AP PHOTOS: From the Atlantic coast to the Sahelian plain, Ramadan brings West Africans to the table

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Each night, throughout Islam’s holy month of Ramadan, families gather, neighbors share food freely and communities come together around beloved culinary traditions that carry both comfort and meaning.

Quiet hunger gives way to the clattering of plates as the sun sets each night and Muslims end their day-long fasts. In homes, mosque courtyards and under the warm glow of streetside food stalls, believers gather to share meals woven with tradition, faith and the warmth of community.

Ramadan is not just another month on the Islamic calendar, it’s the heart of the year for believers. From dawn until sunset, Muslims refrain from food and drink, using the time for self-reflection, devotion and spiritual awareness. And it’s a national event in Muslim-majority countries throughout West Africa, where more than half of the population is Muslim, according to data from the Pew Research Center.

In coastal Senegal, volunteers lather a spiced fish paste made of local sardinella onto bread, making sandwiches to hand out during ndogou — the wolof word for iftar — the meal in which Muslims break their fasts. In Ghana, women pour corn dough and cassava into a silver pot to make a doughy base for a dish called tuo zaafi. They then serve it to those in need with a traditional stew made with tomatoes, spices and ayoyo. In Nigeria, volunteers pile mountains of onions into steaming cauldrons of rice, stirring up the pungent magic of jollof.

In Sahelian countries like Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, families prepare pungent peanut stews with meat and onions, incorporating local culinary staples into their nightly feasts.

Islam may be most commonly associated with the Arab world, but its roots run deep across many parts of the globe, notably in West Africa. Muslims make up large majorities in most of the countries along the region’s Atlantic coastline and in its Sahelian plains, including Ghana, Mali and Senegal.

Increased demand for meat, fruits and vegetables during Ramadan can drive up food prices, making festive meals unaffordable for many. However, volunteer organizations in cities like Dakar and Accra, the capitals of Senegal and Ghana, intensify their efforts in the spirit of generosity that defines the holy month.

Rabi and her children break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan at their home in Nima, Accra, Ghana, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)

Asana and her daughter break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan at their home in Nima, Accra, Ghana, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)

At the home of artist Mactar Fall and his family, the table is set to break the fast with coffee, tea, baobab juice, bread and chocolate spreads Monday, March 17, 2025 in Dakar, Senegal. (AP Photo/Sylvain Cherkaoui)

Muslims gather to break their fast with fruits and juice during the holy month of Ramadan in Nima, Accra, Ghana, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)

Volunteers in the popular Medina neighbourhood serve free coffee to break the Ramadan fast Monday, March 17, 2025 in Dakar, Senegal. (AP Photo/Sylvain Cherkaoui)

People grab dates as they break their fast Monday, March 17, 2025 in Dakar, Senegal. (AP Photo/Sylvain Cherkaoui)

Volunteers in the popular Medina neighbourhoods serve free sardinella paté sandwiches to passers-by to break the Ramadan fast, Monday, March 17, 2025 in Dakar, Senegal. (AP Photo/Sylvain Cherkaoui)

Naheemah Ishola, founder of Meebelle Kitchen, left, distributes jollof rice and Chicken to the less privileged women in Lagos, Nigeria, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

A woman carries distributed food during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Lagos, Nigeria, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

A woman prepares food to be distributed to the less privileged people during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Lagos, Nigeria, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

A woman prepares food to be distributed to the less privileged people during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Lagos, Nigeria, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Muslim women prepare Iftar, fast breaking meal, for charity during the holy month of Ramadan in Nima, Accra, Ghana, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)

A Muslim man cuts watermelon for Iftar, fast breaking meal, during the holy month of Ramadan in Nima, Accra, Ghana, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)

Volunteers in the popular Medina neighbourhoods serve free sardinella paté sandwiches to passers-by to break the Ramadan fast, Monday, March 17, 2025 in Dakar, Senegal. (AP Photo/Sylvain Cherkaoui)

Volunteers in the popular Medina neighbourhoods serve free sardinella paté sandwiches to passers-by to break their fast, Monday, March 17, 2025 in Dakar, Senegal. (AP Photo/Sylvain Cherkaoui)

Muslims gather to break their fast with fruits and juice during the holy month of Ramadan in Nima, Accra, Ghana, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Four years after showing up late for the Beijing Olympics and missing one of his races because of a case of COVID-19, U.S. long track speedskater Casey Dawson is enjoying what he jokingly terms his “villain arc,” peaking at the right time ahead of the Milan Cortina Games.

Dawson secured a spot for next month in the men's 5,000 meters — an event he was forced to skip in 2022 while sick — by winning at that distance at the U.S. Olympic trials in 6 minutes, 12.857 seconds on Friday night.

“I actually got COVID two or three weeks before going to the competition. Tested positive for 50 straight tests,” said Dawson, a 25-year-old from Park City, Utah. “Couldn’t go over to the Games. I missed the opening ceremonies. Missed the 5,000 meters. Showed up 12 hours before my 1,500 meters. So I kind of got a little screwed over from that point of view. But this time around, I’m just looking forward to getting there smoothly and just getting a little bit of redemption.”

And then, with a chuckle, Dawson added: “It’s kind of fun to have, like, my villain arc, I would call it. Just coming back and having some fun.”

Ethan Cepuran was about 6 1/2 seconds back Friday, finishing next in 6:19.335.

The last American man to medal in the 5,000 at an Olympics was Chad Hedrick at the 2006 Turin Games.

Dawson already had secured the lone U.S. place for Milan in the men’s 10,000 — a race not being contested at these trials — and also will be part of the trio for men’s team pursuit at the Olympics.

Dawson, Cepuran and Emery Lehman took the bronze in that event in Beijing four years ago, set the world record in 2024 and claimed gold in the team pursuit at the world championships in March.

In the other race Friday, the women's 3,000, Greta Myers won in 4:06.799. As of now, the United States does not have a berth in Milan for that distance, but one of its athletes could end up in the field if another country relinquishes an opening.

“It's hard to wait,” said Myers, a 21-year-old from Lino Lakes, Minnesota. “But I'm very hopeful. I think it's at least a 50-50 chance that it'll happen.”

The U.S. Olympic roster for long track won't become official until the four-day trials at the Pettit National Ice Center wrap up on Monday. One element that could come into play is that the Americans are allowed to bring a maximum of eight men and six women to these Winter Games.

The biggest star of the team — and the sport — is scheduled to make his trials debut Saturday in the men's 1,000 meters: Jordan Stolz. The 21-year-old from Kewaskum, a town about 40 miles north of Milwaukee, is not just competing at home this week; he's racing at the same rink where he first began taking lessons as a kid.

He made his Olympic debut at age 17 in Beijing four years ago, finishing 13th in the 500 and 14th in the 1,000.

At both the 2023 and 2024 world championships, Stolz earned titles in each of the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters.

He's already pre-qualified for the Olympics based on performances at those three distances. All he really needs to do to lock down berths on the squad for the Feb. 6-22 Milan Cortina Games is show up at the starting line this week.

The 500 and 1,500 are slated for Sunday, and the mass start is Monday.

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Casey Dawson, of Park City, Utah, right, and Ethan Cepuran, of Glen Ellyn, lllinois, left, compete in the men's 5,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speed skating at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)

The Pettit National Ice Center is seen in Milwaukee on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, the first day of the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speedskating. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)