Lucy, Francis, Francis, and DJ Wayas in Elmina and Cape Coast

I will start with my gratitude towards Lucy and Francis. They live and run the Java House/Museum. They have been welcoming and gracious throughout my stay. I couldn't imagine Elmina without them.

Francis is the teacher I gave the money that my students raised to. He will use it in his classroom (to prevent any possible corruption in the use of the funds). I took pictures of the students and their classroom. I visited during a math lesson (long division). Imagine teaching 48 sixth grade students long division. Some of the kids got it, some didn't and it would be difficult to manage getting to all of them. I work with the group that was around me, they were so eager to learn. I am sure he will put the money to good use. Some of the kids have made and brought things to the Java House for me to give my students. I am excited to bring them back and share.
I went to church with Francis (Lucy teaches the children at Sunday School) on Sunday. He attends a Charasmatic Church. And it was. There was singing, dancing, and clapping. It lasted over three hours. The small children continued to come up to the Broni (me) throughout the service, and often when I looked, they ran away. I did make one friend, she was around 1-2 years old and she came up and hugged my leg for quite some time. She stole my heart, it's true. After church, Francis and I discussed religion, salvation and our own testimonies. He is an amazing person who has come so far. He is a pillar in this community. I feel lucky to have met him.

Francis, from the internet cafe, is another new found friend. Most of the time when I leave the internet cafe, it is dark. Now, a Broni has a special price for a shared taxi (this can range from $ .10 to $6.00 more than a local) but then you add in the nighttime-Broni price and its straight extortion. Well, Francis has helped me with this problem. He doesn't understand the discrepancy, when I mentioned its because I am white, he was disappointed. So, he not only walked me to the taxi station, but found the taxi going to Elmina and paid for my ride. By the third night, I was able to complete this task on my own without complications. But, had Francis not been there, I would be paying the high prices and then ridiculed for being Broni. Francis also, introduced me to an American student named Habib from Denver who is here learning to drum. Last night we had Kraft Mac n Cheese for dinner. Francis didn't like it and tried to stuff it down his throat, but it was, to say the least difficult. But, what a good sport.

DJ Wayas, birth name Richmond, is a local radio dj/festival promoter/youth advocate/community supporter and tour guide. He wants to marry a white girl and thinks Hassan should hurry up and marry me so that we can have kids calling me "mommy." I mentioned that I am entering a doctoral program and that right now might not be the right time for kids and he explained it would not be that hard. Right. So we disagreed. But he did tell me that there was a drumming ritual going on in the evening and agreed to meet me at the Methodist church later and take me there. Everyone, including the king and the tortise shell attended. There was drumming and singing (evidently drums have not been played in Elmina, waiting for this festival for weeks). The high priests sat (in the rain) on one side of the courtyard, the King sat with the shell in front of him protected from the rain under an overhang, the priestesses (elderly women wearing white) sat opposite of the King and every once in a while, they would get up and dance around to the beat of the drum. There is a room behind the King and that is where the ghosts are located during the ceremony. It started at 8pm and when I got there, DJ Wayas and I were walking, then he was pulled on stage. The kids went wild, evidently he is somewhat of a celebrity. After his "performance", we went to the ritual area. This ritual lasts all night (until dawn) and it was raining. Guess what, there are no umbrellas allowed, everytime someone opened one, they would be asked to close it. This included the cheifs. We watched for a while, then an elderly man came up to me, the token Broni, and we talked, then I bought him ice cream. After this we left the ritual and went to the Shell Station (yes, Shell gas). Here they had a DJ, hip hop, reggae, hip life music and dancing. I drank a Star beer and danced with a few locals (Funny Boy and his crew- www.asantidancegroup.com). Richmond took very good care of me and then got a taxi to get me home. Oh what a night!

Castles and Dungeons

I visited two castles: Cape Coast and Elmina. These were the two castles that the captives from Assin Manso were taken to before they were put on ships and sailed to their new world. Elmina Castle was established in the 14th century as a trading post. Guns, liquor and cloth was traded for gold, spices, and slaves.

Cape Coast Castle was owned by the English. When they abolished the slave trade in 1807, they symbolically closed off the "door of no return." Elmina Castle was mostly owned by the Portuguese, Dutch, English, and currently the Ghanaians. Both castles have the same basic functional rooms that I will discuss here:

The "door of not return" is the name of the passageway from the castle to the ship. It was the last door the slaves went through, before they left Ghana.

We also visited the "condemnation cell." Here, unruly or unhealthy slaves were put. The room lacked ventilation and the occupants were not fed or given water. They were kept there until all of the occupants died, and then, their bodies were thrown into the water.

Men Slave Dungeon: Larger than the women's dungeon. Dark, underground level with little ventilation windows that were installed at a slant so the rain water could pour down and wash the dungeon out. The flooring was slanted and there is a trough in the middle that leads to the door of no return/exit. Ironically, the church was located above the men slave dungeon in Cape Coast Castle. In Elmina Castle, around 600 men were held at a time.

Women Slave Dungeon: This was smaller than the men's dungeon (women captives were worth less). Elmina Castle held around 400+ women at a time. This dungeon's floor was permanently stained and there was a smell that would never go away. After the women marched 1-2 months from Assin Manso, they put on the auction block and then the dungeon. The only ventilation in their dungeon was a small opening that connected with the magazine (where the weapons and ammunition were kept). The urine, menstrual blood, feces, and other body fluids have remained on the dungeon floor. However, there is a courtyard that the women were told to go out onto regularly. The govenor's room was above the courtyard and he is said to have stood on a balcony and chosen the slave he would rape. She would be cleaned up and brought to his room using a special trapdoor. If the woman refused she would be chained to a cannonball in the courtyard until she learned how to comply correctly.

Auction house: Both castles had rooms that were used as auction blocks. The slaves were brought in and sold before they went into their respective dungeons. In Elmina Castle, the Dutch had used their room as a church. An inscription was placed in this room: Psalms "God lives in this room."

Assin Manso

I am not sure where to begin, so I will give a brief history lesson concerning slavery in Africa.

Domestic Slaves

In Africa, slavery has existed in one form or another since the beginning of civilization. Initially, a slave was regarded as a "Kinless Person," or someone who has no kin or family. For this reason, many slaves were absorbed into the family in which they were originally enslaved. Men, women and children were enslaved for various reasons: criminal activity; loss of one's family (or traceable family); ethnic conflicts that resulted in a rival group being enslaved; paying off debt; security for a loan; voluntarily to avoid famine or drought; victims of religious crimes; because a husband/wife were unable to bare children (they were often married to their owner); and/or as human sacrifice before war. Many slaves worked as civil servants for political authorities. These slaves were able to move up through the ranks to higher levels. Domestic Slaves were a sign of prestige and wealth. They were property, but they were also treated like family. It was a form of welfare that served society; but that was before the Europeans came to Africa.

The Trans-Sahara Slave Trade

The Trans-Sahara Slave Trade included the Arabs trading slaves in the northern region of Africa. Slaves were included in the African exporting dating back to Pre-Roman times and continued for a long time after. From 800-1600 AD, around 5, 000-10,000 slaves were exported from Africa. Africa got, in return, many new food crops. During the Crusades, the Europeans began to explore other trading options and not long after (14th Century), the Porteguese sailed around and found the "Gold Coast."

Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
During the 14th Century the Porteguese first settled in this area. It is said the first slaves were traded to the "white man" at this time in exchange for 3 copper bracelets. This trade occured with the Oba (King) of Benin. The trading of spices, gold, and ivory were what attracted the Europeans, however, it is the "captives" that became the real money maker. Originally, the captives worked under the Europeans as deck hands, carriers, and miners.
In the 15th Century, when the expansion to the "New World" began (Americas-South then North), these captives were the obvious solution to the work force problems in the Americas. The captives worked on plantations in South America (the natives were dying due to the diseases brought by the Europeans and they needed to be replaced, of course).
There were many factors that led to this increase of human trafficking in the 17th and 18th centuries. Many Europeans were encouraged to expand their settlements and they needed labor; sugar cane growing in the Carribean; Natives were dying because of diseases, alcohol, and murders; tobacco and rice were grown on plantations in the colonies; competition from different European countries increasing the price, therefore, making it a lucritive African business; and ships were much faster and efficient, increasing the amount of trade possible.
And the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Route was born. From the "Gold Coast" to the "Americas"(slaves) to Europe (tobacco, sugar, and rice) and back to Africa (alcohol, guns, metal ware, and cheap jewelry). Forts and castles were built to protect this precious and expensive cargo.

Assin Manso

Assin Manso was a stopping point for the slaves coming from inland Africa. Many of the captives sold during this time were from Ghana's surrounding countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Ivory Coast, and Benin). The middlemen who collected the slaves from inland and marched them to the coast traditionally obtained the slaves through the historical methods. However, as the trading increased, the morals of the middlemen decreased. Many times they would raid villages, burning the huts and wait until the occupants ran, then they too would become captives. The captives would be forced to walk to Salaga. The most Northern of slave markets, there they would be bathed and sold. Then a middleman would walk that group to 300 miles Assin Manso. Just outside this village runs the Amisse River (also called the Ochi River). It is at Assin Manso that a tributary ran off of this river. The tributary is called Ndokosue or Slave River. This was a screening, fattening, and/or revitalization stop. It was here that the captives were put into groups and then walked down to the river to bath. When they came out of the river, they would be oiled (with Shea oil), the hair on their skin would be shaved, and they were forced to open their mouth so their teeth could be counted (to find out their age). Finally, they would be fed and led down a path towards the market. In the market, they were asked to jump up and down to show their strength. At this point they were sold and then walked the 30 or more miles to Elmina Castle or Cape Coast Castle.


Reflection:
As I always have my students do, I will write a reflection on Assin Manso. I have to admit that as the white girl from Washington, I was scared of what to write. I fear that the vision and experience was not complete. I feel like resorting to just telling the facts and not my impression, it would be easier. But then I decided to write from the human side. The part of me that cries about the inhumane treatment of my fellow humans. So, I reflect on my experience, on what I saw, on what I came here to see and bring back.

Today, the path is still there, the river is still there, the tributary is still there, the tree is still there and the memories are still there. Walking the path, standing by the river, having the events described to me was an indescribable event. Before we began the tour, we gave a moment of silence for all those who were displaced during this time. A powerful silence ensued.
How can a minute of silence meet the centuries of mistreatment. I am not just talking the selling of slaves, but the movement, the travels, the stripping of identity, the repercussions that still ring today. Throughout my time in Ghana, I have looked at the faces, the bodies, and the movements of the people here and I can see my students, friends, and family in these people. I don't mean the color of their skin, but it is beyond that. Here, family is important, relationships are important, your bloodline is important. Many of the people can trace their heritage not only to the tribe they are from (Fanti, Ashanti, Akan, etc) but their bloodline beyond my comprehension. My students can barely follow their bloodline in the United States, especially with the historical ramafications of claiming certain blood (Native American) during numerous times of unrest.

The river: As we stood listening to our guide talk about how the strength of the river was so much that they washed the captives in the tributary, an elderly woman crossed the river carrying sticks on her head and a walking stick to hold her steady. She crossed through the river with grace and strength. She exited the water and followed the path the captives took through the commemerative arch and then down the path. I imagined the others that walked through that arch, feeling depleted. It was overwhelming, and I was speechless. The guide asked if I had any questions, all I could say is that I was a student today, just trying to absorb the history. The tributary is no longer used for any human activity. There were shackles found in the river on December 26, 2005.

The path: The path is only 2-3 feet wide, there is green growth on both sides. From the river to the "market area" was not a long walk. It is estimated that millions of captives walked through this area. I am sure I have connected with the descendents of the people who have gone this path.

The museum: The museum in Assin Manso has built a wall to add names of people who have re-entered the gate. I believe this gesture is symbollic for the people of Ghana and the descendants of these captives spread throughout the world. They will begin to add names in August of 2007 (on the 50th anniversary of Ghana's independence and the 200th anniversary of when the British made the slave trade illegal). I think that would be a worthwhile trek to make.

Travel day to Elmina

I traveled to Elmina on Wednesday. But before I got to the bus station, Awal had planned a trip to Lake Bosumtwi. It is a very large lake in the middle of Ashanti country. On the way back, we stopped at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. Awal has actually done some of the repairs and restoration of buildings there. I was able to see them. I had my last meal before we left, it was a red soup with fufuo. It was hot to the touch, but tasted delicious.

At the bus station, I met a Mali man named Addat. He was selling paintings and beads. He has gone to school in Mali for arts and was living here trying to sell his paintings. I was reading a funeral book that Awal had given me about a woman named Peggy Appiah. She had been an important person in Awal and his son's life. I know many of you have read at least one of her books, Ananse the Spider. Well, Addat recognized her picture and came over and told me about her. After hearing his story and reading the funeral book, I soon realized what an amazing life she led. She was a traveler, a teacher, a caregiver, and a support for many people of Ghana and beyond. Anyway, I bought a painting from Addat and he gave me the necklace he was wearing. He also waited with me until my bus left. Another lucky chance meeting.

I finally arrived in Elmina and to my room at the Java Museum. I ate some dinner and planned the next few days of my trip. The reason I am here. Assin Manso and the dungeons.

Black Stars and Bronis

Black Stars in the World CupSince I have arrived here I have seen a country backing a team, in fact according to the callers on the radio, I have seen a continent backing a team. As one person reported, they sent flags and prayers to the black stars. The Ghanaian are extremely religious people, a country that may compare in publication of faith, is the Philippines. I watched the first half of the game at Awal's while we had lunch then we went to the military officers’ mess and watched the second half. I drank a Star beer in support :). But they lost, everyone repeated off sides over and over again, so I assume that was a problem. It was too much for me to get it explained. The referee also seemed to be picking on the team. Did you know he sent the coach to the locker room for the second half? That doesn't seem right. Anyway, the country, maybe continent, was upset by the loss but they all agreed the boys played well (besides not shooting accurately). After the game, I watched Awal and his friend K.O. play squash. Okay, I sat in the stands and read/texted while they played. I haven't changed that much. So, that brings us to the rotary meeting.
Kumasi Rotary Meeting Now you may ask your self how did she come upon a Rotary meeting in Africa and why did she go? Well, I am happy to report that Awal is a member, in fact he is a past president (that is how they referred to him). I sat in as a guest, ate the food and even joined into a few lines of "for he's a jolly good fellow", when a new member was initiated in... right. They ended the initiation with a few lines from "Desiderata", one of my favorite poems.

BroniBroni comes from the word abro meaning horizon which was changed to abrochi to describe something from beyond the horizon. People keep yelling "broni" to me. It means white person. So, there you go. Here is a picture of an Ashanti and a Broni.

Culture of Kumasi

Culture: via the National Cultural Center and the Manhiya Palace

Awal arranged a driver for me, David. When we got to the Cultural Center we stopped at the tourist's station. Then off to the museum. The guide at the museum was very informative.





National Cultural Museum
The museum was only about 30 x 30 feet but it held a lot of pride and history of the Ashanti (Asantes). Many of the artifacts were used in museums around the world, but then returned to the Ashanti and are now displayed proudly.

• photos of the past Kings and Queen Mothers-this was the first of many times I would be told about the King who was captured by the British, along with the Queen Mother and how they were imprisoned, but now they are back as rulers.
• stools-the kings are known to be sacred and therefore their feet may not touch the ground, hence the stools. When a King dies, the stool is painted (or maybe stained) black and never used again.
• battle robe-the actual robe used when the King went into battle. It has amulets and charms on it to protect him and is made with a strong fabric so he wouldn't be harmed.
• pots-used for water and "now just decoration"
• religious pot-it was given by a holy man to the Ashanti Kingdom. They were informed that if they ever opened the pot, it would be the demise of their kingdom. Needless to say, it has never been opened.
• royalty masks-when royalty died, a mold was made of their face and put on their grave.
• funeral pots- when the king dies, his fingers, toes, and head are cut off and put in funeral pots; then they are buried with the king.
• bangles-put on children to protect them, metal (I would guess copper maybe brass, maybe they are the same, I am not sure).
• women were never kings because they menstruate, and therefore, they are unclean.
• security system-they put a staff with a special design on it and when they are not home they would put that in front of the door to indicate it is locked, if someone enters then they are executed.
• Two types of textiles:
• Adinkra. It means good-bye, so maybe people thought it should only be worn at funerals, they have since changed that. Adinkra is a print painted on fabric. The symbols used mean something: for example, democracy/unity, humility/strength, and beauty/cleanliness.

• Kente. Weaving of designs into fabric. The women wear 3 pieces, while the men only have one long piece. ( I am wearing Kente in this picture)
• Clans- There are 8 major clans in the Ashanti kingdom. Each clan represents social class and many times jobs. There are the parrot, buffalo, dog, eagle (king's), leopard, bat, crow, and vulture.
• A staff with a child touching a tiger-means ignorance is a disease.
• Drums-4 types: war, funeral, royal, and dance. The drum used in war was pounded and also when they ran out of ammunition they turned the drum stick around and scratched the drum. When the guide did this, it made a sound like a lion growling.

National Cultural Center

The Ashanti are very proud people. In addition, they are proud of the cultural center they built a long time ago to preserve their history and culture. When you walk around the center, there are craftsmen creating and selling their goods. I took notes and bought a few things.

• Kente Weaving-done by hand, but also use large looms. Traditionally, men were the only weavers, because if a woman was pregnant, the loom couldn't fit at her belly. They weave 20-40 yards and it takes two weeks to set up the loom. Notice, if you can, it is a man weaving this cloth. This is very different from Indonesia, where men are strictly forbidden to weave. Many of the Kente designs are from certain areas, clans, or artists.

• Pottery-they gather the cement/clay and turn the wheel by hand. Then, put it in the large kiln to bake. This is a man chopping wood by the kiln.

• Gold Weights- used as currency, the gold was made into different shapes using bees wax, palm oil, fire and then brass. I bought three brass/copper bracelets from this shop. Does anyone know why? Yes, because the first slaves traded to Europeans were traded for three copper/brass bracelets by the King of Benin to the Portuguese. This man is mixing the charcoal and cement used for the mold.

• Traditional Village

• Cacao trees-they produce a bean like pod that is used for chocolate
• If one gets lost in the forest, all you have to do is look for this structure made with trees and you will know that there is civilization nearby.
• Pour libations- to pray for a good harvest, the people would pour some of their drink on the ground as an offering.
• toilets-men's and women's on the opposite side of the village. It is a structure with a big hole and boards across. Up to 4 people can be in there at the same time.
• tree of god-the tree is where the entertainment is at night, the men are allowed to drink palm wine. It is called god's tree because a water pot is put in the branches to catch the rain water.
• The rooms are in a circular model around a center common area.

A long time ago, there was confusion on where the king should set up his village. Two villages were chosen. A tree was planted in each village. One tree died, it was called Kumawn (death) and the other was called Kumasi (life). The administrative capital for the Ashanti was then established in Kumasi.

Market-largest public market in Ghana- people from Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, and Cote D'Ivoiry (Ivory Coast) congregate there to buy and sell goods.
There were stalls all over, and on the perimeter there was a train track. The merchants set up shop here too. When the train comes, it blows it horns to warn the people to get off the tracks. Not on the list of job locations I would work.








Manhiya PalaceAwal had told me the Ashanti enjoy beauty. Around the palace, peacocks were roaming, when I commented I was told, "Well, they are beautiful birds." The palace wasn't that large, it was kind of like a very large house with wax figures of past kings and queens. The British built it for the King, but he refused to move in until the Ashanti had paid every cent of what it cost back to the British. In a room that was a past king's office, they showed us a pen that he wrote with when he was not with his seven wives. It was about a foot and a half long...okay maybe that's an exaggeration, but truly it was bigger that would be comfortable to write with. The queen mother was impressive to me. She led the Ashanti into battle against the British saying "ghost widows will get husbands." eloquent woman.