Farim Explained

Official Name:Farim
Pushpin Map:Guinea-Bissau
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Guinea-Bissau
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Guinea-Bissau
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Oio Region
Subdivision Type2:District
Established Title:Founded
Established Date:1641
Population As Of:2009
Population Total:8661
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Blank1 Title:Ethnicities
Population Blank2 Title:Religions
Coordinates:12.4839°N -15.2217°W
Elevation M:2

Farim is a town of northern Guinea-Bissau. It sits on the north bank of the Farim/Cacheu River, about 215 km (135 miles) up the river from Cacheu. Population 8,661 (2009 census).[1]

History

Farim was founded about 1641 by the Captain-Major of Cacheu, who recruited lançados from Geba 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. However, control of the surrounding region remained in the hands of the Buramo kings, and Portuguese control was limited to the fortress. In the late 17th century, the Buramo King of Farim held significant control over the Cacheu River, with the exception of several islands at the mouth of the river, ruled by independent principalities.[2]

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 Syrian merchants, dealing in peanuts and timber. Its economy was hit hard by the independence struggle in the 1960s and 1970s.

Sports

There are several sports clubs (notably football and athletics) in Farim and area, including SC Farim.

Named after

A crater on Mars is named after the town.[3]

References

Sources

Notes and References

  1. http://www.stat-guinebissau.com/publicacao/RGPH_2009.pdf População por região, sector e localidades por sexo censo 2009
  2. Crowley . Eve Lakshmi . 1990 . Contracts with the spirits: Religion, asylum, and ethnic identity in the Cacheu Region of Guinea-Bissau .
  3. Web site: Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature Farim on Mars. usgs.gov. International Astronomical Union. 2018-01-10.