▁ 1 8 8 6 . ▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁French , ▁Z igu in chor ▁became ▁a ▁major ▁trade ▁port , ▁mostly ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁int ensive ▁ground nut ▁cultiv ation ▁the ▁colonial ▁government ▁encourag ed ▁in ▁the ▁interior . ▁By ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁the ▁area ▁was ▁largely ▁converted ▁to ▁Christian ity , ▁although ▁significant ▁Syn cret ist ▁and ▁Muslim ▁communities ▁fl our ish . ▁ ▁R ice ▁growing , ▁the ▁traditional ▁c rop ▁of ▁the ▁region , ▁was ▁hurt ▁by ▁the ▁push ▁to ▁cultiv ate ▁ground n uts , ▁and ▁extensive ▁forest ▁areas ▁were ▁cleared . ▁ ▁The ▁French ▁government ▁also ▁imported ▁rice ▁across ▁West ▁Africa ▁from ▁the ▁int ensive ▁far ming ▁they ▁encourag ed ▁in ▁French ▁Ind och ina , ▁shr inking ▁the ▁market ▁for ▁Cas am ance ' s ▁main ▁produce . ▁ ▁After ▁independence , ▁the ▁city ▁saw ▁its ▁economic ▁growth ▁slow , ▁in ▁part ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁Independ ence ▁in ▁neighbor ing ▁Guinea - B iss au . ▁ ▁Portuguese ▁military ▁crossed ▁into ▁the ▁area ▁at ▁least ▁once , ▁purs uing ▁PA IG ▁reb els , ▁and ▁can non ▁fire ▁could ▁be ▁heard ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁for ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁During ▁this ▁period ▁Z igu in chor ▁became ▁a ▁main ▁post ▁for ▁both ▁the ▁Sen eg al ese ▁Army ▁and ▁French ▁forces , ▁guard ing ▁the ▁front ier ; ▁a ▁front ier ▁which ▁cut ▁in ▁two ▁Di ola ▁families ▁and ▁communities . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁Cas am ance ,