By Yunus S. Saliu
With the official opening of the 2024/2025 winter tourism season in The Gambia, an increasing number of European tourists are making their way to the Jufurreh and Albreda communities in the North Bank Region (NBR). Their main destination: the historically significant Kunta Kinteh Island, formerly known as James Island.
Locals, including officials from the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC), tour guides, and Tourist Security Units, are busy yet thrilled to welcome the influx of visitors. The warm reception is especially noticeable in Albreda, where tourists embark on boat trips to explore one of The Gambia’s most iconic landmarks. The boat and canoe operators, always ready for the journey, eagerly share in the excitement of transporting guests to the island, while the tour guides seize every opportunity to recount the rich history of the region. Stories of Jufurreh, Albreda, Saint Domingo, the CFAO Building, and the events that unfolded on Kunta Kinteh Island—central to the island’s role in the transatlantic slave trade—are narrated passionately.
Jufurreh and Albreda: The Heart of Gambia’s Slave Trade History
Jufurreh and Albreda are two historically intertwined villages, each playing a crucial role in the legacy of Kunta Kinteh, the famed Mandinka warrior who was captured and sold into slavery. Jufurreh, known as Kunta Kinteh’s birthplace, and Albreda, the site where he was kidnapped before being taken to Kunta Kinteh Island, stand as poignant reminders of The Gambia’s dark history during the transatlantic slave trade.
The area is deeply symbolic in the history of The Gambia, particularly in the context of the slave trade. In addition to the island, visitors can explore a range of historical sites across Jufurreh and Albreda. Among these are the remains of a Portuguese chapel, the colonial-era CFAO warehouse, and Maurel Freres Building in Albreda. Jufurreh also features remnants of a small Portuguese settlement known as San Domingo, as well as the ancestral home of Kunta Kinteh’s family. It is here, at the family house, where visitors can meet descendants of Kunta Kinteh, keeping the legacy of his family alive.
No visit to The Gambia would be completed without a pilgrimage to these iconic sites. To visit Jufurreh, Albreda, and Kunta KintehIsland is akin to visiting Mecca and Rome—essential destinations for anyone seeking to understand the profound history of the region.
