Gorée

Gorée Island is a small district of Dakar, Senegal.

It sits in the Atlantic Ocean near the main harbor of Dakar. The island is the smallest and least populated of the 19 districts in the city. As of the 2013 census, only 1,680 people lived there. This population density is only half the average density of the city of Dakar. Today, the island is a famous UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was one of the first 12 locations in the world to receive this title in 1978.

The island's history is defined by its role in maritime trade. Because it was almost devoid of drinking water, it was not settled before Europeans arrived. However, Portuguese explorers noted domesticated sheep on the island. This suggests local people from the mainland visited the island. Portuguese traders established themselves there in 1444. They built a chapel with dry stone walls and a straw roof. Famous explorers like Vasco da Gama visited this chapel in 1502.

Later, the Dutch West India Company took control of the island. The name Gorée is likely a corruption of the Dutch name, Goeree. The Dutch may have named it after a Dutch island. The name might also come from the Dutch term "goede reede," meaning "good roadstead." This refers to the quality of the anchorage. The Dutch built several fortifications to protect their interests. These included Fort Nassau in 1628 and Fort Orange in 1639.

Possession of Gorée allowed the Dutch to access trade along the entire coast. It served as a vital warehousing and transshipment point.

Control of the island changed frequently due to European wars. The Portuguese attacked the Dutch in 1629 but failed to hold the island. The British also attempted to control the trade. They captured the island in 1663 under Robert Holmes. However, Michiel de Ruyter later recaptured it for the Dutch. The Third Anglo-Dutch War eventually led to the bankruptcy of the Dutch West India Company in 1674. In 1677, a French fleet led by Jean d'Estrées defeated the Dutch. Following this, the island remained mostly under French rule until 1960.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, a unique community lived on Gorée. This was the Franco-African Creole community, also known as the Métis. These people had links to France and the Americas. Métis women, called signares, were very important to business. They owned ships and property. They also commanded male clerks and were famous for fashion and entertainment.

As the slave trade declined, the island moved toward "legitimate" commerce. This included trading peanuts, peanut oil, gum arabic, and ivory.

Gorée is most famous today as a memorial to the Atlantic slave trade.

The House of Slaves is a key site on the island. An Afro-French Métis family built it between 1780 and 1784. It now serves as a place to remember the history of slavery. The island is now a premier tourist site in Senegal. Many historic buildings have been turned into hotels and restaurants. There are no cars on the island. Visitors arrive via a 30-minute ferry service from the mainland.

The island also played a role in education and independence. From 1913 to 1938, it was home to a government teachers' college. Many graduates of this school later led the struggle for Senegalese independence. The historian W. E. B. Du Bois visited the island and noted the high rank of the students. Even as the population fell from a peak of 4,500 in 1845, the island's influence remained. In 1985, the Dakar-Gorée Swim was launched. This event honors the resilience of those who sought freedom.

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