Elmina Castle

There are two slave castles on the coast in Ghana: Cape Coast and Elmina. You can see one from the other. We visited Elmina Castle. I hope to visit the other next year. Hopefully this won't sound too much like a history lesson (but I do feel the teacher rising up in me)

Built by the Portuguese in 1482, Elmina Castle is the largest and the oldest existing castle connected to the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Ironically, this was the first time a title to land had been transferred by a West African chief to an European. (horrible what they did with it) The Dutch defeated the Portuguese in 1637 and took control of the castle and continued the slave trade. The history of the castle is as follows:

Portuguese (1482-1637, 155 years)

Dutch (1637-1872, 235 years)

British (1872-1957, 85 years)

Ghana (1957-2008, 51 years)
The castle occupies 2.32 acres and is divided into three courtyards and completely surrounded by a moat so that there would be no escape. (bottom pic is moat)

When captives were brought into Elmina, they were taken into the old Portuguese church, which during the Dutch time had become the slave auctioning hall. (ironic don't you think?) It was here that the captives were stripped and examined. From there, the slaves were moved to the male and female dungeons. The entire time there, male and female were separated.

The captives were held for up to two months, depending on the availability of ships to take them away. They were given just enough food and water to keep them alive. Containers were placed in the corners of the dungeons to use the restroom. But after some time, the captives didn't have the strength to even get up from where they lay, so they were forced to use it on themselves. The male dungeons had very few windows for ventilation. And in the female dungeon, the hole for ventilation was connected to the magazine, where ammunition was kept. This means that toxic fumes came into their dungeon. The captives were not allowed to wash. And for the women who were menstruating and not bathing, one cannot imagine the stench and disease.

When the governor would visit the castle, the women were brought into the inner courtyard. After he made his choice, the woman was cleaned, fed, and taken up a flight of stairs through a trap door into the governor's bedroom. After he was finished raping her, the soldiers took their turn with her before putting her back into the dungeon. Women who became pregnant were freed; however, they were not accepted back into their villages. (Top pic is view from the governor's balcony. Bottom pic is flight of stairs to governor's bedroom)

Any slaves who resisted or fought back were placed in this cell. There is no light and no ventilation. Once the door closed, it was not opened again until all inside were dead. Can you imagine being the last to die? I cannot describe how it felt when our tour guide closed the door with us inside.

After the ship arrived, the captives were chained together and taken into a holding room. It was here that they would pass through the "Door of No Return" This is a very short and narrow door. They had to climb down a ladder into canoes and were taken to the ship. Upon boarding this ship, they would never see their homeland again.

My take on the Castle:

As a history teacher, I absorbed this visit like a sponge.

As a white European, I felt ashamed.

As an American, I felt even more shame. Slavery was vital for our economy in the South.

As a human being, I felt confused. How can slavery still exist throughout Africa today? Do they not remember the pain here?

As a christian, I was reminded that I was once held captive by sin. I was enslaved with no hope in sight. My stench was overwhelming. But my Saviour found me on the auction block and paid the ultimate price for me.