Cape Coast

In 1957 Ghana became the first black African nation to gain independence from British colonial rule. Today, Ghana is the leading developed country in West Africa. Everywhere you look, you will see evidence of the colorful and hospitable Ghanaian culture. Yet, years ago, the Ghanaian people were not so free. In the 1600s, the British built castles and forts signifying the beginning of many years of gold searching and slave trade. The history of this place, Cape Coast, is painful and horrid at best. Today, it's hard to imagine that over 20 million African's died in this place as a result of slave trade. Cape Coast was the main site of slave export to the Americas, Caribbean, and Europe. Below: British Castle



Below: This was the site out of my hotel window. Today, this area is a bustling fishing village.



This is the view from the courtyard of the British castle. For being built in the 1600s, the architecture of this place was beautiful and grand indeed.

This was one of the 3 major dungeons. They consisted of the: male, female and condemned dungeons. Each door led down to multiple huge holding rooms where the slaves were kept until sent out to the ships.

Here our guide is sharing with us about the gruesome treatment these slaves endured. As I walked down these corridors, the Civil War took on a new light in my mind. I had never before imagined what these people had endured before coming to the states. The British soldiers raped the women and then demanded that the sons bear their own names. "a son of William" became Williamson, the last name of the boy when he was sent over to the Americas.

Dad- for some reason, I think you will chuckle at this picture. :)

The picture above is of the "door of no return". From the holding dungeons, the slaves were then forced through a long tunnel out to this door. The tunnel was filled with sharp glass and pottery that made it very difficult to pass through. Many of the men and women were too weak to make it through this tunnel. For the ones that could not make it, they were taken to the dungeon of the condemned where they met their deaths. For those who were successful, they walked through the "door of no return" to meet an unknown fate on the other side of the Atlantic.

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The picture below depicts two of my explorer buddies: Karl (my Australian mate that will be going back home this week) and Ben Cubbage, (my American buddy from Silver Spring, Maryland).

Ben was a guide along the Appalachian trail during the last two years. On Mercy Ships, he is working with local prisoners doing agriculture training. This ministry trains these men and women to raise rabbits, to do bee keeping and gardening. These are very culturally applicable and will give these individuals a trade to practice after they serve their prison terms.

These are some of the shackles saved from the era of slave trade.

Overlooking the castle wall out to the Atlantic.

This is now the sight you see when you step through the "door of no return" :)

My dear Aussie buddy here: Kat.

As you can see, my flip flop died... may it rest in peace. After many attempts of resuscitation, I gave up and did some local Ghanaian shoe shopping. My new "friend" and I bartered back and forth till finally I was able to buy some new fashionable local wear for a fair price. :)

On our way home, we were able to do a canopy walk! Suspended over 40 meters high in this jungle was a suspended rope bridge. It took over 3o minutes to get through the whole thing. It was so much fun- probably the closest experience I will ever have to swinging from tree top to tree top ;)

A great weekend of learning and reflection and fun.

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It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galations 5:1