Paper short abstract:

Geba is currently a small village in central Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. Until about one hundred and twenty years ago it used to be one of the most important trading posts in the region. Geba’s origins can be traced back to the mid seventeenth century when it was founded by the Portuguese. It soon became an economic, political, and cultural vibrant hot spot where Africans, Cape Verdeans, and Europeans met before it fell into political, economic and demographic insignificance in the late nineteenth century. Despite this, oral narratives are used by Geba’s population to construct a local identity on these historical grounds, partially also crossing ethnic and religious boundaries that prevail in the village. The malleability and flexibility of such narratives allow both Christians and Muslims to emphasize different aspects of history, underlining their respective ancestors’ significance for Geba’s former importance. Various lieux de mémoire (Pierre Nora) – such as buildings, sacred places etc. – serve to construct and to “remember” history, creating historical-mystical spaces that reflect the past. These creative productions help to cope with daily challenges in a country that is characterized by severe political, economic, and social problems.

Paper long abstract:

Geba is currently a small village in central Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. Until about one hundred and twenty years ago it used to be one of the most important trading posts in the region. Geba's origins can be traced back to the mid seventeenth century when it was founded by the Portuguese. It soon became an economic, political, and cultural vibrant hot spot where Africans, Cape Verdeans, and Europeans met before it fell into political, economic and demographic insignificance in the late nineteenth century.

Despite this, oral narratives are used by Geba's population to construct a local identity on these historical grounds, partially also crossing ethnic and religious boundaries that prevail in the village. The malleability and flexibility of such narratives allow both Christians and Muslims to emphasize different aspects of history, underlining their respective ancestors' significance for Geba's former importance. Various lieux de mémoire (Pierre Nora) - such as buildings, sacred places etc. - serve to construct and to "remember" history, creating historical-mystical spaces that reflect the past. These creative productions help to cope with daily challenges in a country that is characterized by severe political, economic, and social problems.