Left Speechless

Hello to all our wonderful blog readers!

My name is Ethnee Nelson and I am a junior studying Marketing and Digital Media Arts. As a lover of all things travel, I am thoroughly enjoying our time in Ghana and feel immensely blessed to have this opportunity!  

Today began bright and early with everyone ready to go by 6am. Due to unforeseen traffic issues, our bus came later than expected, but we’re on GMT (Ghana Man Time) so we rolled with it. After a sleepy ride, we arrived at our first destination, Kakum National Park. I have been looking forward to this visit since the beginning of our trip and its beauty did not disappoint! 

Kakum is one of Ghana’s seven national parks and was declared a forest reserve in 1931. It became a national park in 1992 and covers about 375 square kilometers of land. The park is home to a variety of plants and animals with 600 different species of butterflies. Some animals include monkeys, forest elephants, snakes, and leopards. As we began our hike, we were engulfed by a lush forest of trees that offered some much-welcomed shade from the Ghanaian sun. We also quickly picked up on the new sounds from birds and insects we do not have at home. After a long bus ride, we were happy to stretch our legs and get a bit of exercise!  

Our anticipation grew as we journeyed on and reached the canopy walkway. The views were breathtaking, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to admire this beautiful Ghanaian forest from above. Wearing brave faces, the entire group made it across all seven walks, up to 40 meters in the air. Our appreciation of this country grew as we adored the natural beauty of Kakum National Park. After working up an appetite, we were rewarded for our daring hike with lunch at Kakum Rainforest Cafeteria and Restaurant.  

As we drove to our next destination, we prepared for a much different experience that awaited us at Cape Coast Castle. For those who are unfamiliar with Cape Coast Castle, it was built in 1654 by Sweden. In 1664, the English took over the property and turned it into the headquarters for the transatlantic slave trade. The atrocities that the castle walls have seen are indescribable. I hope my writing does our visit to Cape Coast Castle justice, but please note, some of the experience cannot be formulated into words.  

Before walking in, I was unaware of all I would learn. Our guide, Justice Acquah, shared his knowledge of the castle’s history as he led us through the premises. We began in the dungeons where male slaves were held against their will for anywhere from weeks to months at a time. The people captured and held there ranged from ages 11 to 45. It was small, cramped, and dark with only a few tiny windows cut high into a wall. At capacity, the dungeons held up to 1,000 people living in dark, unfathomable conditions. They suffered through starvation, heat, confinement, stench, and so much more.

Our guide turned the lights off and I tried to imagine what millions of people went through within those walls. I was met with a range of emotions - sorrow, anger, and confusion - that I am still trying to process. Standing in that space, knowing millions of people had suffered there was a harrowing experience and one that I will never forget. We were quite literally standing on top of human DNA, waste, blood, sweat, and tears that still remain, caked on the floor. What made the experience even more harrowing was when we learned that built directly atop the dungeon was a church. It broke my heart to know a place so sacred was located on top of a place where so many nauseating injustices occurred. I cannot fathom how people could possibly celebrate mass knowing human beings were enduring such suffering directly below them. The devastating horrors at Cape Coast Castle carried on for almost 200 years.  

Our guide then led us to the women’s dungeon, where they faced the same brutality. We also entered the condemned cell, a small cell where resistant slaves suffocated to death. Their bodies were then shown to the other slaves as a reminder of the fate that awaited them, should they misbehave, before being thrown into the sea. Another very impactful and symbolic portion of our visit was passing through the door of no return.  As the name suggests, once slaves walked through that door, they were forced onto ships that would carry them to the Caribbeans, West Indies, North America, etc. never to return to the castle, or for many, to Africa, again. Only one out of five slaves survived the castle and journey on the ships. As we turned around to re-enter the castle and continue with the experience, it struck me how easily we walked back in while so many did not.  

Next, we moved to the upper levels of the castle and Palaver Hall, which served as an auction hall, followed by the Governor’s Quarters. One thing we noted was the stark contrast between the Governor’s Quarters and the rest of the castle. The Governor’s rooms were full of light and fresh air from the sea breeze, something the dungeons clearly lacked. As our time at the slave castle came to an end, our guide left us with the simple yet powerful words, “We should all endeavor to treat people better”. Leaving with those words ringing in my head, I will carry them as I strive to learn and grow.  

The bus ride to Fairhill Guest House (our hotel for the evening) was a quiet one, as we all ruminated what we had just experienced. After settling in and freshening up, we had a very meaningful debrief that helped us process the afternoon’s events. A few topics of discussion included how narrative plays an instrumental role in the telling of history and how slavery has influenced every aspect of many cultures. Another was how frustrated we were to see that the tunnel the slaves left the castle through was sealed. With the end of the transatlantic slave trade, the British sealed the tunnel to symbolize the end of these atrocities even though slavery and racial injustice were nowhere near over.  

After a deep reflection of our day, we had quite a shift in tone as we went to Salace for dinner and to watch Ghana’s football match against Cape Verde (Ghana sadly lost). Between our time at Kakum National Park and Cape Coast Castle, the events of today often left us speechless, even if for different reasons. As we continue to process, I know we will not quickly forget all we have seen, felt, learned, and experienced today.  

I am sad to think our time in Ghana is dwindling, but I am certain we will continue to learn more during our final four days here. I could not be more grateful to be traveling with such an incredible, fun, loving, and intelligent group of people! Thank you to everyone back home who is praying over our group, we appreciate you!  

As always, stay tuned for more adventures! 

Ethnee