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The Gateway

Mr. Tumkata, a Senegalese elder, exuded a calming presence and an ancient wisdom burnished by myriad experiences over the past 80 years. Many of the elders I encountered in this region possessed a similar grace and dignity. Are these traits simply the result of living a long life, or is it easier to maintain such qualities in a culture that reveres its elders?  

The man's gesture of placing his hand over his heart felt like an affectionate salutation as well as an invitation to enter a gateway to this elder's most sacred space.