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Discovery
Tour to Sierra Leone: An emerging tourism destination in
West Africa
by
Helen C. Broadus
 At
the conclusion of the Africa Travel Association's Annual
Congress held in Conakry, Guinea in May 2002, a very good
friend and colleague, Patricia Brown, invited me to visit
her homeland of Sierra Leone. Patricia is the Owner and
President of Kambi Travel International (KTI) which is a
full-service international travel and tourism company, based
in the Washington Metropolitan Area. She was born in Sierra
Leone, West Africa. In the year 2000, she achieved her dream
of opening a travel and tourism office in her homeland,
Freetown, Sierra Leone. I was definitely interested in
having the opportunity to visit Sierra Leone and learn more
about its connection with African-Americans, especially with
the Gullah people of South Carolina. Hopefully, at the
conclusion of your reading this article you will be
convinced of the immense tourism potential that Sierra Leone
has to offer and will hopefully consider joining us when we
return to Sierra Leone later this year.
(See
Freetown)
BACKGROUND.
Sierra Leone derives its name from Portuguese explorers who,
when first sighting the land in the year 1405 during a
fierce storm, mistakenly interpreted the sound of thunder
coming from the mountains as roaring lions. Other folklore
tradition states that the Portuguese sailors said that the
shape of the mountains "looked liked lions". Hence, they
proclaimed it the land of "Sierra Leone" which literally
translated means "mountain lions". This name stuck despite
the fact that Sierra Leone eventually became a British
colony. Sierra Leone gained commercial importance during the
heyday of the rice plantation industry in the American
colonies of South Carolina and Georgia.
European
settlers had little experience with rice cultivation and
were not suited for the climate. The demand for slaves with
rice growing skills increased significantly and the ethnic
groups in the surrounding areas of Sierra Leone were known
to possess this agricultural knowledge. Thus the volume of
slaves from the "windward coast" or "rice coast" of West
Africa increased to keep up with the demand. As a result,
many South Carolinian and Georgian African-Americans can
trace their African ancestry through the slave trading
period in Sierra Leone.
Sierra
Leone was also the first African country to resettle former
American slaves. In the early 1800s, abolitionists in
America and England raised money and solicited missionaries
and teachers to bring back freed slaves from North America
to West Africa. Due to their familiarity with and support
from Great Britain's more liberal society, they decided to
resettle in the territories under the colonial protection of
England. In fact, Cinque, the leader of the Amistad's
liberated African slaves was eventually returned to Sierra
Leone in search of his village amongst the Mendes ethnic
group. In addition, Sierra Leone boast Old Fourahbay College
which was the first university in West Africa that was
modeled after western teachings and most of the future
African leaders of the Pan-African Movement of the 20th
century received their formal education at this university.
Sierra
Leone received its independence from British colonial rule
and became a republic on April 27, 1961.
Sierra
Leone is located in West Africa with Guinea as its neighbor
on the north and east, Liberia as its neighbor to the south
and the Atlantic Ocean on its west. It is a very friendly
country, with smiling faces and a hospitable environment.
The country has substantial mineral reserves and
agricultural products but was unfortunately devastated by an
economic crisis, followed by a civil war that lasted ten
years. Freetown, the capital city, has the third largest
natural harbor in the world and is a major commercial
shipping port. The population of Sierra Leone is about 5
million with about 500,000 inhabitants in Freetown. The
population is about forty-seven percent Christian and
forty-seven percent are Muslims with the remaining six
percent belonging to traditional African
religions.
Sierra
Leone recently held a successful presidential and parliament
election campaign with Dr. Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabbah elected
as President for another six year term and the ruling Sierra
Leone People's Party (SLPP) gaining a ajority in parliament
as well. The official currency is the Leone which is very
similar to the American dollar system. The official language
is English but most people speak other local languages such
as Krio, Temne, Mende, and Limba. More importantly, everyone
also speaks a "national" language which closely resembles
the fascinating language of the Gullah people from South
Carolina and Georgia in the United States.
GEOGRAPHY
AND CLIMATE. Sierra Leone has a surface land area of 72,325
kilometers with marshy coastal areas that rise to a plateau
in the north and east and the highest elevation point of
Mount Durukonko at 11,948 meters. The country has a humid
tropical climate, tending towards equatorial conditions due
to the exposure of the coast to winds from the south. Moving
northwards, vegetation changes from mangroves to open
woodlands and finally to savannahs.
GETTING
THERE. Lungi International Airport is located across the
harbor from Freetown. Upon arrival into Sierra Leone it is
highly recommended that you take an exciting helicopter
transfer from Lungi International Airport to Lumley Beach
Heliport in Freetown which is about twenty minutes away by
air. Or you can opt for the one hour ferry boat ride to
Freetown. International flights into Sierra Leone are just
beginning to return and for now the best way to arrive there
is to fly into Conakry, Guinea and then take West Coast
Airlines into Sierra Leone. This inter-country flight is
about forty minutes in duration. There is also a VISA entry
requirement for U.S. citizens.
While in
Freetown, I stayed at the Cape Sierra Hotel, which in its
heyday must have been a very beautiful hotel. It is
currently the only major hotel operational, but smaller
guest houses and a few bed and breakfast inns are also
available for use by tourists. There is an excellent
restaurant overlooking the bay and a discotheque in close
walking distance to the Cape Sierra Hotel. Recent
renovations are underway to restore several other hotels to
their former state.
PLACES
OF INTEREST. The real attractions of Sierra Leone are
its beautiful beaches along the Atlantic coastline as well
as the spectacular views from its mountainous terrain.
Tourist will definitely appreciate the multitude of water
sports and recreation available including windsurfing,
fishing, canoeing, water skiing, speed boating, and
sunbathing. One can even take a boat cruise and enjoy a
picnic on several remote islands along the coast. There is
also lively nightlife and entertainment with discos,
casinos, and fine dining in Freetown. While Sierra Leone is
still recovering from its decade long civil war, in my
opinion, it is quickly re-emerging as a trendy and
affordable tourism hotspot for the sophisticated
traveler.
HISTORICAL
ATTRACTIONS. Freetown has an abundance of historically
significant landmarks that link the legacy of West Africans
with African-Americans. A truly famous landmark in the
center of downtown Freetown is the "Cotton Tree" which is a
treasured symbol of the city. It was originally planted by
the resettled American slaves with the founding of Freetown.
Also in downtown Freetown is the Con Naught Hospital which
was the first hospital modeled after western medical
practices in West Africa. Nearby is "King's Gate" which was
erected in stone with a statement inscribed which reads "any
slave who passes through this gate is declared a free man"
hence the name of Freetown was derived. Down by the Naval
Wharf are slave steps carved out of stone. It was here that
the Portuguese slave traders bought and sold many Africans
and from which their last footsteps on African soil were
made.
High up on
the hills overlooking the city of Freetown is the restored
Fourahbay College campus where the current Prime Minister of
England Tony Blair spent his early childhood and also went
to primary school. Because of the elevation from sea level,
it was determined to be a strategic place to locate the
campus due to the cooler climate and location of a natural
spring. Another little known history fact is that during the
darkest moments of World War II when England was under siege
by Germany, the Queen of England was secretly hidden for
"safe keeping" in Cort Right House on the campus of
Fourahbay College. It was believed that the Germans would
never think of finding her in Africa!
CULTURAL
ATTRACTIONS. The highlight of my visit to Freetown,
Sierra Leone was my tour of the Cape Peninsula area and up
into the hillsides to see the Mountain and Creole Villages.
These villages were built in the early 1800s by resettled
American slaves. It is believed that upon first trying to
integrate themselves with the local people of Sierra Leone
there was too much fighting amongst the people and fierce
competition for available land to grow crops. Eventually, to
escape this ongoing struggle for survival, many of the
resettled American slaves decided to inhabit the higher
hills of Freetown. These settlements became replicas of the
type of life that they had in America from the style of
farming to the architecture of their homes. In fact, this is
where many of the first homes constructed with a brick
foundation and a second level were built in Africa. Another
fascinating feature of these villages is that they are named
after British cities such as Lancaster, Kent and York. In
addition, many of the first churches were built in these
villages. St. Charles Parish Methodist Church in the Village
of Regent is believed to be the oldest stone built and
continuously worshiped church in Sub-Saharan Africa. Refer
to the insert box for more information about the historical
and cultural significance of churches in Sierra
Leone.
Also along
the Cape Peninsula are many fishing villages such as
Waterloo and Tembo. Waterloo was the first place that the
Portuguese arrived at because of its safe harbor. It is now
a refugee area and the people are known for making cassava
bread and fishing. Tembo is a main fishing village which
supplies most of the fresh seafood that is sold and eaten in
Freetown. Close to Tembo is Mama Beach which was a
waterfront resort area frequented by French tourists. It has
clear white sandy beaches and pristine waters. Regrettably,
many years of neglect due to the civil unrest in the country
has damaged the tourism attractions that this area was
famous for. A major tourism investment strategy by the
Government of Sierra Leone is underway to restore the
tourism infrastructure and invite potential investors to
come and rebuild these resort areas which provided a stable
economy for the local people.
During my
visit to Sierra Leone, I also had the opportunity to meet
the President, H.E. Dr. Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah during the
official commissioning of Phase One of the Development
Project at Lungi International Airport. I also witnessed the
inaugural arrival of a new Pan-African airline, Africa One
which is a DC-10 aircraft with a capacity for 250
passengers. According to the Lungi Airport Authority
representatives, there will be two flights weekly (Mondays
and Thursdays) from Freetown, Sierra Leone to Banjul,
Gambia. There are also future plans to transport passengers
from London, England and eventually JFK International
Airport in America.
This
redevelopment of Lungi International Airport was made
possible by a 1995 World Bank infrastructure and
rehabilitation project to upgrade Sierra Leone's aviation
standards for commercial purposes. This was a vital step in
the resurgence of the travel and tourism industry for Sierra
Leone and since 2001 the airport authority has received
approval to operate international services. President Kabbah
escorted the guests on a tour of the newly renovated airport
which consisted of a Phase One World Bank Loan in the amount
of $2.5 million dollars to construct a modern terminal
facility and departure hall at the airport. Phase Two, to be
completed by early August of 2002, includes the completion
of the arrival hall and cargo facilities.
I was quite
impressed with the enthusiasm of President Kabbah who
proudly proclaimed that this was truly a milestone moment in
the re-emergence of Sierra Leone as a viable travel and
tourism destination for North American and European visitors
as well as a potential transportation hub for West African
travelers. He stated that the World Banks' approval of the
project and subsequent enhancement of the airport's
navigation standards will ensure the comfort, security and
safety for all potential travelers. He also stated that this
industry will greatly aid in the recovery of related
industries such as agri-business, construction and
telecommunications. He closed out by stating that plans were
underway to also link a fast ferry service between the
airport authority and the maritime authority.
FOOD AND
ENTERTAINMENT. Tourist will find a wide assortment of
attractive traditional gifts to take home, including
colorful hand-woven baskets, great woodcarvings of furniture
and sculpture at very affordable prices. Also, don't forget
to sample the local cuisine of which the favorite is seafood
of any type, especially shrimp and lobster! In fact, the
local cuisine of the people in Freetown resembles that of
the Gullah people from South Carolina and Georgia. The
language spoken by Sierra Leoneans is also quite familiar to
the Gullah people who can trace their ancestry back to
Sierra Leone. For more information about this African
connection, refer to the insert box on Great Thanksgiving
and Descendant's Day Celebration in Freetown, Sierra
Leone.
Overall, I
thoroughly enjoyed my brief visit to Freetown in Sierra
Leone and truly look forward to returning again in the near
future. Sierra Leone is a country that is quickly
re-emerging as a tourism destination in West Africa full of
bright sunshine, pristine beaches, spectacular scenery,
diverse recreational activities and warm and friendly
people. All of the above combine to make a perfectly
relaxing holiday destination. For more information about
familiarization (FAM) trips to Sierra Leone, West Africa
please contact Patricia Brown at Tel: (301) 925-9012/Fax:
(301) 925-921/e-mail: kambitravel@aol.com.
About the author: Helen C. Broadus is the President
of Venue International Professionals, Inc. (VIP) an
international travel and tourism consulting firm based in
the Washington Metropolitan Area. She is also the
International Secretary of the Africa Travel Association
(ATA) and has conducted escorted tours to twenty African
countries over the past ten years. She is a frequent writer
of articles for the Africa Travel Magazine about the many
African destinations that she has visited. She can be
contacted at (301) 856-9188 and e-mail at
vipinc@erols.com
Did You
Know? The story below by David Saunders anked in the Top
3 out of 198.000 entries in a Google Search, August 2006,
second only to Sierra Leone's own website. How's that for
performance? Click on search sample below for more
information on the country.
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