FORTRESSES ALWAYS FEATURE CANNON...THAT WERE USED TO DEFEND AND PROTECT THE ECONOMIC INTERESTS OF THE EUROPEAN NATION THAT CLAIMED OWNERSHIP

The cannons are rusty and in disrepair now. Pointed outward, they were used to protect the interests of those who held sway over the slave fortress at any given time. First it was the Portuguese. Then came the Dutch and later the English. These cannon are relics of a time past and they remain where they stood for centuries, stark weapons of warfare used to defend the slavemasters' interests. Perhaps iron ore from mines used to fashion these cannon was also used to tool the iron bars on some of the open windows of Elmina. The same mine might have produced iron ore used to make iron, religious crosses that were used during worship services at the church built within the Elmina complex. Prayer went right along with the terror of human bondage...it was all to be expected. After all, G_d was on their side, right?

HUNDREDS OF YEARS LATER...IRON BARS AND THICK STONE WALLS SPEAK OF THE INHUMANITY OF ELMINA SLAVE FORTRESS

Not surprisingly, many of the rooms used to house slaves at Elmina were without windows. As the slaves were readied for the waiting ships, they were moved to dark, windowless rooms...some of which are seen in photographs later in this series. The bars look weakened by virtue of age--and so does the mortar. I "tested" them and there was not even a hint of being able to bring them down. Just imagine being captured in a forested area hundreds of miles from this fortress. Then try to imagine being chained together with other captives and marched relentlessly over the land to the coastal area and the slave fortress Elmina. Surviving that tortuous journey, imagine being incarcerated for weeks, perhaps months, until European slave ships arrived to haul you off to an unknown destination. Finally, imagine being on a slave ship, along with hundreds of other forlorn slaves. The transatlantic middle passage, as it was called, might encompass anywhere from six to eight weeks. And if you survived all that, you were "rewarded" with a lifetime of human bondage in a new land...thousands of miles away from your motherland. It was the destruction of a people by fellow human beings who did not recognize their enslaved captives as human. No names were recorded--only a number. In some cases said number was branded on the forehead of the slaves.

PHOTOGRAPHS THAT DEPICT THE DREADFUL, TRUE MEANING OF ELMINA CASTLE AND SLAVE FORTRESS: IT WAS A DISASTER IN TERMS OF HUMAN SUFFERING

This photograph depicts a southeastern section of the fortress--looking out over what is now fishing dwellings. There is much fishing there now. The port area, of course, was utilized to facilitate slave ships coming from European ports. At any given time those ships could be from Portugal, Holland, or England...depending on which European power was in control of the Elmina fortress. Perhaps at first glance the buildings look like a Mediterranean Sea recreation complex. No recreation took place here, though. The waiting slave ships were involved in a serious business proposition. Who was it that said "money is the root of all evil?"

GHANAIAN SCHOOL CHILDREN RECEIVE A LECTURE ON THE EVILS OF THE SLAVE TRADE...WHILE VISITING ELMINA SLAVE FORTRESS

Above: School children and others gather outside the two rooms that were used to punish any slave being held captive at Elmina. The doors to the rooms were made of cast iron...they were very heavy and gave an omnious look to each room. This is the central walkway inside the fortress.
Below: The photo depicts the room that was used to "break" a male slave that resisted in any way. Does the skull above the door send a message? The message was death to those who enter here. No food or water. Almost no air to breath. Our small group felt the closeness of the room, which was no larger than a big closet. If you had to urinate or deficate, the floor was all that could be used. One can only imagine the smell inside that room. The iron door was closed on us and it was almost unbearable...within a couple of minutes. Death lurked inside that room--it was impossible not to feel it.

A CONTEMPLATIVE EDUCATOR FROM LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND...WHAT ARE HER THOUGHTS RELATIVE TO HER ANCESTORS?

Yeah, I "intruded" on Vikky's private moment. The photograph was irrestible--the moment had to be captured. I don't think she knew I was there...I used the telephoto capability on my Canon. The wind picked up and her scarf flew in just the right direction at the moment I squeezed the shutter button...for the shot I was looking for!

I'll surely notify Vikky about the photo. And if she asks for it, I'll be more than happy to send her the digital shot. There are a couple of other photos taken at the same spot, but none equal this particular one. Importantly, it is not a posed shot. Is she reaching out for the sea? Will it reveal something to her? The pounding surf is missing, of course. Perhaps it was telling her something...who knows?

"THE DOOR OF NO RETURN" MEANT JUST THAT...THE WAITING SLAVE SHIPS BEGAN THE LONG, ARDUOUS "MIDDLE PASSAGE" TO THE AMERICAS

The first thing one notices is the glare from the outside sun...through that sliver of a doorway. Perhaps the narrow iron gate jumps out at you. It matches the narrow doorway, of course.

Having been there, I clearly remember the thick walls and the stones beneath my shoes. Yes, I was wearing shoes...something slaves were forbidden to wear at that point. I reached down and felt the stones. They were somewhat cool and wet to the touch. They felt strange. I kept thinking that cliche: "If only these walls could talk." There was a grouping of flowers in a corner of the small, dark prison-like room. They reminded me of the flowers and mementos left at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C.

A huge difference between the remembrances left at the Vietnam "Wall" and in what you're looking at here is the fact that at the Vietnam Memorial they are placed at the designated name of the lost loved one. There are no names at Elmina. The slaves were nameless, faceless, and without humaneness to the slave traders.

Thousands upon thousands of human beings were pushed through that narrow doorway. Most would make it to the Americas, only to be auctioned off to work forever in the plantations. It is a truly sad history that involved the Europeans and also the local Africans who bartered away their own people.

A placque above the entrance to the cells near the "Door of No Return" reads: "This is in everlasting memory of our anguished ancestors. May those who died rest in peace. May those who return find their roots. May humanity never again perpetrate such injustices against humanity. We the living vow to uphold this."

TIME TO GET SERIOUS: ELMINA FORTRESS AND A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SLAVE TRADE THAT WAS BASED THERE

The image looks "pleasant" in a way, doesn't it? If you look closely, there are tourists scurrying about the ancient walls of Elmina Castle now. It's called St. George's Castle and it was built to protect and serve the Portuguese--who arrived on the coast of what is now Ghana in 1471. A year later 200 soldiers made up of masons, carpenters and other artisans built what was the first permanent European building in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Portuguese eventually launched a slave trade from Elmina that became the envy of other European powers. Significantly, the Dutch were nearby and to make a long story short, an attack on Elmina came on August 29, 1637, and the Portuguese slave trade at Elmina, which lasted for approximately one hundred ten years came to an end.

Ironically, the Dutch were helped by local people to conquer the hated Portuguese. The Dutch, of course, took up the profitable slave trade where the Portuguese left off and remained in Elmina until the fortress was sold to the British in 1872. Some historians say that the slave trade continued there until about the 1860's--even though it was abolished by the English in 1807 and the Dutch in 1814, respectfully.

Elmina was designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1979. The Portuguese word "Al mina", meaning the mine, is the origin of the word Elmina. It was given this name because of the gold that was mined in the region, hence the coastal area was known earlier as the Gold Coast. When gold was depleted, the Europeans turned to "black gold"--and slavery produced human "cargo" that was taken to the plantations in the Americas.

SCHOOL GIRLS WITH SCHOOL UNIFORMS...MOST SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD REQUIRE UNIFORMS...

These young girls were walking quickly, trying to avoid the camera. I innocently said something to them about posing for a picture and suddenly they stopped, wheeled around, and stood for this photograph. What really caught my eye was the doily-like wrappings around their ankles. I had never seen those before...they were cute, I thought. No smiles here either, which was a disappointment. Well, maybe one can discern a hint of a smile on three of the young girls. I wanted to ask them what grade they were in, but after the photo they took off running. I had to wonder what the heck they were thinking about the grey-haired foreigner who just had to have their photograph. Honestly, I think they liked having their picture taken...just like kids anywhere in the world.

TWO GHANAIAN YOUNGSTERS MAKE FOR A WONDERFUL, POSED PHOTOGRAPH...

They caught my eye almost immediately. The green color was so vibrant against the blah of the cement porch; the blue sandles on the other kid helped set the juxtaposition. I wanted a smile, even a hint of a smile. They wouldn't budge...no smile. In retrospect, I really liked the composition, the colors, albeit no smiles. What's your take on this lovely photo?

GROUP PHOTO: THE MIDDLE PASSAGE/A SHARED HISTORY OF THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE

Yes, we were a dynamic group of dedicated educators--studying at the Kokrobitey Institute near Accra, Ghana, from July 29 to August 7, 2009.

Ten of us were from the USA; ten teachers from the UK; ten educators from Ghana. We enjoyed the scholarship of professors from those three areas of the world too. I don't know about the numbers of applicants from UK or Ghana, but I did learn about how many teachers applied from America....over 250! To be chosen as one of the ten Americans means it was a tremendous honor for me. I'm just a lucky, blessed guy!

Initially, the American group was simply told there would be ten educators from the UK. What we were not told was most of that group was from Liverpool, England. And most of them worked for the Liverpool Museums--specifically, the Museum of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition. Everyone knows that Liverpool was the original home of the boys they called The Beatles. Not many people know Liverpool's maritime history and the pivotal part it played in the transatlantic slave trade. Liverpool's involvement made it number one--the leader in ships leaving its port to what was then known as the Gold Coast. It was all a revelation to me.

GHANAIAN WOMEN AT FISHING VILLAGE AREA NEAR ACCRA, GHANA

For those of you who remember my reference to "Big Milly's Backyard", this photograph has nothing to do with Milly or her backyard. Yeah, I know...you thought for sure the woman on the left was (Big) Milly. Wrong.

We were taken to this fishing area along the coast as sort of an introduction to Ghana. Personally, I didn't think it was a good idea to show our group such an impoverished location first. This photo works though, in having you think of the "Big Milly" moniker (I think).

The intrigue is over, okay? Big Milly's Backyard, also known as Wendy's Place (for reasons unknown to me), was an inexpensive campground, restaurant complex, located less than a km walk from Kokrobitey Institute. It's a perennially popular backpackers' hangout that is owned/run by an Anglo-Ghanaian couple. Very inexpensive place that also offers rooms and dormitory beds. The restaurant is known for serving top-quality seafood. The seafood, I swear, is caught right there from boats that depart from the beautiful, sandy beach.

I learned later the place also offered professional massages....hmmmmmm. They had live music performances on Saturday nights, which we missed. Oh, and they had a lively bar that featured drummers...lots and lots of drummers. Well, I missed the bar scene and skipped the massage, but I think we could hear the (loud) music on Saturday night from down the beach.

One (unwanted) thing I did take with me from a then delightful seafood lunch at the restaurant was a bad case of "Montezuma's revenge." Most Americans know that means I had the dreaded diarrhea, something one doesn't want/need in a foreign country (or even at home, I would think).

So let's be creative, huh? What would diarrhea be called when a Michigan teacher contracts it in Ghana? Please allow your creative juices to flow. Ouch! What a poor choice of words...

KOKROBITEY INSTITUTE...A STONE'S THROW FROM "BIG MILLY'S BACKYARD"

At first glance, one would have to say the title of the photograph doesn't belong with said photograph. Wrong! Please allow me to explain.

First of all, that is the beach area we enjoyed while staying at the institute. A bit rocky, hence the "stone's throw" reference. What, a Ghanaian staring at the Atlantic surf pounding on the rocky shore?

Not exactly. That's Darren Earl (I won't divulge his surname). Darren's from Liverpool, England. He was one of the ten U.K. educators. A really nice chap--very animated with his never-ending stories. I imagine his classroom as quite interesting. I kind of interrupted his quiet time at the beach and apologized, then asked if I might take a photo. Darren did not mind the intrusion, so I snapped a couple of scenes. It was early morning and he was in a contemplative mood. I did my thing and vacated the premises.

As I look at the photograph now I'm wondering what was going through his mind before I interrupted him. He told me his family roots go back to the Caribbean area. We learned that part of the world was a prime destination for the slave ships that departed from what later became known as Ghana. What were his thoughts? Just try to imagine what they might have been...