Any Travels

Gambia is a very small country in West Africa. On three sides it is surrounded by Senegal - in the west it has direct access to the Atlantic Ocean. It is surrounded by a bunch of French speaking countries, but Gambia is very British.

Gambia is pretty popular with package holidays. On the coast there are quite a few holiday villages where white Europeans are flown in by the package every week and red Europeans are flown out one or two weeks later. The Atlantic Coast resorts of Bakau, Fajara, Kotu and Kololi make up the heart of The Gambia's tourist industry. But there is a lot more than just golden beaches...

Banjul is the small capital and a lively city. Good nighlife markets and a very pleasant atmosphere make it a top attraction. Serekunde is the real capital however. It is the primary transport hub and activity centre of the country. It's a crowded place, bustling and 100% African.

Juffure is the main tourist trap of the country. It is a small village on the northern bank of the River Gambia about 25km (15mi) upstream from Banjul. It became world famous in the 1970s following the publication of "Roots", in which African-American author Alex Haley describes how Kunta Kinte, his ancestor, was captured here and taken as a slave to America some 200 years ago.

When Nature touch the Sea is Abuko is a great place to go to see wild life. The park is fenced, well-managed and very easy to reach from Banjul.

Although Gambia is the smallest country in Africa, its culture is the product of very diverse influences. The national borders outline a narrow strip on either side of the River Gambia, a body of water that has played a vital part in the nation's destiny and is known locally simply as "The River." Without natural barriers, Gambia has become home to most of the ethnic groups that are present throughout western Africa, especially those in Senegal. Europeans also figure prominently in the nation's history because the River Gambia is navigable deep into the continent, a geographic feature that made this area one of the most profitable sites for the slave trade from the 15th through the 17th centuries. (It also made it strategic to the halt of this trade once it was outlawed in the 19th century.) Some of this history was popularized in the Alex Haley book and TV series "Roots," which was set in Gambia. Although much of Haley's depiction of the past has been discredited in certain quarters, the Gambian government has embraced the opportunity to serve as a cultural center for the African diaspora and for others seeking to better understand the rich heritage of African people.

The single largest tribal group in Gambia is the Mandinka, an agricultural people with a hereditary nobility. The Wolofs are very prominent in the capital city of Banjul, as are the Ajus, descendants of freed slaves who rank among the bureaucratic elite. The Jola people are predominantly organized around the cultivation of rice, and the Fulas around the herding of cattle. The Sarahuli people are involved in local trade. Each of these groups speaks its own language, all of which are classified as part of the Niger-Congo language group. English is the official language of Gambia, and the country forms a long narrow strip of English speakers surrounded by francophone Senegal. The majority of Gambians are Muslim, though urban people tend to be more strict in their adherence to Islamic law than people in the countryside.

The nation's historical European presence had little impact on traditional African music. Among the Mandinka, the hereditary role of griots as historians, praise-singers, and musical entertainers has ancient roots. Once attached to noble families, griots were important people who arranged marriage terms and mediated disputes, as well as set history to music. The principal instruments are the balafon, similar to a xylophone; the ngoni, a small traditional lute; and the kora, a cross between a harp and a lute with 21 strings. Gambians consider the kora to be a symbol of national culture and pride, and the Gambian style is distinguished by its flamboyance and the nasal tones of its male vocalists. All Gambian tribal groups have important oral traditions, and many of their identifying folktales have been translated into English. In both the Fula and the Wolof traditions, there are many stories about the Hyena (an unworthy character) and the Hare, the character who becomes Brer Rabbit in the folklore of the United States. In the Wolof versions, Hare came from the griot caste.

Some of the Gambia's most ancient monuments are located inland near Wassau, where circles of stones mark 1,200-year-old burial grounds. Most of the country's cultural landmarks are closer to the coast. Just off the southern bank, where the Gambia River meets the Atlantic, the capital city of Banjul occupies an island (named St. Mary by the British), and is home to The Gambian National Museum. The skyline of Banjul is also graced by the twin minarets of the King Faud Mosque and the State House, built by the Portuguese. Nearby in the area around MacCarthy Square the is old colonial part of the city exhibiting its 19th-century architecture. On the river's northern bank at Barra Point is Fort Bullen. This fort was built by the British to replace the defeated James Island Fortress, which had been erected by the Germans in 1651, and is thus a symbol of European rivalry. The fort was also an important transshipment center for the slave trade.

Sharks and barracuda join freshwater fish as an important part of the traditional Gambian diet. Gambian cooks are proud of their kebbeh kunda benachin, a dish that combines tomatoes, pumpkin, green peppers, onion, and garlic with two kinds of fish. Chicken or beef are also prepared in the benachin style, while chicken yassa requires marinating the chicken overnight in vinegar, lime, stock, garlic, ginger and red pepper and serving it with rice and sauteed onions. As in much of Western Africa, Gambians favor jollof, a rice dish that includes tomatoes and spices. The most important crop in Gambia is peanuts (also known as groundnuts), so it is no surprise that people enjoy groundnut stew, made from peanut butter, beef, tomatoes, chilies, and rice. Chakery is a pudding made from couscous bathed in yogurt, sour cream, evaporated milk, and crushed pineapple.

hire a guide
You will find it useful to hire a guide when out and about. They will save you hassel from beggars etc. which can get quite bad, (but don't let it put you off). Also the one I used was able to explain much about local scenes, and helped in making purchases and vehicle hire etc. He also took me to places I would not have been able to go to alone; eg. a naming ceremony for a new borne child, he purchased for the family a present of a sack of rice; I would neither have known what was a suitable gift, or where to buy it, or how much to pay, or how to have it delivered. There are official guides that are licenced to work, however I hired one that I found for myself. For some reason he called me 'Daddy', and my wife, 'Boss Lady' (which she loved), he was completely honest and reliable. Hiring a guide is not expensive, ask how much at your hotel, and pay a little more; it's worth every penny.