Bunce Island

Bunce Island is a tiny place with huge significance: It is where thousands of Africans became slaves.

From 1670 the island served as a pivotal outpost in the Atlantic slave trade. It lies, pebble-like, a few nautical miles up from Freetown, at the mouth of the Rockel river.

After being captured inland by African traders, men and women were brought to the small island fortress to be sold to white captains or agents of chartered companies. They were then warehoused in cramped quarters while awaiting the next ship’s departure for North America or the West Indies.

In 1808, when the British made it illegal to transport slaves on the high seas, they stationed their navy's African Squadron on Bunce Island so it could patrol the coast of Africa and intercept vessels with human cargo bound for European or American markets.

The castle, as the British called the stone, mortar, and slate compound, was attacked and destroyed repeatedly by Portuguese fleets, the French navy, and pirates. But it was rebuilt every time until it was officially abandoned in 1840.





In the region’s tropical climate, local people had perfected the delicate art of rice farming, which made them valuable assets for plantation owners on America’s east coast and in the West Indies. Shiploads of new slaves were destined for South Carolina and Georgia. It is believed by some that the iconic Uncle Ben of converted rice fame was modeled on an elderly African from SL.

Today, the Gullah people in those states can trace their ancestry to SL, and a number of families have organized pilgrimages to Bunce Island.



Unfortunately, when they get here, not much in the way of historical information awaits them. In fact, this rusted sign is the only interpretive panel on the entire island.



Our group was met by a dedicated guide from a village across the river. He is the keeper of the island’s visitors' log-book, and offered a detailed tour of the decaying facilities - in Krio, which a local member of our expedition patiently translated.



The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Relics is supposed to pay him a modest salary and provide him with accommodation on the island, but that arrangement seems to have been forgotten, along with any past commitment to invest in the protection and promotion of the ruins, arguably the most significant component of SL’s cultural heritage.





In 1989, the U.S National Park Service launched a preservation program for Bunce Island, but the civil war soon thwarted those efforts. Since the end of the conflict, successive SL governments have not allocated any resources for the upkeep of the island.

Last year, coinciding with the bicentennial anniversary of the end of the slave trade, the World Monuments Fund, an international organization working for the preservation and rehabilitation of neglected historical sites, placed Bunce Island on its list of the 100 most endangered sites.

By contrast, the area up the road from where I live is called Wilberforce in honour of abolitionist William Wilberforce, the British MP who led the fight against the slave trade. In the town of Hull, Yorkshire, the house where he was born has been turned into Britain’s first museum devoted to the history of slavery.

Key dates in the incremental abolition of slavery:

1772: England declares slavery illegal on its territory
1787: Freetown is established by the British as a province for freed slaves
1793: Upper Canada passes the Act Against Slavery
1803: Lower Canada abolishes slavery
1807: Britain passes the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act, making it illegal to transport slaves onboard British ships
1833: Britain passes the Abolition of Slavery Act, making it illegal to own slaves throughout the British Empire
1865: The U.S. abolishes slavery on its territory with the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution

Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary

The Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary is hidden away in the hills of the Western Area Forest Reserve, about 40 minutes outside of Freetown, a couple of miles beyond the historic Krio village of Regent. Since 1995, the 100-acre site provides a refuge for orphaned and endangered chimpanzees.



Over the last 30 years, SL's chimp population has dropped from 20,000 to 3,000. Habitat destruction, poaching, demand for bush meat, and laboratory research are the main threats facing the feisty yet playful creatures. In rural areas, they are sometimes kept as household pets because they can be trained to fetch water and guard property. Many people don't know the practice is illegal. Currently, the fine for anyone caught keeping a chimp as domestic help is virtually nil - the equivalent of $2. But the sanctuary, in collaboration with animal protection agencies such as the Conservation Society of SL, lobbied government for an increased penalty. In February, a new law comes into effect: contraveners will be fined $1,000.



Tacugama is divided into five enclosures, where chimps are gradually introduced to each other and weaned off man's protective hand.





During the civil war, the courageous staff stayed with the chimps to protect them from the hungry and violent rebels roving the forest. Moses, our guide, recounted how on several occasions he "dialogued" with rebel groups and offered to prepare food for them in exchange for sparing the chimps. In spite of their efforts, five chimps died from a lack of medicine and an overdose of stress caused by the surrounding detonations of guns and mortar bombs. Others began exhibiting symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).



Today, the staff devote a lot of their time to educational programs, teaching school children about endangered species and encouraging law enforcement officials to pay attention to the illegal trade in chimpanzees. They also share cleaning, cooking, and feeding duties. A veterinarian inoculates newcomers and makes sure that they are medically fit to join the others after the initial 3-month quarantine.





For a reasonable fee, researchers and visitors can spend the night at the sanctuary. Two small huts and a cozy tree house are surprisingly well appointed and very tastefully decorated.



Without the steadfast dedication of a small group of humans, there could very well be no chimps left in SL. In theory, the final stage in the rehabilitation process would see the chimps returning to the wild. But for now, no location has been found that can provide an environment safe enough... from us.

Football

Little boys everywhere can be seen kicking around tattered balls and bottles along dirt roads, but when they grow up and play for an organized team, few Sierra Leoneans pay much attention. Here, the only football worth watching is the Premiership, the U.K.’s top professional league. Four teams command the admiration and loyalty of SL fans: Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea.

Power shortages and limited financial means dictate viewing logistics. Across the city, small shacks with large satellite dishes and generators put out blackboards on the side of the road to announce which live games they will be showing, and how much a seat will cost.



Pivotal games opposing two of the popular teams can fetch up to 40 cents. Most places allow patrons to bring in beer, but that adds to the cost of the activity, so few buy drinks. The atmosphere nevertheless rivals that inside any English pub.

My first football experience, at a second-floor parlour close to the office, was slightly different: They were showing a game between Scotland and Argentina, the play-by-play was in Arabic because it was the Aljazeera feed, and a Dolly Parton CD was playing in the background. Just a sample of Freetown's endearing diversity!

The shack closer to my house is called Filene’s Lounge. A bit of a misnomer since nothing but rows of wooden benches fill the floor space in front of a giant screen. The image is of surprising quality, the sound is crisp, and one of the two electric fans usually works.





It can get pretty hot in there, especially during afternoon games. Football shacks are the only place where I have seen men take off their shirt in public.



On Sunday afternoons and week nights, games of pick-up football bring cheer to neighbourhood fields and a bit of life to sleepy Lumley beach.



The SL National Premier League's season was supposed to start in November. But a sponsorship dispute at the National Stadium is delaying the kick-off. Nobody seems to have noticed. Last week, the U.S. Embassy and the British Council used the field for a friendly. It is also where the Leone Stars would play their home games in the African Nations Cup. But, due to the war and its devastating effect on infrastructure and investment, the country has not qualified in almost a decade.





[This post is dedicated to my friend Brian in Ottawa, who has been patiently waiting for a portrait of football culture in SL.]

Ecoliers Du Monde

L’automne dernier, Jean-Félix, le petit garçon de ma cousine Natalie, a découvert l’existence de l’Afrique à la pré-maternelle. A la télé, il a entendu qu’il y a une Afrique blanche et une noire, une réalité qui perdure. Réjouies de son savoir et de sa curiosité, nous avons décidé d’explorer la possibilité d’un échange entre son groupe et une école de Freetown.

En novembre, je me suis rendue à Rachel Preparatory School, un petit espace en blocs de ciment avec un toît de métal, caché derrière l’édifice moderne de la Eco Bank, sur Wilkinson Rd, le long boulevard où se trouvent plusieurs ONGs. On devine la présence de Rachel Prep plus qu’on ne la voit.



Etablie en 1999, alors que la guerre civile tirait à sa fin, l’école, qui n’a ni électricité ni eau courante, accueille aujourd’hui plus de 500 élèves. Sous la direction de Madame Marian Jusu, 14 professeurs enseignent les mathématiques, l’anglais, les sciences, et autres sujets selon les âges.





Les enfants du niveau nursery ont semblé aimer l’idée de correspondre par dessins avec ceux du Canada, même s’ils ne savaient pas trop encore où le pays se situe. Je leur ai dit que j’enverrais leurs photos aux petits amis nordiques et que je reviendrais avec celle de la classe de Jean-Félix.





La semaine dernière, je suis retournée avec un petit don provenant de la collecte d’Halloween de Jean-Félix. Madame Marian va utiliser les sous pour acheter des crayons de couleur et du papier. La photo des enfants Canadiens a provoqué beaucoup d’intérêt, tout comme l'ordinateur portatif, un bien d'extrême luxe que plusieurs n’avaient jamais vu.



Rachel Prep est comme des centaines d’autres écoles qui survivent grâce aux efforts d’ensignants dévoués et à la détermination de familles pauvres qui continuent d’y envoyer leurs petits à pieds, souvent sans une bouchée, tous les matins, même en saison des pluies.

Officiellement, le gouvernement subventionne l’éducation primaire. Mais les images plus que les mots témoignent des conditions difficiles dans ce pays détruit par la guerre, ravagé par la corruption, et oublié par les médias.

Petit Jean-Félix, j’espère qu’un jour tu pourras visiter le Sierra Leone et serrer la main de tes nouveaux amis de l’Afrique noire. Tu apprendrais beaucoup d’eux.

Drumming Out the Year

Walking on the edge of Kroo Town, the dense area of Freetown where merchants sell produce and fish, we were attracted by the sound of rhythmic music and clapping down the street from Diaspora, a bookstore-cafe. It wasn't long before we came across Pikin Wit Den Culture, a group of traditional dancers. Jumping and shaking to the beat of a drum, they were entertaining a rapidly growing number of kids and onlookers outside a small bar.





The dancers are part of a school where up to a hundred young students train and perfect their acrobatic moves. We exchanged numbers and, one day, I hope to invite them to perform at a party on the beach...

Christmas at Lakka Beach

Happy Holidays to All!
We are having a lovely time at Lakka Beach, south of Freetown.



No turkey and stuffing this year. We dined on deliciously fresh crab, lobster, and bonita fish...



All caught a few hours before we sat down to eat...





On Boxing Day, the quiet beach came alive with music, dancing, football, and lots of kids running around and playing in the waves. It is an annual ritual: Families and friends congregate on the beach for a charmingly festive afternoon of fun fueled by home-cooked food and a few drinks.

We made some friends...





They would like some books and pens. Alpha, a 5-yr old basket seller (in the red top), said he could really use a pencil sharpener. Unable to grant him his wish, we bought 3 baskets and shared our fruit cake. On our next visit, we'll stuff a stocking with school supplies.

Telecom Acoming

Exact numbers are difficult to come by, but SL likely has several times more cell phones than library books. Or toilets.

Everywhere you look, people are either texting or talking on their mobile. Very often they are shouting. While I was getting my hair cut, the hairdresser was on the phone. When commuting on the back of a motorbike, I regularly answer calls or text replies.

The main telecom companies, Africell, Celtel-Zain, Comium, and Tigo, offer similar pay-as-you-go phone rates on scratch cards. Since the country has virtually no land lines, the Internet is accessed via wireless slot cards or plug-in modems. But few can afford to buy a laptop or pay the monthly packages.

Earlier this year, Hirondelle Foundation, a Swiss organization that supports independent media in conflict zones, conducted a survey of media use in all of SL's 14 districts. A representative sample of 2,000 individuals aged 15 and older were interviewed. The results are telling:

* 75% own a battery-operated radio

* 40% own a cell phone

* 7% own a television

* 0.7% own a computer

* 0.3% access the Internet

Undeterred, the telecoms go to great lengths to raise their profile and attract new customers. In Freetown, they are responsible for what seems like the only fresh paint. In fact, the houses and fences bearing their respective logos look immensely cleaner and more inviting than the city's other commercial buildings and shabby government facilities.









They also pay small shack owners to plaster their colours on the outside and sell scratch cards.



Calls between subscribers of the same provider are cheaper, so many people carry two or three phones to save on units. Some devices are designed to hold two SIM cards, which reduces the fumbling when a call comes in, especially for women who tend to keep their phones in large handbags.

I am with Celtel, the company started in 1998 by Sudanese billionaire and philanthropist Mohamed Ibrahim. Celtel is now part of Zain, a multinational based in Kuwait. Zain operates in the Middle East and in 15 African countries. It has more than 50 million customers, but, just like its rivals, it is actively recruiting new ones. In addition to the ubiquitous publicity on billboards, spots on the radio, and full-page ads in the papers, the telecoms vie for attention through sponsorship deals and promotional events. The national stadium in Freetown is the site of more than sporting competitions: The outside is covered in Africell's colours and logo while the seats inside spell out Comium.

A few Sunday nights ago, as I was heading home from the beach, I came upon a lively stage show with music, comedians, and a t-shirt giveaway. I tried to resist but the enchanting siren call of free stuff reeled me in...

Tombo Town

About 50 km around the western peninsula lies a busy and colourful fishing village called Tombo Town. I reached it after a bumpy one-hour ride on the back of my friend Demba's motorcycle. The road, a mix of tarmac stretches and rutted dirt, goes through the Krio village of Regent, where one of Sierra Leone's smallest and oldest churches still stands. From there, we passed a string of hamlets bearing grand colonial names such as Hastings and Waterloo.

Tombo, which means "land registry" in Portuguese, is off the power grid. At night, its 30,000 inhabitants seemingly disappear under the cover of hundreds of corrugated metal roofs. When morning breaks, they set out in their wooden boats to compete with an increasing number of foreign vessels trawling inside territorial waters. Some estimates put SL's annual losses to illegal fishing at $26 million.




Fishermen used to load their catch directly onto a train of container wagons departing for Freetown. But today, the lonely rails rust in the lapping sea.



Sweaty human heads have replaced steely piston heads as the main motor force for fish transportation.



A strong smell of drying nets and smoked fish fills the still air along the winding alleys packed with children and chickens. The tender white fish and the traveling white girl are on their way to the city.