Photo Friday: Good and evil at Goree Island
November 28, 2008 by Caitlin
Filed under Places & Inspiration
Dakar, Senegal; May 2007
Goree Island lies just off the coast of Dakar, the Senegalese capital. Today it’s a happy and mellow place where people hang out on the beach, play soccer in the dusty town square and fish from wooden boats from the warm waters of the tropical Atlantic. A few people make their home in the village here but it’s also a popular recreation spot for residents of Dakar, who live just a short ferry ride away.
However, the history of Goree Island stands in stark contrast to this idyllic scene. In centuries gone by the fort that you see on the right-hand side of the photo was a holding prison for victims of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. You can visit the fort and Goree Island also has its own museum about this unfortunate chapter in human history.
This post is part of Photo Friday, a weekly blogging event run by Debbie at DeliciousBaby. See all the submissions for this week.
Very interesting!
wow, what great pictures. for some reason the village life ones don’t really look real.
Photo Friday: Poas Volcano, Costa Rica
All real, I assure you! – Caitlin.
That’s an impressive tree – and it’s good to see the locals relaxing on the beach.
I’ve heard about the history of Goree Island, but the only photos I remember seeing were photos of different dignitaries who made the trek there.
I enjoyed seeing your more candid shots and seeing the contrast between the place’s character today and its unfortunate history.
Thank you! It’s a surprisingly pleasant place to visit, given its history! – Caitlin.
Really lovely shots. Thanks for sharing.
: )
Beautiful shots! thanks so much for sharing.