Three-hundred years on...

During my time in Ghana I took some time to visit the world heritage sites of Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle. Both really brought about an understanding of the slave trade and the experience of becoming a slave for different colonial nations. I recommend visiting there sites, they are interesting and guides do an excellent job of bringing history to life.
The castles' attributes tell something of the slave trade too, though. There are several dungeons, those that were for holding men or women slaves, the trapdoor the inten used to sneak slaves up to sleep with, the churches that sat on top of the dungeons- it all tells quite a story. But there is one attribute that stuck with me, that shocked me more than anything else that I came upon in the Castles... You see, I do not have a very home sense of smell, or I do not have the ability to smell things easily. Upon entrance into a women's dungeon at Elmina Castle I noticed this smell. It assaulted my senses, and made me want to leave the chamber quickly. But the guide spoke about the experience of the people, the hundreds of women who were crowded into a relatively small space. Like all the dungeons I'd seen, I'm pretty sure this one had the drainage system but through the floor. It was meant to allow for the excrements of slaves to flow into the nearby sea during the three months they were held before dying or being shipped off. It seemed normal in every way, except the stench. I wondered he they'd just neglected cleaning this dungeon well, and such. Soon the guide answered my mental queries. The dungeon smelled because the drainage system couldn't drain bodily fluids that well. It helped some, but eventually slaves ended up standing in their own excrements for the rest of the time they remained in the dungeons. In this dungeons womens stood upon feces, urine, and the blood from their period. I realized the latter was part of what I smelled probably- the stench of blood. He explained that even though they tried to clean the cell, the odor would not leave the space. Three-hundred years on, this particular cell still smells, reminding us of the stench the act of slavery has left upon human history. May God help up to never repeat such acts again.

My neighborhood friends - the trees

Greetings all! I just got back from my holiday vacation in the culturally-rich nation of Ghana. I enjoyed the jollof rice with say cabbage, jovial hellos from the locals, and the national pride of the Ashante... And much more. But there is something that stuck out to me, that wiped some of the glimmer away from my respective of Ghana - trees.
As I made my way northward in the nation, I find myself utterly startled by the absen nature of the Ghanaian landscape. In Benin we're always told the deforestation is a problem that affects our country. We're told that is we do not plant trees, soon winds will displace up with their force, that the sun burn upon up still more harshly. In Ghana all these possible consequences are experienced. In Benin people often forcefully shew you into shady areas when the sun's around; in Ghana, people stood in the middle of the road or next to a boutique but felt the same thing - scorching heat. Perhaps there great people were use to the sun so thought nothing of it. But with the bit of Beninese I have governing my worldview, I was startled by their willingness to stand in heat. Shade is a value in Benin, Fruit from the trees (mangoes and such) are valued in Benin- the tree has so many positive functions. The lack of trees sent my mind and heart hurrying back to Benin, and my little house, where palm and mango trees are my actual neighbors. I love Ghana, but I love trees, always and everywhere; I hope the two can work towards being united a bit more. :)
Ghana's population is far greater than Benin's, I suppose that is the cause of its people carving landscapes into blank horizons. Whatever the case I say cheers to reforestation and Benin. I'm glad to be back in a land that depends upon trees retaining life. Love until... :) happy New Year, and Merry Christmas! :)