Day 5: Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle Brings Life Lessons
- Alt-Break Ghana
- Mar 14, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 25, 2023
Elmina Castle
Photo Credit: Johneé Wilson
Thoughts from Abigail:
Today we woke up early to eat breakfast at Yiri lodge before leaving at 7am to drive to Cape Coast. After about three hours we arrived at the Cape Coast Castle where we had a tour and learned about the history of the castle’s ownership and how it was used as a slave trading post. It was a somber and emotional moment for many of us as we stood in the dungeons that were used to warehouse hundreds of enslaved africans for weeks at a time. After concluding our tour we had lunch on campus at University of Cape Coast before driving to Elmina Castle where we had another tour. This castle is the oldest and largest standing castle in Subsaharan Africa. It was originally built as a trading post for merchandise such as ivory and gold but the storerooms were eventually converted into dungeons to hold enslaved africans before shipping them off across the sea. Today’s site visits were emotional and challenging but the students brought reverent and respectful attitudes and left with greater knowledge of the history of the slave trade in this region. We drove the three hours back to the University of Ghana where we ate dinner all together at the Campus Hub before returning to Yiri lodge for the night. It was a long and tiring learning day but we are looking forward to our next activity tomorrow.
Photo by Abigail McDonough
Photo by Abigail McDonough
Thoughts from Michaela:
Today was definitely a challenge, but I believe it was an important one. We traveled to Cape Coast in a long haul drive and I don't think any of us were truly ready for what we would experience, I know I wasn't. The history of the Atlantic Slave Trade is taught to us from a young age with increasing details and analysis as we age, but what we saw today can't be taught, it can only be experienced. I didn't know what the day to day looked like in these castles, and actually seeing it for myself added depth to this tragedy. I was devastated seeing the physical impact that enslaved people had on the castle itself as they struggled and fought for their freedom, or just to survive another day. But the most significant part of the day for me was listening to my peers talk about their thoughts and experiences from the day and how it connects to their lives as a whole. It was intense, but necessary. I learned so much from my peers alone, and I am grateful to share this experience with them.
Photo Credit: Michaela Aptt
What an important but daunting experience as Abigail wrote. I’m thankful you had each other for support. Thank you for sharing. I look forward to hearing more about this emotional day from my daughter, Hannah. 💕
Note to my Daughter Nya UJOMA, whose name was inspired by the seven principles of Kwanzaa, I am so proud and delighted that you were able to step foot back on ancestral Land and have such an meaningful experience in such an important place as Elmina, I love you very much, and to all of your classmates “SANKOFA”, which is an old African proverb that means, go back and fitch what you have forgotten✨✌🏾✨Peace be upon you all🦋
The energy of that place must have been extremely daunting how brave you all were to venture inside where so many tormented souls at once past, i’m sure the infamous door of no return was particularly emotionally draining, I wonder if an experience such as the one you guys had would change the hearts and minds of those who oppose the idea of reparations for the generations of damage such an institution as slavery has caused a People, thank you all for your bravery and sharing this with us✨🙏🏽✨