Goree Island (Ile de Goree) is a small island just off the coast of Dakar, Senegal's sprawling capital city. Goree Island is a big tourist attraction because of its history as a major slave-trading center. It's an important destination for African-Americans in particular who come to pay their respects and reflect upon their ancestors' past. In fact the Maison des Esclaves (House of Slaves) on the island has become a place of pilgrimmage for everyone to reflect upon the horrors of the slave-trade and remember the millions of souls who died because of it.
Goree Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been visited by dignitaries such as the Pope, President Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela and recently President George Bush.
Despite this attention there are several scholars who dispute that the House of Slaves was ever a major slave-trading center, especially given that its size may not warrant the numbers of slaves (several millions) attributed to have passed through its "doors of no return". These scholars tend to believe that the island and its 'House of Slaves' have been talked up by those interested in making a few dollars off gullible tourists. But everyone I've met who has visited the House of Slaves Museum has been deeply moved by the symbolic significance of the place. Regardless of the number, slaves did indeed pass through and the Museum provides everyone with a focal point to express their grief at this terrible event in history.
By Anouk Zijlma.
