Farim
Encyclopedia
Farim is a town of northern Guinea-Bissau
. It sits on the north bank of the Farim/Cacheu River
, about 135 miles up the river from Cacheu
. Population 6,405 (2008 est).
to move to where they would be less vulnerable to attack by African tribes. The name derived from farim, the title of the local Mandinka people
's ruler. For their part, the Mandinkas and Soninke called the settlement Tubabodaga ("village of the whites"). It was well-situated as a port, since the river was continuously navigable by sailing vessels from Cacheu.
It became a presídio
(garrisoned place) though an order dated 10 November 1696, in reaction to an anticipated attack from nearby Canico. The area remained generally peaceful, and the defenses gradually deteriorated. It was a base for operations against Oio in 1897 and 1902. Farim started to grow in earnest in the 1910s, with over twenty trading firms based there, and became a vila
(town) in 1918.
Farim had become a centro comercial by 1925, and experienced an influx of Lebanese
and Syria
n merchants, dealing in peanut
s and timber
. Its economy was hit hard by the independence struggle in the 1960s and 1970s.
Guinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
. It sits on the north bank of the Farim/Cacheu River
Farim River
The Farim is a river of Guinea-Bissau also known as the Cacheu along its lower length. Its total length is about 257 km.Its headwaters are near the northern border of the country, north of Contobeul and close to a bend of the Geba River...
, about 135 miles up the river from Cacheu
Cacheu
Cacheu is a town in north western Guinea-Bissau, lying on the Cacheu River. Population 9,849 .-History and landmarks:The town of Cacheu is situated in territory of the Papel people....
. Population 6,405 (2008 est).
History
Farim was founded about 1641 by the Captain-Major of Cacheu, who recruited lançados from GebaGeba
Geba - the hill, , a Levitical city of Benjamin on the north border of Judah adjacent to Ramah in Benjamin north of Gibeah. It has been identified with Jeb'a, about 5½ miles north of Jerusalem...
to move to where they would be less vulnerable to attack by African tribes. The name derived from farim, the title of the local Mandinka people
Mandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
's ruler. For their part, the Mandinkas and Soninke called the settlement Tubabodaga ("village of the whites"). It was well-situated as a port, since the river was continuously navigable by sailing vessels from Cacheu.
It became a presídio
Presidio
A presidio is a fortified base established by the Spanish in North America between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. The fortresses were built to protect against pirates, hostile native Americans and enemy colonists. Other presidios were held by Spain in the sixteenth and seventeenth...
(garrisoned place) though an order dated 10 November 1696, in reaction to an anticipated attack from nearby Canico. The area remained generally peaceful, and the defenses gradually deteriorated. It was a base for operations against Oio in 1897 and 1902. Farim started to grow in earnest in the 1910s, with over twenty trading firms based there, and became a vila
Vila
Vila is a site at the southern end of Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands, originally the location of the Vila Stanmore coconut plantation....
(town) in 1918.
Farim had become a centro comercial by 1925, and experienced an influx of Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n merchants, dealing in peanut
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
s and timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
. Its economy was hit hard by the independence struggle in the 1960s and 1970s.