Gorée island - Senegal

[ Ousmane SAKHO saxusman@hotmail.com ]

In Senegal, there is a very known place : Gorée island. This island lies off the coast of Senegal, opposite Dakar. From the 15th to the 19th century, it was the largest slave-trading centre on the African coast. Ruled in succession by the Portuguese, Dutch, English and French, its architecture is characterized by the contrast between the grim slave-quarters and the elegant houses of the slave traders. Today it continues to serve as a reminder of human exploitation and as a sanctuary for reconciliation. Gorée is classified as a world heritage by UNESCO (N.U.)

Today the island shelters a large number of secondary residents, and greets a large number of visitors daily. Many points of interest have been designated : the historical museum , in the Estrees fortress , where Senegal history passes on review, from the prehistory to its independence, a passing thought the colonial period, The women museum ("le musée de la femme") that presents a showcase very original on the Senegalese women role in the modern and traditional society and the Sea museum, famous for its collection of fish and mollusc marine. But, there is a very old nice big house built in the early nineteen century which sheltered at the beginning a catholic school. In an second time, it shetered people like policeman or soldiers and their families. Since many many years, This police or army don't exist anymore, but families go on occupying the place. "Legally", they don't have to stay here, so they pay nothing; but they have "legitimity" to stay here, cause many of the 300 inhabiatants(the 1/3 of Gorée population : 1550) are born there.

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