GUINEAN DAYDREAM

I had daydreamed of Guinea for a while. My desire to explore the country was born while reading “the King of Kahel”, a novel written by the Guinean novelist Thierno Monemembo. The novel won the French Renaudot Prize in 2008. It depicts the intriguing but true quest during the second half of the 19th century by a French explorer, Aimé Olivier de Sanderval, of Kahel, a small kingdom located in the theocratic Fulani lands of Fouta-Djallon, West Africa. Aimé Olivier de Sanderval is also known for his alleged contribution to the building of country’s capital, Conakry.

Breathtaking landscapes, ranging from exuberant vegetation to impressive highlands

In a quirky and funny way, the novel emphasizes crossed glances between on one hand, the French explorer, and on the other, Fulani proud people. While the French eccentric explorer is convinced to bring with him European progress, his Fulani hosts view him as an unsophisticated boor. The novel describes also breathtaking landscapes, ranging from an exuberant vegetation to impressive highlands.

The annexation by France of Fouta-Djallon and adjacent regions gave birth to Guinea under French colonial administration. Eventually, the country won peacefully its independence, following a referendum organized by France in 1958. Then, Sekou Touré, as the independence leader and first president of the Guinean Republic, said famously: “Guinea prefers poverty in freedom than riches in slavery“.

A mosaic of ethnicity and ecosystems

The construction of the country resulted in a mosaic of ethnicity and ecosystems. The actual or assumed affiliation with a specific ethnic group or a religion is complex as demonstrated by widespread mixed marriages.

After decades of autocratic rule, the West African country has constantly faced multiple challenges in consolidating democracy and ensuring political stability. It is regularly engulfed in tensions. Elections are often marked by violent protests and the use of excessive force by the security forces.

Guinea has been continuously facing ethnopolitical polarization.

The “West Africa’s water tower” but one of the poorest population in the world

Often described as the “West Africa’s water tower”, the country enjoys immense mineral reserves. It is the world’s 2nd largest exporter of bauxite.

Nevertheless, its population is also one of the poorest in the world.

Its rich variety of flora and fauna is also endangered by increasing environmental degradation.

From 2014 to 2016, an unprecedented Ebola epidemic hit Guinea with adverse sanitary, political, social and security effects. According to some research, due to increasing chances of interaction between animals and human, the continuous crumbling of forest in this country hugely contributed to the spread of the virus from animals to humans in the region.   

Despite its recurrent political instability, the country remains a continuous source of inspiration, delight and daydream

But beyond recurrent instability and harsh reality, for one who is willing to explore the country, to spend a couple of weeks or even of years traveling across the four natural regions, Guinea remains a continuous source of inspiration and delight.

When I explored Fouta Djalon lands with Hassan Bah, a very mischievous and warm local guide, the magic beauty of the “King of Kahel” came back to me acutely.

I could not ignore this majestic Guinea plum tree (also called “kouratier”) overlooking the terrace of my hotel in Dalaba under a moonlit sky.

As explained by Diallo Boubacar, “The kouratier is a tree with multiple virtues which gives its fruits to eat, its shade, dead wood, traditional medicines and, also, fairy tales“. (Tales of the bush, the forest, the savannah and the mountain).

Whether Kambadaga waterfalls or Doucki cliffs in Fouta-Djallon highlands, Middle-region, salt marshes sported with palm trees or a road haulier crossing a river by a ferry in Boffa area, Lower-region, an ancient mango trees bordering a path in former British Loos Islands or Boulbinet traditional fishing port at the sunset in Conakry area, the primary forest in Forest region, left me breathless.

Traveling across Guinea is primarily meeting with admirable ordinary people

But traveling across Guinea is primarily a meeting with ordinary but resilient and touching people:

– a mother breastfeeding her son with the support of her elderly relative in a Baga traditional village, Boffa vicinity, Lower-Region,

– a couple of lovers gazing out at the sunset on a beach in Conakry,

– a young lady coming back from the market with a baby on her back in Kankan, Upper-Region,

– people walking back home quietly at the sunset in Zérékoré, Forest Guinea, half undressed Baga Guinean women resting elegantly after their bath in Lower-Region,

– a Muslim family getting ready to a baby naming ceremony in Macenta, Forest Region,

– this Fulani little girl carrying a wooden board marked with written verses from the Quran, Fouta-Djallon, Middle-Guinea,

– and many others.