An exploratory study of the Jola Ethnic culture and tourism promotion in the Gambia
Published online: 23 Dec 2025
Abstract
Purpose – This study aims to analyse the Jola tribe by examining its cultural dimensions, way of life, and key socio-cultural characteristics that shape communal associations, as well as to explore its potential within cultural tourism development.
Design/Methodology/Approach – This research adopts a descriptive approach, drawing on conceptual definitions and cultural analysis to examine the fundamental elements that define the lifestyle and social organization of the Jola people.
Findings – The findings reveal that the Jola ethnic group possesses a rich and distinctive cultural heritage, reflected in core lifestyle components such as the FUTAMPAF initiation ritual, traditional food and beverages, and unique entertainment practices. These elements play a significant role in sustaining communal identity and offer strong potential as cultural tourism assets for both local and international engagement.
Originality/Value – This study contributes to the discourse on cultural tourism by highlighting the underexplored heritage of the Jola tribe and emphasizing its value as a cultural resource that can support tourism promotion and marketing in the contemporary tourism and hospitality industry.
Keywords:
Tourism
Tradition
Culture
Jola ethnic
References
Ballagamba, A. 2002. Portrait of a Chief between Past and Present: Memory at Work in Colonial and Postcolonial Gambia. PoLAR, 25, 21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/pol.2002.25.2.21
Beyers, J. 2017. Religion and culture: Revisiting a close relative. HTS: Theological Studies, 73, 1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v73i1.3864
Cabral, A. (2023). National Liberation and Culture 1, Postcolonlsm: Routledge.
Juffermans, K. and Mcglynn, C. 2009. A sociolinguistic profile of The Gambia. Sociolinguistic Studies, 3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1558/sols.v3i3.329
Linares, O. F. 1992. Power, prayer and production: the Jola of Casamance, Senegal. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511557644
Linares, O. F. 2003. Going to the city… and coming back? Turnaround migration among the Jola of Senegal. Africa, 73, 113-132. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3366/afr.2003.73.1.113
Mirfenderesky, J. 2002. Culture Is What People Do Not What They Should Do. Fortnight, 22-24.
Nnaocha, C. I. 2013. Gender and power interrelationship: A review of the Jola indigenous socio-political organization of The Gambia. African Journal of History and Culture, 5, 178-185.
Reynolds, K. 2015. Gambian Women and Their Struggle for Voice.
Sanneh, A. B. 2017. Culture, Religion, & Democracy in The Gambia: Perspectives from Before and After the 2016 Gambian Presidential Election. Juniata Voices, 17, 124-136.
Sarr, A. 2014. Land, Power, And Dependency along the Gambia River, Late Eighteenth to Early Nineteenth Centuries. African Studies Review, 57, 101-121. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/asr.2014.94
Sarr, A. 2017. Gender, Spirituality, and Economic Change in Rural Gambia: Agricultural Production in the Lower Gambia Region, c. 1830s–1940s. African Economic History, 45, 1-26. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/aeh.2017.0004
Williams, R. 1976. Developments in the Sociology of Culture. Sociology, 10, 497-506. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/003803857601000306
License
Copyright (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Borneo Novelty Publishing
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Permission is granted subject to the terms of the License under which the work was published. Permission will be required if your reuse is not covered by the terms of the License.
How to Cite
Ambali, M. K., & Sock, A. . (2025). An exploratory study of the Jola Ethnic culture and tourism promotion in the Gambia. Journal of Rural Tourism , 2(2), 198-204. https://doi.org/10.70310/jrt.2025.04021274
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
