By Yunus S Saliu
Destination Gambia being a place of leisure and ideal destination to enjoy not only the sea, sand and sun but destination to experience the excitement of an authentic Africa holiday especially African culture and cultural heritage, is set to host and unfold a new chapter through a mini Durbar event called Banjul Durba Colony Cultural Heritage Initiative scheduled for evening of Friday, 13th September, 2019 at the Senegambia strip in tourism development area (TDA).
This mini-Durba Colony Heritage is organised by Friends of The Gambia International under the Chairmanship of Alhaji Nasir Ja’af Daud in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) and Foreign Affairs.
Durbar is a cultural heritage of Northern Nigeria used originally as a festival to mark the end of the two Muslim feasts i.e. Eid Kabir and Eid Fitri. However, it has now graduated from those two functions although not negated, to jamboree for tourist attraction and conservation of tradition and culture.
Sheik Omar Jallow, director of Literature, Performing and Arts – NCAC said this year’s edition of Banjul Durbar Festival Colony Heritage is the maiden edition in the country which will be mini-Durbar compared to the one in Nigeria and it will serve as a pilot event which is here to complement the culture and cultural activities that already exist in the destination.
He noted that this maiden edition will mark the initiation of the Banjul Durba Colony Cultural Heritage in The Gambia and it is going to creates more attraction to the tourists visiting Destination Gambia.
Jallow added that Durba Colony Cultural Heritage is a longstanding colourful celebrate event in Northern part of Nigeria which is always witness by all and sundry and from all parts of Nigeria.
The Banjul Durba Colony will come with lot of opportunities especially that The Gambia is trying to attract more Nigerians to the destination.
He outlined among other opportunities for the host country which include symbiotic relationship, train the trainer technology transfer.
He however added that the mini-Durba Colony Heritage initiative can leverage the tourism infrastructure of The Gambia Tourism and Culture.
