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]
Jufureh was a part of the Kingdom of Niumi and by the 18th century the town had become an important center 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]: 298
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]
References
^
Haley, Alex (1976). Roots: The Saga of an American Family (first ed.). New York, New York: Doubleday. p. 1. ISBN0385037872.
^
Wright, Donald (2010). The World and a Very Small Place in Africa: A History of Globalization in Niumi, The Gambia (third ed.). Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe. p. 203. ISBN978-0-7656-2483-3.
^Hughes, Arnold; Perfect, David (2008). Historical Dictionary of The Gambia. Plymouth, United Kingdom: Scarecrow Press. pp. 43–44. ISBN978-0-8108-5825-1.
^Quinn, Charlotte A. (October 1968). "Niumi: A Nineteenth-Century Mandingo Kingdom". Africa: Journal of the International African Institute. 38 (4): 443–455.