Goree Island

Tuesday, March 6

A handicapped woman is selling produce at the marketplace in the terminal for the ferry that will take us to historic Goree Island. Her name is Louise. She has only one arm and uses her teeth to aide her with tasks that require two hands. Louise is the person that Juanita has chosen to give an offering. Juanita engages Louise in conversation and learns that she is Catholic. She asks why she isn’t wearing a Crucifix around her neck. Speaking through Fallou who interprets, Louise says that she could never afford to buy one. Juanita gives her some money and a hug and moves on.

For Africans the history of Goree Island is a tragic one. Senegal’s most famous tourist attraction was the center of the West Africa slave trade. Juanita is set on having us visit the island.
She feels that it is something that we must as African Americans if we have the opportunity. She relaxes our schedule so we can spend ample time.
Being on Goree is also an opportunity for Juanita to reconnect with old friends that she made when she lived there briefly several years ago.

We have an hour to wait before taking the 11 o’clock ferry over to the island. Meanwhile Juanita is enjoying the activity at the marketplace. She is at ease and could easily blend in with the women who are working there.
“This is me,” she said standing in the midst of it all. “This is what I am. I’ve been doing something like this for 15 years. It’s just like the marketplace I have in the U.S.”
What Juanita says is more than a slight exaggeration. The annual gift shows that she holds back in the states are done in the spirit of an African marketplace but are decidedly more upscale. At Juanita’s “marketplace,” fine art and high-end products, not produce, are the order of the day. But we get her point.


We had lunch on the island and spent most of the day shopping for souvenirs, interacting with the islanders, and visiting the historic points of interest. We spend a significant amount of time in the slave house. Joseph N’Diaye the curator of more than 30 years led us on a private tour. He ended by bringing out a set of chains, iron cuff and the heavy ball that the men were shackled to keep them from fleeing. It should come as no surprise that the tour, particularly the ball and chain caused mixed and emotional reactions.
Mika, a young man who assisted Fallou on this day, was flattered that we were moved by the experience. He offered words of comfort to one of us.
He said, “Its okay to feel.”

Visit: http://www.randomactsfoundation.com/story.html

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