Goreé Island

Off the coast of Dakar, Senegal, lies a small, 45-acre island named Goreé. The first Europeans to set foot on the island were the Portuguese, who established a trading post and called it "Ilha de Goree" (Island of Goree) or "Ilha de Palma" after being 'discovered' by explorer Dinis Dias in 1444. Its strategic location made it a coveted prize for European colonial powers eager to establish a foothold in West Africa.

The Portuguese were later to build a small chapel and cemetery for sailors lost at sea whilst en route to exploring the rest of the African coastline on their way to India. Other settlements soon followed, displacing the indigenous Wolof-speaking Lebu people who had lived as fishermen and farmers on the island.

Over the subsequent centuries, Goreé became a battleground, changing hands no fewer than seventeen times between the Portuguese, Dutch, English, and, ultimately, French hands, who dominated the island from the mid-17th century. Each colonial power left its architectural and cultural imprint, contributing to the island's unique blend of European and African influences. All recognised its useful location for the transport of slaves between Africa and the New World (from 1536, peaking in the 18th century before being stopped by the French in 1848), as well as a safe harbour for anchorage. The island was considered ideal for slave management, being just over a mile from the Senegal coast, meaning slaves were easily contained, and the deep waters surrounding it made escape, whilst chained with a metal ball, impossible.

Goreé Island Slaves Furthermore, its sheltered harbour offered a convenient staging point for slave ships, while its naturally defensible position provided security for the European traders and the vast human cargo they awaited. In December 1758, Goreé Island again came under British rule after it was seized during the Seven Years' War; however, it was returned to the French in 1763 under the terms of the Treaty of Paris. The Napoleonic Wars saw Britain again retake interest in the island before it was returned to France under the short-lived Treaty of Amiens of 1802. The island then remained under French control until Senegal's independence in 1960.

Each power utilised Goreé as a trading post for goods like gold, gum arabic (used in printing, paints, glues, cosmetics, and various industrial applications), and ivory, establishing the island's early economic importance. More significantly, it developed as a central hub for the burgeoning transatlantic slave trade with various European trading companies, including the French East India Company and the British Royal African Company, using the island as a critical link in the intricate network of the triangular trade, connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas. European manufactured goods, textiles, and weapons were exchanged for enslaved Africans on the coast, who were then transported across the brutal Middle Passage to work on plantations in the New World. The wealth generated from this forced labour fuelled the economic growth of European nations and the nascent American colonies, creating a legacy of exploitation that continues to ripple through societies today.

Goreé Island's Maison des Esclaves or "House of Slaves" was constructed c. 1776 - 1786 by the Dutch. This simple, two-story building served as one of the many holding pens for enslaved Africans awaiting their tragic departure. The ground floor consists of dank, cramped cells where men, women, and children were separated and held in horrific conditions, often for weeks or even months. Shackles, disease, and starvation were commonplace. The upper floor, in stark contrast, housed the slave traders, a chilling juxtaposition of comfort and immense human depravity.

The ground floor of the House of Slaves features a narrow, dark passage at the rear of the building leading directly to the infamous (and preserved) "Door of No Return" though which slaves passed on their way to the New World, symbolising the last glimpse of their homeland for millions of Africans before they were forced onto slave ships. While not every enslaved person departed from this specific door, its evocative power captures the finality and terror of the Middle Passage. It serves as a visceral reminder of the irreversible journey into bondage, a point of no return from freedom and family to a life of forced labour and dehumanisation.

Goreé Island

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<h3>Goreé Island Slave Trade</h3>

Goreé Island

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Goreé Island History

Estimating the precise number of enslaved individuals who passed through Goreé Island is a complex task, and historical scholarship has offered varying perspectives. The broader transatlantic slave trade forcibly transported an estimated 10 to 12 million Africans from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Accurate, meticulously kept records for every port of embarkation were often non-existent or destroyed. Goree's actual role in this slave trade has recently been revisited, with some claiming it was not the major portal claimed by others, with the size of the island as well as its modest House of Slaves indicative that it simply was not large enough to process the tens of millions of slaves as history records.

Some historians, like Philip Curtin and other scholars, suggest that while Goreé was undoubtedly a slave trading hub, its capacity was relatively small compared to other major embarkation points along the West African coast, such as Ouidah (Benin), Elmina and Cape Coast (Ghana), or even Saint-Louis further north in Senegal. They argue that Goreé’s primary role was arguably more as an administrative and transhipment point for European powers, rather than the sole or largest direct departure point for millions. Based on surviving records, estimates for Goreé’s direct involvement in large-scale departures range from tens of thousands to a few hundred thousand over centuries, rather than the millions sometimes popularly cited. Others suggest that 'just' 200-400 slaves passed through the island annually, with many staying on the island to work for the wealthy European families who had settled there.

Whatever the truth of the matter, the 19th century brought the gradual decline of the transatlantic slave trade due to abolitionist movements and legal prohibitions enacted by various European powers. France officially abolished slavery multiple times, finally and definitively in 1848, significantly impacting Goreé's primary economic function. With the cessation of human trafficking, the island's role shifted. It transformed from a slave trading post into a minor colonial administrative centre, a coaling station, and a provisioning port for ships.

Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Goreé Island found itself overshadowed by the rapid development of Dakar on the mainland, which offered a deeper harbour and greater capacity for expansion. Many of Goreé's residents and much of its economic activity migrated to the burgeoning capital. The island’s bustling commercial life faded, leaving behind its unique architectural heritage and a profound, silent legacy.

Today, Goreé Island, with its picturesque colonial architecture, vibrant bougainvillaea, and tranquil beaches, is more than just a historical site; it is a pilgrimage destination and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978 to stand as a stark and powerful memorial to the transatlantic slave trade. Visitors from across the globe, including numerous heads of state and civil rights leaders, visit to reflect on the legacy of slavery and to honour the memory of those who suffered.

Beyond the House of Slaves, the island offers other historical sites, including the Gorée Island Museum (exploring the island's general history), the Women's Museum, and the Gorée Martyrs' Cathedral, each contributing to the narrative of the island's multifaceted past. As such, the island continues to serve as a tangible link to a past that must never be forgotten, fostering dialogue about human rights, racial injustice, and the importance of reconciliation. Its enduring presence ensures that the history of the transatlantic slave trade, with all its unfathomable cruelty, continues to inform and challenge humanity to strive for a more just and equitable future. Goreé stands as a silent witness, a powerful reminder of the enduring human spirit and the imperative to learn from history's most painful lessons.