Bafatá, located in central Guinea-Bissau, is the country’s second largest city and the capital of its region. Located approximately 150 km east of Bissau, it is a rich cultural crossroads, home to the Fulani and Mandinka ethnic groups, and is considered the ‘beating heart of the East’. Its authentic atmosphere is complemented by industrial activity, particularly brick manufacturing. Above all, Bafatá is of major historical importance: it is the birthplace of Amilcar Cabral, an iconic figure in the independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde. The city, which had a population of 22,521 in 2005, is also known for its strategic position on the Geba River.
About 150 km east of Bissau, Bafatá, the country’s second largest city, is the beating heart and cultural crossroads of eastern Guinea-Bissau. Crossed by the Geba River, which is navigable as far as the city, the region is famous for its vast rice fields (‘bolanhas’) and cashew nut production. Bafatá is a major commercial hub, centred on its market, a place of meeting and exchange, mainly for the Fulani and Mandinka ethnic groups, enriching its mixed identity.
The central market is a must-see. It is bustling from morning to night, with artisans working as if on a living stage where culture is shared with warmth and simplicity. As for celebrations, there is the carnival, which brings life to the streets with bright costumes, traditional dancing, drums, songs and stories that reveal the deeply mixed soul of Guinea-Bissau.
Boubacar Ba, Political analyst
Beyond its commercial role, Bafatá is a region where tradition is lived intensely, as during its famous Carnival. The region also preserves its spectacular natural beauty, notably with the Saltinho/Cussilintra Rapids on the Corubal River. These rapids offer a striking natural spectacle, forming pools and waterfalls, an ideal place for a break away from the hustle and bustle of city life, hence the need to promote this cultural and historical wealth.
Today, there is a policy in place to try to preserve the memory of Guinea-Bissau through the various sites it promotes. I think Guinea-Bissau deserves to be promoted, to be talked about more, its culture and its historical past, rather than the stories we hear today about coups and drug trafficking.
Boubacar Ba, Political analyst
Bafatá is the birthplace of Amilcar Cabral, a key figure in the independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde. Amilcar Cabral’s birthplace, although its museum is minimal, is a point of historical interest. Bafatá, with its traditional thatched-roof houses alongside urban architecture, is a living testimony to the history and identity of Guinea-Bissau, far from the clichés, where rural life blends harmoniously with the hustle and bustle of commerce.
