Unesco identifies this heritage site of Senegal at Island of Gorée that, ‘testifies to an unprecedented human experience in the history of humanity. Indeed, for the universal conscience, this “memory island” is the symbol of the slave trade with its cortege of suffering, tears and death…..Today it continues to serve as a reminder of human exploitation and as a sanctuary for reconciliation’.

Its geographical situation between the North and the South provides an excellent space for mariners for anchoring, their ships.

Goree derives its origin from ancient Goury country which was at the centre of many epic stories; Ptolemy calls its inhabitants as Gouriane in the region of the Margiane.  Its other name was Syriana and some ancient texts also know it as Surasena or Suratha country. Its river was called Margos and Antiokheia was its other name. Name Dakar identifies it with Daskhina or the ‘South’;

Goree was known to Alexander’s historians in this name of Gorys or Gorydale. Senegal’s Goree identity defines its etymology in a different manner; Salanga was Alexander’s capital at the foot of the Mt Imaos; but here Senegal identifies its Gothic origin in two names: Senani and Gal; Senani is a title for a shepherd clan where Gal stands for ‘garh’ or a place; anciently its name was Gokula which links it with Mathura and the story of Gopis. Indian puranas mention Gauri kshetra and Gaurikunda in Kedar-Ganga region and held it as a sacred place where Bhgirathi performed his austerities. Greeks knew it as Gouraeus or Gouraios.