HOT SPOT 

INTRODUCTION

The Kachikally Crocodile Pool is  in the southern section of Bakau Old Town, The Gambia West Africa: The complex also has a museum of ethnography, a mini-forest nature trail, a souvenir shop and a refreshments bar. There is also car parking space just outside the front.

THE POOL

There are more than 100 friendly crocodiles in and around the sacred pool which you can touch with your hands all over their bodies without any aggressive reaction from the crocodile. They are exclusively fed with fish twice a week. This pool is known by Gambians for its healing powers, pray for blessing and also known as a place of resort for infertile woman who wish to conceive.  The site Entrance wall is colorfully painted with Wildlife Scenes. The place has large trees frequented by monkeys, insects and birds.

MUSEUM
The Kachikally Museum is a community run ethnographic museum and is within the Kachikally complex layout. It display a collection of about 1,000 historic artifacts kept in four African round huts, which details the history of the Bakau area and displays cultural objects from many of the ethnic groups of The Gambia. The exhibits are divided into various sections: local crafts, music, agriculture, initiation rites and traditional medicine.

SHORT STORY ABOUT THE POOL

Another variation of the story is that during the 15th/16th centuries the well at the pool used to provide the only source of drinking water for the people of Bakau. One day when two brothers, Tambasi and Jaali, were busy palm wine tapping, a female Jinn (supernatural entity) came to the well with her child tied to her back, carrying a bucket. As the Jinn was pulling water from the well her child fell inside; the woman shouted for help. Once alerted, the two brothers dashed to see what the problem was. As they reached the well, they saw the woman in tears and shouting ’Kachikally', which means in Mandinka 'pick it up and put it down'. Tambasi and Jaali helped by taking the child out of the well. The woman thanked the two brothers and gave a prayer for them. The woman told the brothers that in future the well would become a sacred shrine for prayers and supplication.