Here are just the beginning photos of Goree Island; there are plenty to come. I think I may have told you about Goree, but I'll refresh your memory in case you forgot, or in case I forgot. Goree Island is well-known, primarily, as the destination for those who seek to experience the truth or realness of the African slave trade. I don't know a better way to say that, other than it's a place where many African Americans come as an act of pilgrimage to connect with their past. Goree was a busy slave trading post set up by the French, and there are concrete examples of this preserved for remembrance and meditative reflection.
We went to Goree yesterday by ferry. It's about 20 minutes out from Dakar. The ferry was jam-packed with students and others- mostly Africans. I was probably 1 of 10 white people, just to provide you with a clear picture. In other words, it wasn't as touristy as I thought it would be, which is interesting, I think. But this also isn't the tourist season, so there you go, perhaps. When the ferry approached the island, I could already see that it was different than Dakar. For starters, the buildings were old colonial style, with bright colors (very similar to Caribbean architecture, and for the same reason= colonial influence). Dakar, for the most part, is beige, brown, and white. Buildings in Dakar don't go beyond this color spectrum, and I don't know why, other than my personal hypothesis that it may work better with all the dust and sand that flies around (i.e., it just blends, rather than looking faded). It could also have nothing to do with my hypothesis- perhaps Senegalese are just more reserved when it comes to house colors. It's confusing though, because their clothes are VERY bright, so that hypothesis doesn't make much sense, either. If anyone has another hypothesis, please put it forward!
Another major difference about Goree is that it has no streets and no cars, so the air is MUCH cleaner, and the environment in general is much more tranquil. It was a pleasant retreat in that sense.
As we marched on, we came across an winding, uphill pathway that had several artists selling their work. There were paintings, jewelry, musical instruments- basically everything you can find at the other markets. At the end of this path, there was a trail down the side of this cliff that led to some breathtaking views of the ocean. There was also this gigantic (seriously huge) canon that was used in WW1 and preserved as a monument. The artist that was working near this approached us and we started in friendly conversation. Then, he invited us to take a tour of the space underneath the canon, which apparently was his home, as well as to many other artists on the island! The space was once used to control the workings of the canon, as a storage space for amunition, and as a storage space for tons of water (which was used to cool off the canon once it was fired). 10 years ago, a handful of artists living on the island asked the government if they could live there, and the rest is history. I'll post some pics of this- it was truly one of the coolest things I've ever seen, and definitely an awesome space for an artist to reside and be all creative and shit. I know my friend, Larry, will appreciate this one (if you've ever seen his kitchen, you'd understand why).
Near the giant canon there is a memorial to those affected by the slave trade. I'll also post pictures of this- it's a beautiful white sculpture that stands so tall that you can see it from standing on the port in Dakar.
After these shenanigans, we went to the Maison des Esclaves (House of Slaves). I'll post pictures of this, and let you have your own experience. I don't really feel like talking about my experience, at least not yet.
Now, about the photos posted above- the first 2 photos are of the coast as the boat approaches the island. The next two photos are of the colonial architecture. The last photo is of the Baobab tree, which is by far the most popular and well-known tree in Senegal. It might even be the national tree, if there is such a thing. As a side note, the center that we work through is called the Baobab Center because it is in a neighborhood that has one of the oldest Baobabs in the city. It's a gigantic tree, and very strange looking. It produces bitter fruit that is used in cooking and juices- the juice, is of course, made with plenty of sugar, and it's delicious. And, I think I told you this, the Baobab fruit is also used as a remedy for intestinal issues, which I found out when I had food-poisoning a few weeks ago.
There will be more photos to come from Goree.
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