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Switzerland
of Africa: Part Two
Gateway
to the Fouta Djalon
by
Muguette
Goufrani
 The
second important leg of my journey inside
Guinea followed a stretch of highway
heading north, between the towns of Kindia
and Mamou, which is known as the "Gateway
to the Fouta Djalon." When night falls,
Mamou becomes one of the country's
liveliest towns, and an ideal place for
delicious street food. We sampled a
variety of items, from barbecue to Guinean
style couscous. I was impressed by the
festive atmosphere. These proud, assertive
people, walked the streets decked in their
bright flowing robes, as if to say "Guinea
is subject to no sovereign power." While
Guineans represent a combination of the
Muslim, Christian and Animist faiths, they
have learned to live together in harmony -
an example for the entire world. For
example, how many are really aware that
West Africa was thriving with well
established empires and trade routes long
before the first Europeans
came?
 Mamou's
Typically Guinean Marketplace: The
merchants and artisans in their stalls and
various places of business struck me as
being confident and strong minded, yet
gentle in nature. These are ideal
qualities for business success anywhere,
but especially in Guinea. In the busy
open-air public market and many roadside
stands, women traders stood behind large
trays of merchandise, looking elegant in
their bright robes and always anxious to
please. Even the small children approached
us with trays of delicacies, sweets or
fruits balanced on their heads. The
vibrancy of town life, plus contact with
the outside world and external trade, has
stimulated Guinea to reach a higher
standard of civilization than Africa's
more isolated people. Shopping for
clothing is a real delight. See the wide
variety of attractive West African robes
in our
photo
section.
Most households in the area have a
selection of indigo plants and the locals
dye their own clothing, often with
interesting patterns. It is an imposing
sight, dozens of shop women, each with her
selection of palm-oil, soaps, fabrics or
yogurt in front of her. Many of these
people work at farms in the countryside,
so there is a vast system of petty trade.
These people have trade in their blood,
and bargaining is a favorite sport- an
ideal opportunity to fine tune their
skills.
Note to
Readers: We checked Webtrends
and Gunea is attracting more readers than
any other section on this site, which
scores thousands of pages read weekly.
Dalaba, a
Mountain Retreat: Taking the main route
north, Dalaba was our overnight stop. A
key tourism site since the Colonial
period, the Dalaba Mountain Resort was a
major therapeutic center, thanks to its
fresh air at 100Om altitude and gently
rolling hills. Set amongst lush vegetation
in the Foutana highlands, it is a charming
town, with an average temperature of 10
degrees c. Guinea's President and the
First lady, holiday here often, however
when they are not visiting, tourists can
stay in the rooms used by his entourages
and enjoy fantasies of grandeur. In the
commercial area of Dalaba, I spent some
quality time chatting with, and learning
about local customs from a talented group
of artisans. We visited the co-op
shoemaker shop (see
photo
section),
where they make a wide variety of colorful
sandals, plus intricate leather work and
other crafts made from indigenous
materials.
 Le
Jardin Chevalier: At the park like setting
of Jardin Chevalier, we saw splendid
examples of horticulture, with its
selection of trees and shrubs from around
the world. Guineans are excellent
gardeners. Lawns are carefully nourished,
irrigated, and terraced to slope down to
the lagoon. Sitting in a lawn chair that
evening, with the sunset reflecting in the
water and shining through a fringe of
oil-palms and slender coconut palms, I
could catch the vanishing glamour of the
tropics. My night was a fantasy of
pleasant dreams
On solid ground:
During this journey and my entire three
weeks in Guinea, I got the distinct
feeling from many people I spoke to at
length, that the country is in capable
hands. This feeling of confidence, energy
and enterprise was illustrated last spring
by the solid support our magazine received
from the nation's business community. Our
website has just added a Business
Directory
Section
that will connect the reader with Guinea's
business leaders, and there's much more to
come. Encouraged by this support, we plan
to reprint the current edition - to keep
up with the demand. As the first travel
guide in our new Africa Travel Library
series, it will be a valuable marketing
tool to sell Guinea Trade and Tourism
worldwide. One section will cover Guinea's
"Slave Road" a joint project of UNESCO and
OMT,
If you are
interested in a tour covering the same
route, contact Dunia
Voyages
of Conakry, who have a page on this web
site.
 Footnotes:
• The photo
(left) is of an attractive young lady from
Guinea's Peuhl clan. She is wearing the
distinctive hairdo and head dress.
Migrating from ancient Egypt the Fulani or
"Peulh " are said by some to be of Jewish
origin, some having light complexions,
with Caucasian features.
The Republic of
Guinea is located along 300 km of the
Atlantic Ocean in West Africa. Thanks to
its abundant natural resource base, there
are business and investment opportunities
in all sectors of the economy
Guinea is a
country that has shaped history while
conserving its distinctions. Intersection
of civilizations of the African Middle
Ages, the country was the center of birth,
the extension, and the successions of the
grand West African empires. Guinea, always
protective of its liberty, was the last to
be colonized in West Africa and the first
to recuperate its independence.
• Guinea's
major ethnic group the Malinke also reside
in parts of Mali, Cote d'Ivoire and
Senegal, and at an earlier time ruled one
West Africa's great empires. Malinke are
also known to have originated the best
kora musicians in West Africa. The kora is
a unique and popular musical instrument in
the area. For details on the amazing kora-
visit this informative
website:
http://www.coraconnection.com/
Continued
on next
page->
About
Muguette Goufrani
Muguette's
background as an airline agent, tour guide
and travel agency professional has been
the key to her media success, resulting in
an ATA Travel Industry Founders Award in
Cape Town, South Africa. As a "career
globetrotter," Muguette's articles for
Africa Travel Magazine have an authentic,
multicultural flavor, thanks to
painstaking research and the confidence of
having lived the experience (walked the
walk). Her
career positions have included Royal Air
Maroc, AOL
Airlines,
Air Afrique, Matson Lines, Palm Springs
Resorts, Club Med, Tahiti Tours and Noumea
Tours. Upon graduating from College du
Paris, she launched her career in
Casablanca,
Morocco, where the Goufrani family has
operated a tour company for
generation
Continued,
Photo
Credits: Muguette Goufrani / Robert Eilets
/ Guinea Ministry of Tourism
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