town · KanifingAbukoA named Kanifing settlement in the 2013 directory; the government also names Abuko Nature Reserve as a separate visitor place.Interpretive illustration, not a documentary view
2 research threads are ready to explore.
The Gambia, in our own keeping
Our stories belong together.
Photographs, voices and memories from The Gambia and its people, wherever we are.
Begin with a place you know, or a story you have never heard. Every generation is welcome.
A country full of beginnings.
Open a place.
Find a story.
Local histories, cultural traditions and the evidence behind them. Start reading while the collection of community voices grows.
town · KanifingAbukoA named Kanifing settlement in the 2013 directory; the government also names Abuko Nature Reserve as a separate visitor place.
village · North BankAlbredaA riverside village with the remains of a Portuguese chapel and the CFAO warehouse building in the World Heritage ensemble.Image details: Archive image · 1997-02-22 · Leonora (Ellie) Enking
7 research threads are ready to explore.
town · KanifingBakauThe 2013 directory separately records Bakau New Town and Bakau Wasulun rather than one undifferentiated Bakau count.Interpretive illustration, not a documentary view
8 research threads are ready to explore.
city · BanjulBanjulThe island capital, known as Bathurst in the British colonial period; its 2024 LGA count is 26,461 in the preliminary census.Image details: Archive image · circa 1910 · unknown
37 research threads are ready to explore.
Our founding collection
It began
in Half Die.
Neighbours gathered recordings and memories of their community. Their work opened this circle. Now the invitation reaches across The Gambia and beyond.
Meet the first communityThe reading room
There is more to the story.
01 / heritage
A Banjul historian’s personal archive
A tribute describes collections that could inform public history if rights are clear.
Read with the sources
02 / media
A Bathurst newspaper gap
A History Corner article describes an early newspaper gap.
Read with the sources
03 / ecology
Abuko and the reserve are related, but not interchangeable
The national protected-area list identifies Abuko Nature Reserve, while the town requires its own community history.
Read with the sources
From the archive this week
Kerewan’s settlement and historical land relationship
A scholarly chapter connects Kerewan’s nineteenth-century settlement to Katchang, with clear limits on contemporary use.
Read with the sourcesLook closely.
Mystery of the week
Do you remember this?
You might know a missing piece.
Photographs
Gathering clues
Which team wore pale blue?
Do you recognise the team, the ground, or the occasion? Tell us how you know, and distinguish what you remember from what you are unsure about.
Photographs
Gathering clues
The story behind the BEREC shirts
What can you tell us about this team and its shirts? A programme, team list or another photograph could help establish the occasion.
Photographs
Gathering clues
Can you help read the handwriting?
There is handwriting across this family portrait. Can you help read it or explain its context? Please do not guess identities.
Voices from the founding collection
Stay for a story.
Bring it home.
A photograph in a drawer. A voice on your phone. A memory someone should hear. Start with what you have.
Share a memoryLend a careful ear.
Help turn recordings into readable words. Bring your languages and the time you can offer. Participation is voluntary and unpaid.
Try a first listenCome back to the circle.
Follow communities and memories. Keep your favourite stories. Find replies and new clues in your own corner.
Find your next visit