The 'Smiling Fish' of Dakar, Senegal's Market and the Tragedy of the Slave Trade Engraved on Gorée Island

The vibrant market scenery of Dakar, the capital of Senegal, intersects with a hidden painful history, leaving a deep resonance. The journey to Dakar, Senegal, reported by JTBC 'Talk Pa One 25 O'Clock', begins with the liveliness of a market overflowing with various ingredients and leads to the tragic records of Gorée Island, where traces of the slave trade remain.

Unusual Scenery of Dakar Market, 'Smiling Fish' Resembling Yang Se-chan Catch the Eye

The market in Dakar is a place where diverse ingredients, such as various fish of all sizes, large shrimp, fruits, and vegetables, gather. In particular, the 'smiling fish', which is considered an iconic item of the market, catches the attention of visitors. This fish, with a mouth shape that looks like it is smiling like a human, has such a unique appearance that it led to comments among the cast members that it reminds them of comedian Yang Se-chan. The appearance of the fish, which has a shape similar to human teeth, adds unusual fun amidst the vitality of the market.

In the process of experiencing the local taste, the authentic Senegalese food 'Thieboudienne' was introduced. Thieboudienne, which means 'fish rice' in the local language, is a dish where rice and fish are cooked together, characterized by a spicy taste. This reddish dish is a main meal for locals, showing a composition familiar to Korean palates with the harmony of the texture of rice and fish.

Gorée Island Resembling Europe, the Cruel History of the Slave Trade Hidden Within

Gorée Island, located on the coast of Dakar, boasts beautiful scenery that is reminiscent of Mudo Island in Italy. However, contrary to its splendid appearance, this island holds a terrible history as a former center of the slave trade. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978, this place was a location where slaves were once housed and managed.

Upon entering the island, a statue symbolizing the pain of the slave trade greets visitors. This statue, in the form of a man and a woman embracing each other, implies the suffering that slaves had to endure in the past. In particular, 'House of Slaves', built in the 18th century, was used as the last slave housing facility and currently operates as a museum, testifying to the atrocities of that time.

Inside the museum, the iron chains that restrained the bodies of slaves and the narrow cell facilities are preserved as they were. The records of low-ceilinged cells where one could not even stand properly, and the fact that 20 people were confined in a narrow space of only 2.6m, clearly show the inhuman treatment of that time. In particular, the window structure, where one cannot see outside from the inside and cannot see inside from the outside, takes a similar form to Sadaemun Prison in South Korea, conveying the terror of an era when human rights were annihilated.

The most heartbreaking point is the 'Door of No Return' located at the end of the housing facility. This name was given because the slaves who passed through here and were loaded onto ships were dragged to the American continent and could never return to their hometowns. The anecdote that Nelson Mandela personally entered this small cell to experience the pain of the victims, and the fact that former President Barack Obama revealed that he felt pain while looking at the sea in front of this door in 2013, suggests that this place is more than just a tourist attraction, but a historical sanctuary that humanity must not forget.

Source: JTBC Entertainment (YouTube)