Jufureh

Jufureh (also spelled Juffureh or Juffure) is a town in the Gambia, 30 kilometres inland on the north bank of the River Gambia in the North Bank Division near Kunta Kinteh Island. The town is home to a museum and Fort Jillifree.

Jufureh
The Albreda-Juffure Archway
Jufureh Location in the Gambia
Coordinates: 13°20′19″N 16°22′57″W
Country	The Gambia
Division	North Bank Division
District	Upper Niumi
Elevation	82 ft (25 m)
Population
• Ethnicities	Mandinka
• Religions	Islam

Jufureh is known for its appearance in Alex Haley's 1976 novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family, as the birthplace of Haley's ancestor Kunta Kinte.^[1] After the publication of Roots, Jufureh became a significant tourist destination. This led to economic benefits for the town, including the construction of an elementary school, a new market aimed at tourists, and improved roads.^[2]

History

In 1651 a small plot of land from the village was leased by Jacob Kettler, the Duke of Courland, from the king of Kombo, as part of the Couronian colonization of Africa.^[3]

Jufureh was a part of the Kingdom of Niumi and by the 18th century the town had become an important centre of the Atlantic slave trade.^[4] The Tall family of Jufureh traditionally held the position of falifo in the kingdom, and were responsible for collecting customs revenue from passing traders and adjudicating disputes.^[5]

The town took part in the Marabout revolt launched in the 1860s against the Niumi king Buntung Jamme and as a result the town was razed by the royal forces.^{[citation needed]}

Demographically, the predominant religion in the village is Islam. In 1999, a mosque and school, the Alex Haley Mosque and School Complex, was opened in Jufureh, where Haley traced back his ancestry through genealogical research.^[6]