Three kilometres from the Senegalese capital of Dakar, we find the island of Gorée (or Gorée, in French). Today a destination on our route through Senegal, this island was for more than three centuries the largest centre of the slave trade in Africa.
Although the Portuguese discovered the island in 1444, their European neighbours — the Dutch, French and English — constantly fought over this lucrative location, which changed hands frequently.
Designed for trafficking
In 1536 the Portuguese built the first slave house. Subsequently, the various forces occupying the Gorée Island They expanded the trade capacity of the company, reaching a total of 39 houses.
The House of Slaves is the best-known of them all. Declared World Heritage by UNESCO and turned into museum, was built by a Dutchman in 1776. Its preservation and public access now reveal the cruelty of the transactions that took place there.
Designed for the trade in human beings, it includes cells for men, women, young women and children, plus a feeding cell for enslaved people who needed to gain weight before being sold. Children were kept far from their mothers so their cries could not be heard, preventing distress from damaging the mothers’ health.
Outside, the house’s front steps were used to display enslaved people and negotiate prices with buyers. Once sold, they passed down a corridor to a door at the end: “The place from which they never return”. Here, Africans saw their homeland in the distance for the last time before departing for the “New World”.
Gorée Island today
Today the Gorée Island It has a very different atmosphere. Bright colours enliven the rocky island amid turquoise waters, and its roughly 1000 inhabitants enjoy a cheerful, relaxed atmosphere. Artists’ workshops and small local businesses now line the once gloomy streets.
During the day, ferries bring island workers who live in Dakar and tourists visiting for the day. At night, the visitors take the ferry back, leaving only local residents — and us. Yes, we too stay for the night, a privilege of our route beyond the reach of most visitors, giving us a closer encounter with the island and its people.
Therefore, the visit to the Gorée Island is an immersion, not only in local culture, but also in the history of Africa, Europe and Americas. Would you like to visit? See our trips to Senegal.