This small island off Senegal served as an outpost for slave trading. (Image: Getty)
Just 1.2 miles off the coast of Dakar in , West , lies Gorée Island, or Île de Gorée, a 45-acre island, famous today for a dark reason.
It is a popular destination among people interested in the history of the Atlantic trade, as it served as an outpost from 1536 until 1848 when slavery was finally abolished in Senegal.
Gorée was first visited in 1444 by sailors. The island’s indigenous Lebu people were later displaced, and fortifications were erected.
Historians debate whether Gorée was a major import for the trade or simply one of many centres from which Africans were taken to the .
Its small size made it easy for merchants to control their captives, and the surrounding waters were too deep for escape attempts. It is almost completely devoid of drinking water.
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Today, several museums and the remains of colonial-era forts attract tourists. (Image: Getty)
Its small size made it easy for merchants to control their captives, and the surrounding waters were too deep for escape attempts. It is almost completely devoid of drinking water.
Other important centres from Senegal were further north, at or the south in Gambia.
Gorée changed hands several times, but from 1817 until Senegal’s independence in 1960, it was under the control of . As early as 1848 Gorée participated in French elections and was represented in the French Parliament during the first half of the 20th century.
With the end of the slave trade, the town became an important port for the shipment of something far more pleasant – peanuts, peanut oil, and gum arabic – products of the “legitimate” trade.
In February 1794, during the French Revolution, France abolished slavery, and the slave trade from Senegal was said to have stopped. However, it was not until March 1815 that Napoleon definitely abolished the slave trade to build relations with Great Britain.
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Many historic commercial and residential buildings have been turned into restaurants or hotels. (Image: Getty)
Today, several museums and the remains of colonial-era forts attract , including Maison des Esclaves (“Slave House”), constructed in 1786, which tells the story of the trade and displays artefacts.
In 1978 Gorée was declared a and several of its historic structures were restored in the 1980s and 90s.
Today, the island is still inhabited, home to around 2,000 people with an average age of 23. The former military upper part of the island has undergrounds that are illegally inhabited.
Gorée is connected to the mainland by a 30-minute service for foot passengers. As Senegal’s premier tourist site, it now serves mostly as a memorial to the slave trade.
Many historic commercial and residential buildings have been turned into restaurants and to support the tourist traffic.
The Dakar-Gorée Swim was launched in 1985 as a homage to the victims of slavery who displayed resilience by attempting to swim towards freedom. It has been a recurring event throughout its history.