Elmina and The Slave Trade
Ghana's
Elmina itself is a port connected to the sea by a narrow canal. The port was one of the first European settlements in West Africa and is a small fishing village. Elmina's castle, the St. George de la Mina, was built by the Portuguese in 1482 as a trading post, and is the oldest and largest of the early European buildings in West Africa.
The soldiers of the Dutch West Indies Company captured the Fort in 1637 and turned the church inside the Fort into a slave market. We visited the different rooms where slaves were both kept and then loaded on to ships. Nearly 35 million Americans have ancestors who were shipped from this Fort, and others along the coast ranging from Senegal to Cameroon.
Driving around Elmina were the usual vibrant markets with people hawking everything from piles of shoes...
to food....
Back to Ghana for one last day....a farewell to the group...and some last shopping trips to downtown Accra, with its very good Makola market, spread over quite a few blocks and the Arts Center. More trade beads, stools, little chairs (ex-Marine was thrilled when another buyer purchased one from under my nose), kente cloth, and fertility dolls.
A fertility doll is carved in wood and usually the exclusive property of women. Women who are afraid of being infertile as well as pregnant women carry them on their backs.The dolls are still treated like magic and are small so they can be easily transported. This "magic" didn't frighten me (since I am well past the age of fertility and missing a few essential reproductive parts) and bought this "older" fertility doll....View image...
It was surprising how many different churches and missions there were around Accra...Baptist...7th Day Adventists...different Missions...Catholic...Protestant...at least three on every block. But it was time to try to pack up all these extremely bulky purchases and figure out how in the world we were going to get them home...
Comments
Hi Sheila,
Young Joel told me I must come on over and wish you A Very Happy Birthday, but looking at your site you do not need me to do that you appear to be having a great time. I signed up this morning to be one of his first members on his new venture.
I see that you have been aound my happy hunting grounds of 60+ years ago, Burma. I was there for a year and in Malaya for a year. Have a lovely day,
I Wish You Well,
Regards,
Douglas
Posted by: Douglas Goodey | January 10, 2007 08:29 AM
Happy Birthday Sheila, that's what your son wanted to be, so be it.
Posted by: Walter Caruana | January 10, 2007 10:19 AM
Bonjour Sheila,
I just heard it's your birthday:-)
So JOYEUX ANNIVERSAIRE
Enjoy your day
Lots of
Love,
Health,
and Prosperity
Cordialement
Joel Bomane from Sunny Sudden FRANCE
Posted by: Joel Bomane | January 10, 2007 03:01 PM
Sheila,
Your son rocks and I just wanted to say Happy Birthday and that I am always amazed at how the world gets changed by the act of giving birth. Congratualtion on your birthday and for changing the world by coming into it and doing what you do and have done.
Light, Love, Joy, Abundance and Fun Bill
Posted by: Bill Fields | January 10, 2007 11:15 PM