I'm still trying to recover from the weekend. It was physically and emotionally draining, but poignant, nonetheless. We had to leave at 6am Saturday morning for Elmina, home to a magnificent town, and the Portuguese and then British operated slave castle. I think pictures illustrate this more than I can. But I want to add a trigger warning, that these photos are disturbing and graphic.
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A couple of years ago, some Ghanaians spent 24 hours in the dungeon, in order to imagine what their ancestors experienced. It was unimaginable. |
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The Governor's rooms were behind the balcony, which he would look out from to choose African women to rape. |
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This was the only opening in this dungeon for ventilation. |
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These doorways were not open, but bars in the shape of a door, blocked escape. |
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This was the church where the Portuguese would pray. |
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Right outside of the door, which colonizers used to transport people from the castles, into slave ships. The water use to touch the edge of the castle. |
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Our incredible guide finished the tour by drawing our attention to this plaque, and by encouraging a moment of silence. We repeated "never forget" in unison. |
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An opposite and smaller fort, used to be on the lookout for incoming attacks. |
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The door of no return. They have now added on the opposite side, "door of return." |
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