GHANA - Slave Route
Tracing the Heritage of Slavery
Slave trade and interaction with Europeans is an important chapter in Ghana's history and it left a lot of castles, also called dungeons, and forts on the atlantic coast. The visit of these castles are very interesting and also heartbreaking when visiting the underground caves. By the seventeenth century, most trade in West Africa concentrated on the sale of slaves. The castles acted as a depot where slaves were bought in bartering fashion from local African chiefs and kings. The slaves, often captured in the African interior by the slave-catchers of coastal peoples, were sold to Portuguese traders in exchange for goods. The slaves were held captive in the castle before exiting through the castle’s infamous “Door of No Return” to be transported and resold in the "New World".
BEST TIME to VISIT GHANA
BEST TIME to TRAVEL to GHANA
from November to January
Slave Route - Wall of return memorial - outside wall with paintings with all steps endured by slaves from their capture to battle for freedom . this one is : "Branding the slaves"
Wall of return - Memorial - The tourists from the diaspora are invited to write their name on this wall
Slave Route - Wall of return memorial - outside wall with paintings with all steps endured by slaves from their capture to battle for freedom . this one is : "Auction"
Slave Route - Wall of return memorial - outside wall with paintings with all steps endured by slaves from their capture to battle for freedom . this one is : "Capturing the slaves"
Slave Route - Wall of return - memorial
Slave Route - Wall of return memorial - outside wall with paintings with all steps endured by slaves from their capture to battle for freedom . this one is : "Bathing the slaves" for their last bath before crossing the ocean
Cape Coast Castle - Ocean view from the castle
Cape Coast Castle
crowded beach - View from Cape Coast castle
Elmina Castle - the central building is a portuguese church
Accra - Ussher fort
Elmina Castle
Elmina castle - canons to defend the castle
Elmina castle - cave where slaves were kept before crossing the Atlantic ocean
Cape Coast castle - main building
Cape Coast castle
Elmina Castle - the Portuguese church
Cape Coast Castle - canons to protect the fort
small Fort closed to the huge Elmina castle and a part of its defence system
Cape Coast Castle - Memorial : Memorial : "IN ERVERLASTING MEMORY of the anguish of our ancestors may those who died rest in peace may those who return find their roots may humanity never again perpetrate such injustice against humanity we, the living vow to uphold this"
President Obama and the first lady visited the castle in 2009
Courtyard with the entrance of the caves for the slaves (women).
Slave Route - Entrance of the castle
Elmina castle - Entrance to the underground caves where slaves were kept
This door is the entrance of the small room where fugitves were kept without any food until a certain death.