Goree
Gorée is a tiny island located off the coast of the Dakar, Senegal sprawling’s capital city. A car-free place rich in history. Discovered by Portuguese settlers in 1444 who baptized it Palma while the local population called it "Bir or Ber", however, the Dutch navy re-named it "Goede Reede" which means good harbor hence the name of Gorée. It is a symbolic place in memory of the slave trade. It is thought that the island was one of the largest slaves trade centers on the African continent a car-free place rich in history where the colonial streets lined with impressive, pastel houses of erstwhile slave traders. In 1978, it was officially declared by the United Nations as a "memory" of the tragic events of the slave trade.
On the island is the former home of the Signare Anna Colas Pépin, known as "The House of Slaves" and famous “door of no return”. It is one of oldest house of the island and housed slaves before they were loaded onto ships bound for the Americas.
Vue de la cour intérieure de la Maison dite d’Anna Colas, actuellement Maison des esclaves. Lithographie par A. d’Astrel d’après l’aquarelle précédente (fig. n°8). Extrait Colonie française du Sénégal. Paris, s.d. [vers 1848], pl. 8. (crédit https://insitu.revues.org/10303)
The island is also a place of intense cultural and intellectual activity. Its tropical climate, the proximity of the capital, the pastel tone of the facades, its captivating atmosphere has taken many artists such as the painter Fallou Dolly, Sheikh, Gabriel Kemzo or Moussa Sakho to settle temporarily or definitively. Music is not to be missed as the island hosts Jazz festivals and an opera was dedicated to him in 1966 for the first world festival of Negro arts. In addition, several scenes of films were filmed on this historic island.
Le Musée de la Femme Henriette Bathily, en face de la Maison des Esclaves
(crédit http://www.monsenegal.org/senegal/goree/diapo/bathily.jpg.html)
In 2005, she received the first edition of the Gorée Diaspora festival, an event launched by the municipality and uniting dances, music, visual arts, conferences, sports, carnivals and light and sound shows. Gorée holds some museums such as the Sea Museum which is renowned for its collection of 750 species of fish and 700 species of molluscs; the Museum of Women which pays tribute to the women of the country famous or not; the Historical Museum which is devoted to the history of the country, the origins of independence and more particularly that of the island of Gorée.
Goree is definitely a paradise for walk, sea, history and art lovers.
