Elmina and Cape Coast: Part I

Since this experience was so special to me I’ve decided to describe it in two different posts. I want take my time to inform my readers about everything that went on during the tours and give my own reflection. This blog is not only for me, but all those who are experiencing Ghana through me.

This past weekend was one of the best experiences of my life. I had the opportunity to travel to the Central region, which is the home of Cape Coast, the former capital of Ghana. It is a beautiful region and the scenery along the coast of the Atlantic is amazing. On Saturday, October 27^th I visited Elmina and Cape Coast Castles. For those who don’t know, Elmina Castle was the first European slave-trading post in all of sub-saharan Africa. The Portuguese originally built it in 1482 as a trading post for gold and other commodities, but it later grew to include human capital. The slave capacity was 1,000, 6oo men and 400 women. Today it is 530 years old.

Cape Coast Castle is the youngest of the slave castles in Ghana. The Swedes built the Castle in 1665 in the midst of the slave trade. Its slave capacity was higher than that of Elmina at 1,300: 1,000 men and 300 women for 2 or 3 months at a time. The interesting thing about Cape Coast Castle is that President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama toured the castle in 2009. There is a plaque on the wall of the castle acknowledging their presence on that day in history. Today it is 347 years old. Both castles are designated as a World Heritage Monuments under UNESCO.

Each tour told similar stories about how slaves were brought from all over Africa to be bought and sold. They were shackled, branded, and thrown into the small dungeons that housed 200-1000 people at a time, with little or no light from the outside world. They were left to toil under horrible conditions in their own waste and only given enough food to survive. Any slaves who tried to rebel against the Europeans, those we like to call “Freedom Fighters”, were thrown into a small cell and left for dead, with no food, and no water. We saw the Governor’s huge living quarters and learned about how he would have the women set up, and then he would stand and choose one from the group to sexually abuse. We saw the staircase in both castles leading from the dungeons to his place of residence.

Walking in the dungeons of Cape Coast Castle we could easily see how the floor had changed and risen inches above the original level due to all the waste. There were even trenches carved in the floors for some drainage. One dungeon was excavated in 1974 by the University of Ghana is order to reveal the bricks once again. In both castles we experienced the lack of airflow and the horrible stench. We also saw the small squares carved into the walls that were meant to be windows. There were also instances where we were all put into a dungeon or chamber at once with the door closed and no light. Just for that moment I was given a small glimpse of what it was like.

Both tours ended with passage through the “Door of No Return”, the place where each slave would pass onto a ship to journey across the Atlantic known as the Middle Passage. The worst part was that the slaves had no idea where they where headed when called through that door.  Once they crossed the threshold I’m sure they realized that they would never walk through it ever again.

What I loved most about Cape Coast Castle was that on the other side of  The Door Of  No Return there is now a sign labeled The Door Of Return that will forever stand as a symbol of African reemergence. Every member of the black diaspora that was on the trip in my CIEE group decided to share a picture in front of the door to take pride in how far we’ve come. I will leave you with the mission statement that is now carved into the wall of each castle.

*Each photo with the exception of the group photo were taken at Elmina*

“Til Death Do Us Part”

On Sunday, October 14^th , my friend Atsu took George and I to a wedding at his church. Typically when a Ghanaian couple gets married it can be a weekend affair. The couple has the customary or traditional ceremony in which the official marriage takes place, and then they may choose to also have a western style ceremony, which serves as the blessing of the marriage. I attended the latter of the two. I was so excited to go and make comparisons between that and an American style wedding. The ceremony included a lot of prayer and worship in the beginning, multiple offerings, the exchange of vows and then a short moment when the bride a groom danced together. The bride walked down the aisle to a Ghanaian song that wasn’t really slow (idk what it was about because it was in twi), and she walked at a regular walking pace, not step-by-step as brides do in America. She looked beautiful in her gown and her makeup was flawless. The process was interesting and somewhat informal and relaxed. The pastor was also very funny throughout the whole ceremony. When the bride and groom were exchanging vows I was so excited and happy as if I had known them my whole life (I get emotional lol). 

One thing that was different was that the groom kissed the wife on her cheek rather than her lips. Another thing was that the pastor presumed to ask if anyone had any objections to their union even though technically they were already married. After the kiss that sealed their companionship, the pastor gave a short sermon. I was lucky because the sermon was pretty much the only thing said in English besides the vows.

It focused on four ways to help maintain a healthy relationship:

1.     Never try to control your spouse

2.     Remember that your partner should also be your best friend

3.     Change the name of your spouse—Meant to serve as a symbol of your love and connection, like “Sweetie” for example

4.     Be prepared to make sacrifices in your relationship

I enjoyed the sermon and I thought each point was great advice for any couple. This Ghanaian wedding was only the second wedding that I have ever attended, the first being my eldest sister’s. It seemed very pure, and sincere. I think that sometimes people forget how serious a marriage is, as well as the bond that it signifies between a man and a woman. If it’s done it should be done right. In any case, the words “Til death do us part” represent the presence of a strong foundation and the potential to overcome any challenge.

The Bible says. “ Above all clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” –Collossians 3:14

I know every girl dreams of getting married one day and I am thankful to have witnessed such a wonderful occasion in Ghana. 

Giving Back

Today, we were up bright and early to participate in our CIEE community service project. I am so happy about the work that we accomplished today that I couldn’t wait to write this post. Our service was for a great organization, the Future Leaders underprivileged children’s center. It is a center located in Teshie, one of the poorest inner city communities within Accra. Today we revitalized the center by helping to build new classrooms for students with special needs. We also did a lot of sanding and painting to provide a vibrant and welcoming environment for the students.

Upon arrival we were able to meet the founder, BIlla Mamud, and hear all about how Future Leaders began. As a student fresh out of school, Mr. Mamud told us that during the course of his daily travels he would always notice children out and about during times when they should be in school. He discovered that some of the children were orphans and some came from very impoverished families. As a result, he decided to take matters into his own hands. 

In 1998, he began his project with a handful of children that he gathered from the streets and began teaching them under a mango tree. Mr. Mamud would teach them himself, providing them with the basic skills necessary to enter into public school. The children could not afford to attend the schools so Mr. Mamud began private teaching lessons to fund the children’s education. With a lot of hard work and determination, one man’s efforts evolved into the Future Leaders organization that we have today. Mr Mamud reported that he and his center have successfully been able to fund the education of 165 students, some of which have finished college and are very successful today. Aside from providing a safe and loving and environment to the orphans that live at the centre and sending youth to school, the center also provides many adults with assistance. Future Leaders provides vocational skills like sewing and hairstyling, in order to help adults build a business and make money.  I could go on and on about all the great things that the center has done but it would make my post entirely to long.

            

After hearing Mr Mamud’s story I was extremely inspired and ready to work. I was so awed by his perseverance and willingness to help. He taught children under a mango tree for 8 years before the program was even housed under a single roof. He dedicated his time and money finding a way to send so many children to school, not for any recognition or reward, but because it was the right thing to do. In life sometimes we think that one person can’t be a game changer, but this goes to show that sometimes one person is all takes. My entire experience in Ghana has already been life changing, and it’s only been two months. Today I was provided with a new source of motivation as I continue my own personal journey in life, one that hope will allow me to make an impact on the lives of many…. just like Mr. Mamud.

So with all that said, I want to end this post with an interesting quote from Dr. Suess’ The Lorax.

“Unless there’s someone like you that cares an awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not.”

Thanks For Reading :-)