my next stop was El Mina Castle - It had been on my list of places to visit for a very long time. Yes a bit weird to be on places to visit but most already know where my interest lies. However, the castle is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Arriving in El Mina was very interesting. As I drove through the town, one immediately notices the colonial atmosphere. The Portuguese colourful influence is definitely prevailing in this town. However I was stopped as the bridge to the slave castle as it was being renovated and it could no longer support the weight of the cars. I drove back to a nearby hotel to park the car and stopped a taxi near the road that could bring me to the beginning of the bridge. As soon as I got out the taxi - the hustlers came swarming. They wanted to know my name to flip tricks on me later. I learned my lesson in Morocco earlier this year not to say or accept anything. It is rude but it is the only way to not be hustled or tricked or even robbed.
I entered the slave castle and I immediately noticed the old Dutch writing on the walls. While awaiting our tour guide, I went into to the small museum shop.
Elmina Castle was erected by Portuguese in 1482 as São Jorge da Mina (St. George of the Mine) Castle, also known simply as Mina or Feitoria da Mina in present-day Elmina, Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast). It was the first trading post built on the Gulf of Guinea, so it is the oldest European building in existence below the Sahara. In its original days El Mina was a Portuguese Gold and Ivory trade settlement. Local Africans sold their Gold for weapons for nothing really. They had no idea of the value of the gold. It was only later that this gold trade settlement was used later for the Atlantic slave trade. The Dutch invaded the fort in 1637 after several previously failed attempts, with the help of local Africans after promises of better treatment, took over the Portuguese Gold Coast in 1642. According to the guide, who was very well informed of the history of the castle, the Dutch found the castle to be too expensive to maintain and wanted to sell it, which they did- they sold to the British. I think this anecdote seems right as the Dutch are stereotypically described as being very thrifty. The slave trade continued under the Dutch until 1814; in 1872 the Dutch Gold Coast, including the fort, became a possession of the British Empire. Britain granted the Gold Coast its independence in 1957, and control of the castle was transferred to today’s independent Ghana.
Inside of El Mina I saw where the slave women were kept and the slave men. They were kept in very dark spaces at the bottom of the castle, hundreds of them jam packed. There was barely any air to breathe and food wasn’t given regularly. Many slaves died in the castle from cholera. They were chained, beaten and raped. Being a fort housing an army, there were also rules for the soldiers, which when broken by drunkenness or general disorderly conduct, were punished. However, despite being in cells similar in size to those of the slaves, there were obvious differences in treatment and conditions. Whereas the slaves were kept in multiple numbers of claustrophobic surroundings, there was only one soldier imprisoned per cell at any one time. Also the cells housing the soldiers were situated in strategic locations which allowed for constant airflow whereas in the cells housing the slaves, air was an abundantly rare commodity.
The Dutch governor of the castle had a secret latch-door that lead to the female slave zones. He stood on the balcony, all the female slaves stood naked and he made his choice. If the women refused to go, they were chained to the ground in the full sun without food or water for days. (Many women refused to go because they didn’t know what would happened to them and the pregnant ones never returned.) They were now at the mercy of the soldiers. When the women did agree to the needs of the Dutch governor, they were first bathed in a latrine type of well that was inside the slaves courtyard. They were put in a dress and cleaned up for the governor and he did with them whatever he wanted. Many mixed children were born to captured female slaves. When the female slave was pregnant, they were moved in houses far away from the castle. These mulato children with Dutch last names were educated and some of them even send to the Netherlands for further education. Others were enlisted into the Dutch Army. The mixed children spoke different languages and were also able to negotiate with local tribes. Considering the female slaves weren’t in good conditions - I doubt that an incredible many children were born. When someone is underfed - fertility goes down. The hierarchy of colour was very obvious. First the white man then the mulato child and last the black (wo)man. In many countries this racism still exists. The darker, the worse off unfortunately. Today in Ghana you can see who is descendant of European colonials. There are quite a few Ghanians with Portuguese, Dutch and British last names. Also some Ghanians are much much lighter in skin tone. Some almost white to mixed looking even generations down the line.
We visited the mess inside the Castle. Oh yes the Dutch and Portuguese were very religious. They were giving the task to enslave and of course God approved. I don’t know what God would approve of this. Well the hypocrisy of the Church is something very prevalent inside the castle. In the name of God - everything is allowed isn’t it?
The guide took me to the governors room and later brought me to the gates of no return. This is the door where the slaves after being captive for sometimes even months boarded the ships and sailed for the United States of America and other island groups in the Americas. The gate of no return is very tiny as the slaves had lost so much weight due to lack of food and basic care. As skeletons they boarded a ship chained to start a new life to be abused, raped and tortured again.
I can not say that it was only the Europeans whom are to blame in the slave trade, Africans took as much part in it. During that time there were a lot of inter tribal wars in West Africa. When tribes fought each other, capturing and keeping of slaves were customary. Upon the arrival of the foreign powers, the opportunity to profit through trade was realised and effected, resulting in the sale of the captured slaves to the Europeans. Neither the Portuguese, Dutch nor the English had to go out to catch them. They were brought by Africans themselves. There were rare exceptions in which it was considered ‘sport’ by some rogue officers for their personal gain, but these examples are very limited, as in the overall view, the military had to maintain their discipline internally and externally. The manner, however, in which they conducted their militaristic affairs with business type incentives were without doubt, extremely deplorable. Africans not involved in intertribal wars also made a business of catching people and selling them off. What must not be excused or watered down, however, is the treatment of the African slaves after leaving the castle at the hand of the traders and what horrible events took place inside the castle. Also important to mention is that due to the arms imported by the West and given to the local tribes it promoted even more intertribal warfare. I’d like to describe it as a tactical move of the foreign powers. More weapons meant more slaves.
What I wondered however is that the Dutch took part in the slave trade but had no slaves in their countries nor did the Portuguese. Both did have slaves in their colonial countries but not in their home countries. I always wonder why there weren’t as many or none (to my knowledge) in Europe. If someone is able to answer that - please let me know as the guide couldn’t tell me either.
The atmosphere in El Mina castle is not pleasant, listening to the horrific events made me vomit. At the exit the guide took me to the last engraved stone of El Mina. He asked is there someone in the group that can read this. I said yes - I was actually a bit embarrassed; I wanted to say - I am not Dutch but Belgian. I have nothing to do with these ancestors. The guide asked me to read the text out loud which said in old Dutch similar to Afrikaans: Here lies the last Governor of the Dutch East Indie Compagnie.
After a guided tour of 3 hours I left the castle to be back with the hustlers. One came running, I have a gift for you. Oh no… It was a shell. I really didn’t want it so I returned it to the dissatisfaction of the hustlers. Hey no one is going to mess with Francine!
After shedding off the hustlers, I got mistakenly hit by a metal cemented construction pole someone was carrying in the street. On top of that I saw a big shark laying in the middle of the town; upside down with its mouth wide open. (No it wasn’t the head bump that made me see the shark.) Seriously, this town and Ghana could do so much better; an area in which so much history is situated should be well maintained. It shouldn’t look as a dirty street market in which sharks can just be thrown as rag dolls in the town surrounded by hustlers. Imagine how most tourists feel that never have been to Ghana or Africa in general??… C’mon on Ghana….This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hey if you need a consultant; I’d flip the town upside down- you know where to find me - No challenge is too big right ;) ?
Taking more time to relax in between work is the most productive thing I have ever done. On to the next adventure :)
Francine
