to go nuts.
[Antoni] Senegal is one of
the biggest peanut exporters
in the world, and they're
a key ingredient here.
Peanut butter
is so good for you. Ugh.
[Antoni] But this ain't
peanut butter from a jar.
Senegalese peanut paste
is more concentrated
and packed with flavor.
It's such a comfort food.
You just sit after eating it
and just reflect
on all the joys in life.
[doorbell jingling]
[all] Hi!
[overlapping greetings]
[Antoni] As Issa's hungry guests
look forward to their lunch,
the pressure is building.
Is maafe something
that you make often?
-Yeah.
-Yeah?
So, you're gonna be able
to judge how she made it?
Something tells me
you're gonna be honest.
[laughter]
[cheers and applause]
-[Issa] Maafe time!
-[overlapping chatter]
-Let's see what you've made.
-[Issa] Okay.
Whoa, there was
some suction there.
[laughing]
-Maafe.
-Maafe.
[Antoni]
How does it look?
[woman] Very good.
[family speaking
in native language]
Okay, all good.
Mm-hmm.
[Antoni] You're looking
at their reactions.
[Antoni] Ooh!
I'd say that's a solid win.
Lamb belongs with this dish.
The slight gaminess of lamb
with the creaminess
-of the peanut butter.
-Yeah.
[Antoni]
Even Cousin Marie approves.
Knowing the deep,
rich, beautiful history
behind some of
my favorite recipes,
honestly does make me
want to take a shot at them.
-[Antoni] I like that.
-You know, I'm gonna learn.
And so, that's why I appreciate
this journey so much.
Thank you.
-Oh!
-[laughing]
[Antoni]
But it's not over yet
because I've cooked up
one last surprise
that should help Issa see
without a shadow of a doubt
just how much
she belongs here.
This is a griot,
or traditional storyteller.
They're often invited
to special occasions
to recount the family story.
[all] Merci.
-Au revoir!
-[overlapping chatter]
[Issa] Incredible!
[Antoni]
At the start of this journey,
Issa didn't feel
very connected to this place
or her Senegalese heritage.
But it's become clear
just how much she's inherited
from her
trailblazing ancestors,
and how deep her roots
are here.
This is it.
This was, um
this was super powerful.
I don't want
to get emotional, but
but coming here, you know,
you don't necessarily
feel like you belong.
-Yeah.
-And so, to be told
with my family history that,
you know?
-Yeah, yeah.
-It meant a lot.
You know, I said the 75,
I felt 75%
-Yeah.
-American.
25% Senegalese, and I
-Maybe that shifted like 5%.
-Mm-hmm.
Because I still feel like
there's so much to know,
but I feel like at least
I scratched the surface.
This is such a beautifully
welcoming country
and, you know, I'm so proud
of my family lineage.
And I can't be who I am
without who came before me.
I'm standing
on people's shoulders.
So, I feel immense pride
and I'm so grateful
for this journey.
-'Cause this is home.
-Yes, this is home. Yeah.
Yeah.
[laughing]
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01x05 - Issa Rae's Senegalese Royal Roots
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Porowski takes famous guests on an international journey into their pasts through food in each episode.
Porowski takes famous guests on an international journey into their pasts through food in each episode.