Kunta Kinteh Island – Albadarr, The Gambia - Atlas Obscura
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Kunta Kinteh Island

Albadarr, The Gambia

A tiny island home to a former English slave fort. 

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Jose Canedo/CC BY-SA 1.0 (Creative Commons)
Jose Canedo/CC BY-SA 1.0 (Creative Commons)
What is left of a cannon - rising sea level has claimed the others. Makayla Cole (Atlas Obscura User)
Ruins of Fort James Makayla Cole (Atlas Obscura User)
Ruins of Fort James Makayla Cole (Atlas Obscura User)
Map dated about 1755. Public Domain (Creative Commons)
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This island, formerly named James Island was an English slave fort on the mouth of the Gambia river. Today it’s a powerful reminder of the evils of  the slave trade, and particularly of Britain’s role.

Kunta Kinteh Island is located near Jufureh, the birthplace of Kunta Kinteh, an ancestor of Alex Haley and subject of the early part of his book Roots. 

The island, part of a UNESCO world heritage site, used to have numerous beads formally worn by young female captives. Apparently these beads had an important role in marriages and the captives, realising their fate, would throw them away in despair. Unfortunately over the years these have been stolen by tourists and very few remain.

Know Before You Go

A visit here is probably best if it follows a visit to the Gambia National Cultural museum in Banjul.

slavery forts islands
Community Contributors
Dr Alan P Newman
Added by
Dr Alan P Newman
massimiliano20097
Makayla Cole
Edited by
massimiliano20097, Makayla Cole
Published
November 1, 2016
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