Ghana and a "much too close" look at the Slave Trade

It's easier not to think about it really

 

One of the big draws for me on this adventure was to better understand the origins of the Trans- Atlantic Slave Trade. Barry was well on board with this historical "Journey of  Discovery" so we planned on visiting both Elmina and Cape Coast Castles which were more aptly referred to as "warehouses" for slaves bound for the West Indies and America mostly. Ahhh the new world!!!

I suspect the Portuguese who got the "Slave trade" ball rolling didn't intend that to be the case. From trinkets and muskets to people is a big leap but that's what happened. But before we start getting too indignant about the Europeans it's worth taking a moment to recognize that this was a really good way for Africans to get rid of the unwanted Africans. I'm sure President Trump would do the same with the Democrats if the opportunity was presented.

Firstly, the castles are remarkably well preserved. It's a surprising fact given the amount of time that has passed and that the ocean is at the doorsteps and constantly pounding on the door. Second - it's such an utterly beautiful setting it's hard to imagine the ugly truths that haunts humanity and became all too clear as we explore these two castles.

Here are some numbers: while records are hard to find and verify it's generally agreed that 12 million slaves left Africa on ships built for that purpose. Now that does seem like a lot given the population of Africa at the time and various other realities.

BUT - this went on for over 300 years. In our modern era of zip zip this and that - we can barely conceive of something continuing for that amount of time. The Portuguese did it for 100 years and then the Dutch another 200 after that....so 12 million is a possibility.






Now - how many slaves were actually brought to the "warehouses" to be shipped and didn't live past the warehousing and storage phase? This part is even more foggy as estimates of 2/10 to 5/10 didn't live long enough to put a foot on soil in the West. So that means that between 24 million and 60 million Africans were taken from the dark continent to feed the worlds' never ending maniacal lust for productivity through the ownership of others.


So those are some of the numbers but let me say - that when you see it, smell it, feel it -- it makes the numbers meaningless compared to the moments of clarity when you connect with the absolute suffering inflicted on these people.

A thousand slaves were kept at Cape Coast at any given time for up to 3 months. Standing room only. Most horrifying were the consequences of those who dared challenges the guards or refused to be raped.They were simply put in a room (shown here on the left) with out food, water, light or ventilation. They died quickly and then were simply pushed into the sea beyond.


It was in imagining this and standing in the very space that I was overwhelmed. They didn't die all at once of course - so you sat amongst the dead waiting and hoping to expire sooner rather than later all the while wondering what you did to deserve such a horrible fate.




As mentioned - the experience is very real  - so real in fact that at Cape Coast as you stand in the mens' dungeon, you stand on about 10 centimeters of ground and pounded human remains, feces, food scraps and so on.

In the picture on the right with yours truly is the famous "door of no return". The slaves were funneled down long dark and narrow corridors to this door where they boarded a ship to either die at sea, at the merciless hands of their new owners or the diseases of the new world for which they were completely unprepared.

It's a terrible chapter in human history, perhaps the worst given both the sheer numbers and the complete absence of humanity in our treatment of one another. We should never forget what we are capable of....

Thnaks for reading...... Layno!!!

Exploring a Tropical Paradise: Ghana 1

Ooooo ........ Oooooo ....... Orabi, Orabi.

 

"It was how much Barry" ????!!!! I asked with combination of shock and amusement. From Barry: "well when I booked I thought that price was for several nights". Ha!!!! So to make up for a couple nights in what was a very nice hotel with fabulous staff (Thank you Davida for your exceptional service at the  Accra City hotel) Barry booked a couple cabins on the beach perfectly situated in the middle of nowhere. More on that later.

Very well accommodated in our super swanky hotel, (where we eventually had to part with a kidney each to pay the bill), we set out to explore Accra and see what there was to see in this beautiful city of about 4 million people. Gratefully Ghana speaks English and both of us were able to abandon our high school french and the accompanying  verbal assault we had perpetrated on so many REAL French speakers. 

Independence square was a must see completed in 1961 and a real cause for celebration as it was in so many countries on the dark continent. It was time for the colonial rulers to hit the bricks.







Museums were a bust for the most part although in fairness we arrived weeks ahead of a major super fancy museum opening in Accra. The issue of African historically significant artifacts being repatriated after their theft is pretty interesting stuff.  There is a significant movement going on throughout Africa - it's  past time for this to happen. Further review of the history of Accra abandoned to Wikipedia we hit one of the biggest markets in Africa. The Makola market!! In case you're wondering, the orange things are called garden eggs and are a yellow Eggplant or Aubergine.


As we stood and peered in through the entrance we both literally took a breath before diving into the swirling mass of bodies, strange and pungent smells, a cacophony of yells and laughter crashes bangs and all manner of sounds. It was hot and humid as we worked our way through a market where we were clearly not welcome. In addition to the evil eye, we received an earful from numerous vendors particularly when we pulled out the camera for a quick shot here and there. You had to super sleuth is... you know pretend you're reading a message and then snap a couple. That said - it was a great expedience and glad we jumped in for a swim in one of the world's busiest places. Wow!!!










Ok - let me share the story of Barry's triumph. After selling our kidneys to pay for the lovely Accra City Hotel we arrived at a place west along the Ghanian coast. Almost as far as Cape Coast, it was  a collection of little huts in the middle of a fishing village. We had our own little huts and think we paid about $20 USD each. i would have paid that just to get away from Barry's snoring to be honest... 😜

A couple cover picnic tables were a perfect place to set a cold beer as we sat and enjoyed the sounds of the ocean rather than the previous assault of Makola market. It was as relaxing a place as I could imagine and we were both grateful for the chance to recuperate after so hard travelling.


The staff were very accommodating, Mary particularly so as she cooked up wonderful dinners of fresh fish no surprisingly plentiful in this little coastal village. It was absolutely delicious and she was a delight.







On one of the mornings we watched as they prepared to bring a fishing boat onto the beach. I was really curious about how this could be done noting the absence of modern equipment anywhere in sight. How the fuck?

So here it is .. after lightening the Jesus Aye by removing nets and any other bits and bytes, they leverage it up onto logs and then pull it up the beach. Seriously can you believe that!!!! I definitely couldn't so when they jokingly waved me over to help I quickly shed my flippy floppies and shirt and raced over spectacularly clad in my short shorts conspicuously white against the back drop of my black brothers. 100 of us then heaved together as a series of drums urged us on ..... all the while singing Ooooo ... Ooooo.... . Orabie Orabie!!!!  Ahhhh a fine thing indeed as we later high fived and laughed together.

Ghana is in the green zone - that lush tropical belt across the middle of the African continent where things grow thick and furious in a humid greenhouse like atmosphere that is much better suited to plants than people.

It's here that the Kakum National park is able to give the perfect experience to those who enjoy the wonderful experience of being up close and personal with all these growey bits. The park boasts a 500 meter tree top walkway some 70m above the tropical forest floor.








 I have to admit that I enjoyed it more than I expected as we not only climbed about but also listened intently to the guide who explained the various trees, their historical significance and modern uses.

Barry quickly looks away as the woman on his right breaks into a few  tunes from the musical Oaklahoma

Thanks to Barry for all his arranging and camaraderie

and thanks for reading ......... Layno!!!

What an idiot ...

 

As Leonard Cohen once said - "want you it Dakar"?  Haha!!

Hey Barry!!! Cheer up :)

Barry's face tells the story but allow me to fill in some of the blanks. Just a bit past St. Loius Senegal is where we arranged to visit Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary.... or in my now most excellent French -- Parc National des Oiseaux du Djoudj. It's one of the world's true natural treasures with over 400 bird species in the park. It's a beautiful wetlands where much of the adventure revolves around a guided (in french) boat tour through the park.

It was relaxing beautiful and slightly surreal as we puttered contentedly along in the early morning hours. A light rain was falling adding to the slightly mystical nature of the journey. Particularly gorgeous were the water lilies poking up from the murky depths in the most spectacular of fashions. Like thousands of runway models or red carpet attendees at the Oscars, Tyra Banks could not have posed more beautifully.

The jewel in the "Dj oh you Dj" crown was Pelican rock where we watched fascinated as they flapped scraped and sqwaked enthusiastically. Nature's nightclub was alive and well with the Dj pumping some bumping tunes -- as pelicans grooved to those sweet ancient tunes -- in a mating dance of spectacular beauty. Well in truth it stank a bit -- but well worth it -- plug your nose and enjoy!!

Hey Mildred have you seen my car keys I gotta bounce  -- they're not in your pouch? How many times to I gotta tell you?

Keeping Layno out of jail

 

While I have a history of doing dumb shit - this was likely a top 10 boneheaded maneuver. As we travelled back to Dakar from St. Louis, and as mentioned previously -- on roads where 3 wheeled caravans compete to load an increasingly ridiculous number of travelers wherever they will fit-- it was not surprising that we came across a bus that had overturned on the road.

Suddenly thinking that rather than Layne and Barry we were Woodward and Bernstein -- I started snapping pictures of the messy scene. As we came up on the scene which was necessarily caotic -- a military guy -- maybe police, stepped up to grab my camera. Somehow the taxi rolled out of his reach and in a moment of sheer stupidity (still thinking I'm Bob Woodward) I slipped the SD card from the camera and tossed it under the seat.

Though I protested, initially refusing to give up my unit -- the military guy took the camera and marched off to where a bunch of other policeish folks were dealing with a scene made messier as there had been a load of water mellons on the roof of the bus when it flipped. Jumping out of the cab and thinking righteous indignation would be a good strategy to get my camera back..... an already hot situation got hotter. Our taxi driver was able to intervene in the "negotiation" as they demanded to know where the pictures were. I was trying to convince them that the camera was not working ... that why it said "no memory card" all the while sweating profusely. The situation finally diffused when a senior officer got involved. It was a tense 30 minutes and a lesson that when in a foreign country -- don't get into a fight with the police. What an idiot ... I nearly ended up on jail.

Ile De Goree

Imagine ... sleeping tlike this -- day after day after day.

Ile De Goree was the first with brush with one of the topics we had to come to West Africa to explore. I have always had an interest in knowing more about the transatlantic slave trade -- this curiosity heightened by my time here in Africa working should to shoulder with people I had previously no knowledge or understanding of.





Ile Goree is as pretty a place as you've ever seen. An island maybe 5 kms off the coast of Dakar - it's shimmering beauty belies the tragedy that persisted here for over 300 years. I won't go to far at this point as my next blog will be about Ghana where we got up as close as is possible to what I would say is the most horrific and greatest failure of humankind.


Lastly, I want to thank Barry for taking a chance on this cool little boutique hotel. Set in the middle of nowhere, the 92 year old Argentinian owner has been crafting this unique little guest house on the rocks for years. Every little corner has his fingerprints and uber creative style. We enjoyed a fish dinner and beers but more .. perched on the ricks -- we watched the sun slide seductively into the ocean as the waves of the mighty Atlantic pounded the shore in celebration of the end of yet another spectacular day!

Thanks for reading ...Layno!!!

Underwear in the bathroom

Slices of Senegal

Traveling alone is easy - really easy. You make whatever decisions suit you at any given time be they thoughtful whimsical logical or fanciful. At the same time when you turn to someone to say - "hey look at that"!!!!!" it's a stranger looking back at you like you're on drugs.

Travelling with others, given my past experiences is much more difficult and stressful. Decisions are negotiated -- you acquiesce -- you defer you work though decisions and this is indeed a more complicated process. In fact -- travelling together has been the undoing of many a friendship, marriage or other relationship. It's not east... at all.

Not so with my great friend Barry, it's just sweet -- as we work effortlessly through what is a very complicated though delicious travel plan. Despite underwear not belonging me festooning the various hotel rooms like some macabre decoration -- he's a fantastic travel partner. So -- with that, let me tell you about Senegal... and more specifically Dakar.







Well looking outward is a whole lot better than looking in. By that, I mean the Atlantic while cold and uninviting is wonderful to look over while enjoying a reasonably priced meal. Couscous and  fish are often in evidence and there's not a thing wrong with that. We found the food fresh healthy and delicious.

Dakar is perched right on the Atlantic and if you had a ruler and a map would see that it's more or less across from Nicaragua. Standing on the shore looking out over the Atlantic, it's clean cool and peaceful. Turn around and the city is not that at all. It's a busy dirty load frenzy of activity bordering on apocalyptic. 

Broken sidewalks and people litter the town as you wander throughout. A startling contradiction are the woman who grace the narrow streets brightly dressed and very beautiful. I'll share a few more shots later. The outfits are fantastic.

In search of the museum, we came across a building where Barry pointed out "that old burned out building" Well that was the museum. It was closed and in need of significant repair. That said we bravely continued through the streets to another historical site that was in great condition though a bit anemic in terms of material. Clearly there is very little resources devoted to capturing and sharing artifacts of the days before..

Here's a few shots.

Super funny when I pretended to sit on this chair ... the Museum folks were not amused.

Ariana Grande bemoans the loss of nearly 1 million followers .....

A cowrie shell mask .. cowrie shells being currency at that time.

Filming a remake of an Alfred Hitchcock movie

 

I'm accustomed to the sky darkening with crows in my native home of Canada but I've never seen so many birds (hawks) as I saw on the mean streets of Dakar. It's a bit disconcerting to be sure. They are menacing looking and in huge numbers. When we asked about them no one seemed to really notice but as Barry and I enjoyed a single malt on the roof at dusk it was an amazing and frightening sight....the stuff of nightmares. Hopefully they never get organized -- they'll take over that city.

Leaving Dakar in Da -car (hahahahahahhah)

 

We hired a taxi to drive us for a couple days which was WAY less expensive than renting a car and self driving. It would have been north of 400 USD for 2 days with a car. We paid about $200 USD and could sit back and enjoy the drive for a couple days. Our driver was a huge good-looking fella and an absolute delight to be around. He was a quiet unassuming chap and an excellent driver. Fortunately for me, he was also and excellent negotiator getting me out of a jam  that I'll describe later. Keeping Layno out of jail is an important though unstated objective of the trip.

So onwards to the French Colonial town of St. Louis, the one -time capital of the region. Below is a picture that shocked and surprised us the first time we saw it but soon became just part of the background as it is a normal part of life in Senegal. And yes - they all have seat belts.... you just can't see them cause the picture is not clear enough.

It's a few hours up to St. Louis and they passed pleasantly enough as we gazed out the window. You cross a bridge to get to the main city as the hooligans below are doing. I think they were celebrating a women's football win but they may want to keep their heads down as they pass over the bridge. Just sayin"....

The hotel was as eclectic and charming as anything I've visited previously. The rooms though small are decorated with a wonderful assortment of bits and pieces of a bygone era. While St. Louis was a town of means and substance at one time, it has fallen completely into ruin now.


 





It's unlikely in my mind that the town can be saved and as sad as that is, it was fascinating to wander the streets poking into once grand hotels and shops along the streets.
 Lunch of (once again) fresh fish was as delicious as it was entertaining. As we sat in a little hovel of a restaurant deviod of any other customers, we listened to the women in the kitchen gossiping and chatting as they prepared our lunch. and while it took forever, it was worth the wait as forever in such a setting is a blessing rather than a curse.




The amount of garbage is shocking -- and this coming from someone who has seen some nasty places. The entire city throws its garbage into the ocean where it simpy refuses to swallow and spits it all back up onto the shore. With our combined Canadian sensibilities we watched shocked and horrorified as two gals walked to the edge of the ocean and emptied the contents of a large garbage bin into the water .... chatting aimiaby as they did so ..









Some say environmentalism is a privilege of the wealthy, but still -- this is a shameful way to behave. N'est pas??

Remnants of a the past stand resolute stripped of the trappings of grandeur that must have been. In another time  it would have been quite the city though we were fortunate to have the opportinuty to be transported back in time for a glimpse of what was and at the same time witnessing the shocking destruction of what is.

Who says white men can't dance? A really nice moment as the kids spontaneouly dance with Barry

Thanks for reading .....Layno !!!