The Signares — queens of colonial trade

18th c.–19th century · Gorée / Saint-Louis

In the 18th and 19th centuries, in Gorée and Saint-Louis, women of mixed African and European descent played a remarkable role in the commercial and social life of these towns. They were called the signares. Thanks to their position between two cultures, they ran great households, organised trade and built their own authority. Their history illuminates a complex facet of colonial life.

Sources

• Persée — Marie-Hélène Knight-Baylac, « Gorée au XVIIIe siècle : l'appropriation du sol » (Outre-Mers, 1977)
• APHG — Les signares ont une histoire (Guillaume Vial)

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