by Sierra Stewart
This was the visit I had been anticipating for most of the trip – Cape Coast, which is where there are several slave castles. These were places where African people were chained in dark dungeons, beaten, made to urinate, suffer and defecate as they were watched by merciless white men. I can’t fully describe the bone chilling feeling that I felt as I walked through the museum seeing the chains and ropes that my ancestors were bound by. A huge theme that has run through this trip is gratitude. I can’t help but feel grateful to my ancestors who endured so much, physically, spiritually and mentally, so that I have the freedom and opportunities today. It gives you such a different perspective. Personally I have learned about slavery all of my life especially in America. However, rarely do we talk about what happened to black people before America. That’s where it all started in Africa and not America. I could go on and on about history and how its taught in academia but I won’t. I’m at a loss for words but one thing I can say about this particular experience is powerful.
A few other scenes from Ghana:
