Trade in the Senegambia Region deals with the local and
trans-continental trading activities in the Senegambia Region. In this
exposition, Patience Sonko-Godwin depicts trade as an agent of change
and transposition of culture from one state to another and from one
continent to another. She delves into aspects of the trans-Atlantic
slave trade during which time millions of people from the Senegambia
Region and West Africa were forcefully transported to Europe, the
Americas, and the Caribbean. Although they were subjected to
dehumanizing treatment in captivity, they maintained much of their
culture and tradition while adopting new ones. Many improved their
social standing. Emancipated, thousands of ex-slaves from the outside
world were brought to Africa, notably Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Likewise, hundreds of thousands of enslaved people were also liberated
from the West African coast and the Atlantic Ocean and taken to Sierra
Leone and the Gambia. All these people brought their hybrid cultures
with them and juxtaposed them with what they found in their new
environment. And although these people were victims of circumstances
beyond their control, they made immense contributions to the development
of the world.
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Extrait
Trade in the Senegambia Region
From the 12th to the Early 21st Century
Patience Sonko-Godwin
Sunrise Publishers Banjul, The Gambia
Trade in the Senegambia Region
Published by Sunrise Publishers P. O. Box 955 Banjul The Gambia
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
First Published 1988
Second Edition 2004
Third Edition 2014: Revised and Expanded
ISBN 978-9983-9900-9-6
Illustrations by Pa Sulay Sey & Modou Camara
Cover Illustration: A typical trading activity in the Senegambia Region
By Pa Sulay Sey
Layout Design by Siaka Fadera
47
Senegambia Region -The Portuguese Monopoly and the
44
25
39
35
58
The Ordinary and Newly Acquired Slaves
Royal /Military Slaves
20
13
16
15
14
The Courlanders, British and French
Dutch and English Rivalry
European Rivalry for the Control and Trade in the
Domestic or Household Slaves in Senegambia
4SLAVERY AND THE SLAVE TRADE AMONG THE PEOPLES
OF THE SENEGAMBIA REGION
69
73
70
68
1 INTERNAL TRADE AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES 1 Local Markets - Exchanging Products of the Senegambia Region2 The Long Distance or Trans-Saharan Trade6
Acknowledgements
v
ix
xii
ix
xi
vii
List of Interviewees
Foreward
Maps
xiii
xv
CONTENTS
Preface to the Third Edition
The Role of Gambian Chiefs in European Rivalry
3THE NEW WORLD AND EUROPEAN ACTIVITIES IN THE SENEGAMBIA REGION
List of Illustrations and Photographs
Preface to the Second Edition
SENEGAMBIA REGION
2 PORTUGUESE EXPLORATION AND TRADE IN THE
The ‘Discoveries’
Prince Henry the Navigator Pioneered Exploration
Why the Portuguese Took the Lead in Exploration
Consequences of Portuguese Exploration
Rivalry of the French and British
Challenges of European Powers
5 EUROPEANS AND THE TRANS - ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE IN THE SENEGAMBIA REGION 76 The changed positions of the Trans-Atlantic slaves76 How slaves were obtained76 The organization of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade81 From Europe to Africa to the New World83 The Slaves’ Journey: The Senegambia Region84 The Slaves’ Journey: The Middle Passage90 The Slaves’ Journey: The New World93 6 RESISTING AND EVADING SLAVERY IN THE SENEGAMBIA REGION 99 7 EVALUATION OF THE SLAVE TRADE IN THE SENEGAMBIA REGION 105 8 ABOLITION OF SLAVERY AND THE SLAVE TRADE 111 British Abolitionists112 Abolitionists and the Founding of Freetown115 The abolitionists and the Founding of Bathurst and Efforts Made to stop Slavery125 French Abolitionists130 Abolition Activities in the New World133 Local reactions to the Abolitionists139 9 IMPACT OF THE ABOLITION OF THE SLAVE TRADE AND SLAVERY IN THE SENEGAMBIA REGION 145 10 BLACKS OF BRITAIN AND THE NEW WORLD - ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO WORLD DEVELOPMENT 177 11 THE SETTLER COLONIES OF SIERRA LEONE AND LIBERIA - ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF BLACKS TO THE DEVELOPEMENT OF WEST AFRICA 198 12 LEGITIMATE TRADE IN THE SENEGAMBIA REGION 243 13 MODERN FORMS OF SLAVERY AND ATTEMPTS AT TOTAL ERADICATION 254 Introduction254 Slavery as a Contemporary Activity258 Commemorating the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and Slavery267 Attempts to stop Forms of Slavery273 Child Rights277
vi
316
315
313
312
The Constitutions of The Gambia and Legal Instruments
Reporting to the U. N. Committee on the Rights of theChild298
Children’s Court
in The Gambia
The National Youth Parliament and the National Youth Council
and Modern Forms of Slavery
Freedom of Expression and Communication in Addressing
Modern Forms of Slavery
The Way Forward for Senegal in Addressing Modern
Forms of Slavery
301
Stopping Modern Forms of Slavery - The Way forward
The Youth Paliaments and Regional Councils
Forms of Slavery
The Gambia
Addressing Modern Forms of Slavery in Senegal and
Senegal and the Modern Forms of Slavery
Government Institutions, Legal Instruments and the Modern
Bibliography Index
National and International Non-Governmental Organizations
Notes Glossary
Abbreviations
284
296
279
281
290
289
283
318 325 331 332 337
291
291
309
Application of the Legal Instruments against Modern
The Gambia and Modern Forms of Slavery
317
Forms of Slavery
The U. N. Agencies Addressing Modern Forms of Slavery
that Address Modern Forms of Slavery
Conclusion
Addressing Modern Forms of slavery
The Growing Ranks of Street Children
vii
List of Illustrations and Photographs 1 Kola nuts 9 2 The Sketch Plan of James Fort on James Island 59 3 James Island – James Fort in 1779 60 4 A Canon on James Island 61 5 The ruins of James Island 61 6 The fallen walls of James Fort 62 7 James Island in its most reduced form 62 8 Sea defence construction work 63 9 Completed sea defence work wall 63 10 Cheddo - royal slaves of kings of the Senegambia Region 74 11 Cheddo -royal slave soldiers of kings of the Senegambia Region 75 12 Slaves awaiting shipment to the New World 87 13 The cliff side and some buildings on Gorée Island in Senegal 91 14 Premises of Mr. T. G. Reffel in Freetown named Buchanan. 124 15 Premises of Creole (Krio) businessman Mr. H. R. A. Morrison, 124 16 The Six gun battery 126 17 Two bastions of Fort Bullen built in1832 126 18 Inside view of Fort Bullen 127 19 A fanal with hanging lanterns 150 20 The Alburaq 151 21 Front view of the lion hunting masquerade 159 22 Back view of the lion hunting masquerade 160 23 The bougarabou - Jola drums 171 24 Mary Seacole 178 27 Oscar Emmanuel Peterson 188 28 Nicolas Guillen 192 29 Joseph Renner Maxwell 202 30 Mr. J. C. Shorunkeh-Sawyerr 204 31 Mrs. Latie Hyde-Forster 208 32 Dr. Florence Mahoney 223 33 Mrs. Cecilia Mary Cole 226 34 Sally Patience Fowlis 228 35 Mr. A. W. U. Thomas: A successful Creole (Krio) businessman 231 36 Residence of Mr. Mr. A. W. U. Thomas 231 37 Ms. Ore Green, the Irst West African woman to be a pharmacist. 240 38 Freshly harvested groundnuts with leaves and nuts in shells 244 39 Groundnuts heaped for drying 244 40 Transporting groundnuts to the secco 245 41 Cleaning the groundnuts in a rotary screen 245 42 Weighing, selling and piling groundnuts 246 43 The almodus (street children) of Senegambia 266 44 ASPnet, The Gambia, visits the slave house of Gorée Island, Senegal 270 45 U. N. Posters: Slavery Remembrance Day of 2011 and 2012 272
viii
Maps Map of the Senegambia Region xvi The Triangular Trade 96
List of Interviewees
Alhaji Sait Camara - Tobacco Road, Banjul, The Gambia. Master Griot, specialist in the History of the Senegambia Region. 10/8/92 - 23/8/92, 18/4/94 - 28/4/94., 03,/10/ 2006, 06/12/2006. Alhaji Dodou Nying Koliyandeh - Barra, North Bank Region, The Gambia, Master Griot, specialist in the History of the Senegambia Region. 22/11/92 - 5/12/92. Alhaji Alasan Mbenga - Ebo Town, KaniIng Minicpal Council, The Gambia. Master Griot. 22/11/92 -5/12/92 Mr. Sam Goddard - Daniel Goddard Street, (former Hagan Street), Banjul, The Gambia. Catholic Elder. 17/7/81 - 27/7/81, 2/3/93 -3/4/93 Mr. E. O. Rendall - Churchill’s Town, Serrekunda, The Gambia. Educationist, Aku Elder. 15/10/90 - 20/10/90, 1/6/94 - 3/6/94, 27/8/2008, 16/9/2009, 2/2/2010 Alhaji A. E. Cham-Joof - 10 Freedom Lane (former Albion Place), Banjul, The Gambia. Later moved to Bakau. Historian, Trade Unionist, Expert on Senegambian culture, languages and religion. 17/10/96 - 22/10/96, 20/02/2000- 28/2/2002, several dates from 2004 to 2010 Mr. Bakary Badjie - Seju, Casamance, Senegal. Village Elder. 2/10/97 - 4/10/97 Ms. Mariama Jarju - Seju, Casamance, Senegal. 2/10/97 - 4/10/97 Ms. Annie Lusack - 48 Primet Street, Banjul, The Gambia. Retired Principal Nursing OfIcer, Royal Victoria Hospital. Warden, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of The Gambia. 6/10/98, 12/08/2000, 15/03/2004, 2006-2008. Mr. Sam Horton Maurice Jones - Jalinyama Street, Fajara, KaniIng Municipal Council, The Gambia. 03/08/2000, 2008 Mrs Agnes Modou Parker. 16/01/2008 Dr. Florence Mahoney .02/12/2011 Mr. Valdiodio Ndiaye, KaniIng. 16/06/2011 Mrs. Sally Fowlis. 14/11/2011 Rev. Willie Carr. 17/11/2011 Mr. Wole Cates. 22/04/2009, 18/12/2011 Mr. Maclean Jones. 12/03/2012 Mr. Ebun John. 17/03/2012, 18/03/2012 Mrs. Fanta Bai Secka. Director, Social Welfare Department, Marina Parade, Banjul, The Gambia. 18/04/2012 Mr. Jalamang Camara,Child Protection Alliance. 22/03 2012. Mr. Njundu Drammeh, National Co-ordinator, Child Protection Alliance, 22/03/2012. Mr. Nyallow Barrow, Ag. Commissioner, Department of Labour, Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, The Gambia, 25/04/2012. ix