Day 3

Hey there,

The past few days have been wonderful and important, and I'll try to cram as much in from day three as I possibly can. We'll see if I have time for day 4 tonight...

On day three, Kwame drove us south to the coast, passing through local villages, over the biggest bridge in Ghana, over Lake Volta, and weaving skillfully in and out of traffic through Accra. There really aren't lanes or speed limits here, when you want to pass someone, you just honk your horn and go around them. Some of the roads aren't quite developed yet, so it was a bumpy and windy drive at times, but we made it safely to Cape Coast. Along the way, Mr. Passah and I talked extensively about Ghananian cultural practices (how chiefs are chosen in villages, how weddings and funerals are held, how the government is structured, how medicine is practiced...if you want to know more about any of those topics, just ask). I'm so lucky to have a guide with me because I have constant questions and he has constant answers. He has been to Raleigh and the U.S. a couple times, so we enjoy comparing our cultures.

As we moved through traffic in Accra, we passed hills with HUGE mansions. Mini castles, really. Apparently, the most wealthy Ghanians live most of the year outside of Ghana doing international business, but they build enormous mansions in Ghana to have if they ever return to visit family or take care of domestic business affairs. It is an unbelievably stark contrast to the rest of the country. The interesting thing about it is that most of these wealthy Ghanians have family members who live in the poor villages, and while they send some money to them, most is kept for their own affairs. Mr. Passah explained that the "each is his brother's keeper" and the extended family network can sometimes become less important once someone travels outside of the country and is exposed to westernized ideals.

We arrived in Cape Coast and checked-in at the Coconut Grove Beach Resort. As I learned from some Canadians today, this is the nicest resort in the country. This place is absolutely gorgeous! I am staying in my own little bungalow that is right off the beach (literally), so I hear the ocean in my room. I walk out of my door to palm trees and crashing waves every morning. Meals are served grass-roof gazebos that sit on the beach. It's absolute paradise. From what I have gathered, this place serves mostly tourists because they charge western rates for rooms and services, and as Kwaku explained, most Ghanaians (except for very wealthy ones) could never stay here. Until I arrived at Cocounut Grove, I had only seen one other white person in the places I've stayed. This place is indeed beautiful, but I must admit that it feels a bit weird staying in such a luxurious resort admist everything else I've seen in this country.

After checking into the hotel, we drove around Cape Coast. It's a colorful and vibrant town, and the streets and buildings have a distinctly European feel to them. This is because the city was occupied by multiple European countries throughout its history. One of the most substantial European "contributions" was the Cape Coast Castle, a powerful and towering whitewashed stone structure that stands on the shore. Its primary use was to export slaves from West Africa to America and the Carribean, and it was the most active slave port in West Africa during the slave trading years. I had been warned in advance that touring this place would be a powerful experience, but I had no idea what I was in for.

I was in a tour led by a Ghanian man. My group was comprised of Africans, White Americans, White Europeans, and African Americans. Once the group assembled, our guide started the tour in the dungeon, where the male slaves were held until they were bought and put on a ship. The dank room was pitch black, except for one beam of light shining through (this is how the prisoners knew if it was day or night). My group of about 15 people took up approximately 1/4 of the room. When our guide explained that the dungeon generally had a capacity of 600-1000 men, I was stunned. He then showed us a white mark on the wall that stood about 3 feet above the floor. This mark indicated where the floor used to be. The original floor (3 feet below) was only found a few years ago after an archeological dig. Due to the amount of human waste that accumulated over the years, the entire floor had been raised three feet. We then went to see the door where the slaves passed through to leave the castle (and obviously, never return). At the formal end of slave trade, this door was filled with stones, as a symbol of the announcement. Our guide explained, however, that the castle was still used for slave trade even after this announcement was made, once the castle owners realized that there was still a demand from America and the Carribean. The most startling part of it all was when we were led to the death chamber, where they would take prisoners to die. They never shot anyone in the castle. Instead, they would just throw them in this chamber and come back when they were dead. Typically, it only took 1-2 days. As I stood there for a few seconds, I found myself struggling to breathe as I realized that no fresh air was coming into the room. Hot and gasping for air, I was glad to emerge quickly.

Saying that this was merely an important and powerful experience would be an understatement. I think it was especially impactful going through it with such a diverse tour group. As we walked around during the tour, it was interesting to see that none of the white/European people (myself included) could bring themselves to make eye contact with any of the non-white group members. It was intense and uncomfortable, but that's the point. It's not supposed to be pleasant or easy, but it is supposed to make an impression on you. To be honest, I had to stop myself a few times as my eyes started welling with tears, and I just wanted to look my group members in the eye and apologize for everything that their ancestors had to endure. As the tour concluded, it was time to join Kwame and Kwaku in the car, since they were waiting for my outside of the slave castle. As I started to walk towards the exit, I hesitated and thought, "how the hell am I supposed to see what I've just seen and jump happily back in the car with two African men?" When I got in the car, they were absolutely great. They asked if I wanted dinner, and when I replied that I had lost my appetite, they said they understood and that they were fine to wait until I was ready. On the car ride back to the hotel, I talked candidly with Kwaku about how I felt, and our conversations lasted through dinner later in the evening. He said he liked the Cape Coast Castle tour the most (as compared to other slave castle tours) because they emphasize how it wasn't just America taking part in it all. It was Africans pulling people from their own countries, it was Carribeans who committed most of the slave abuse...blame was shared rather than solely attributed to Americans and Europeans. He has led many student groups (many of my students) through the castle, and it was helpful and interesting to hear his stories of how students respond and react after the tour, and how we as educators can help them prepare for and process through this experience. Absolutely, without a doubt, this trip is going to help me do my job better, if only by encouraging every student who comes to Ghana to do this tour.