This small village on the bank of the River Gambia is the birthplace of Kunta Kinte, made famous by the 1976 best seller "Roots" by Alex Haley.
Juffureh is one of the oldest settlements in the district, and a typical Mandinka village. Prior to its rediscovery, it was a place with a long history of suffering, partially chronicled bythe words of the television adaptation of the novel.
The novel Roots speaks of the days when Juffureh was a slaving center and the people was at the mercy of the French, English and Spanish, who took them away from their homes and transported to Europe, America and the rest of the world.
The story of Kunta Kinte and his enslavement has created a great interest in America because of its importance in the awareness of the racial injustice that took place.
Haley was inspired by his grandmother’s stories, and after a thorough research and a journey through his family’s history, historical texts and oral traditions and stories, he has put together a colorful novel full of family legends, based on the life of the Kinte family from the mid-eighteenth to the mid-twentieth century.
Juffureh today is a place to see “The factory” – a fortified slave station built by the French, the historical museum, and an area known for its beautiful batiks – specific fabric designs dyed in a special manner using wax.
