In November of last year I visited
Kunta Kinteh Island, formerly known as James Island, in The Gambia, West Africa. This tiny island is located on the Gambia River, and is steeped with
heartbreaking history of the slave trade. The island became infamous with
Roots, the late author,
Alex Haley's book and miniseries, which is a powerful and emotional account of his ancestors' journey from Africa to America as slaves.
We traveled to the island via a short boat ride from the village of
Juffureh.
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| Photo by Sharon A. Keyser-Jackson |
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| Photo by Sharon A. Keyser-Jackson |
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| Photo by Sharon A. Keyser-Jackson |
Once we arrived on the island our guide gave an
excellent presentation on the history of the slave trade from there to America, and told us about the structures that remain on the island from that time.
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| Photo by Sharon A. Keyser-Jackson |
The island's size has been steadily
decreasing due to erosion, but the ruins that remain tell a
chilling story. At one point I was affected physically, feeling sick to my stomach. Now, I may not have thought much of it since several people on the trip had a bout of stomach issues while we were on the continent, but several others commented that a similar feeling swept over them as well while we were on the island. As if that wasn't strange enough, as soon as we returned to Juffureh, my queasiness disappeared. It definitely made me even more sensitive to the horrendous and sickening crimes against humanity that took place there many years ago.
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| Photo by Sharon A. Keyser-Jackson |
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| Photo by Sharon A. Keyser-Jackson |
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| Photo by Sharon A. Keyser-Jackson |
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| Photo by Sharon A. Keyser-Jackson |
This place is a haunting but significant piece of history, and should
definitely be on your list of places to see if you're visiting the
country. Without question, it was an experience I will never forget.
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