Emotional, Joyful, Crocs, by Cam Davis and Cole Tomichek

 

The day started off with a simple breakfast consisting toast, rice porridge, and hard boiled eggs. As the tired students boarded the bus after their hearty breakfast, we began to get ready for the emotional and life-changing experience ahead of us at the Cape Coast Castle. 

We entered the castle not realizing all of the rich history. The tour started at the Male Slave Dungeon. The dungeon had several parts and chambers. There was a little trench that runs through each chamber draining male body excretion. Our guide told us we were standing on compounded human excretion and sand that was typically cleaned up by domestic slaves. 

We ventured to other parts of the castle. We saw a jail cell for rebellious slaves that were warriors and fought back against the guards. The cell was airtight and was very hot. The cell was lacking of any and all sunlight. We exited the claustrophobic cell to the nice beach breeze. 

After, we saw other atrocities like the Female Slave Dungeon and the Gate of No Return. The Gate of No Return historically was where the Africans exited the castle to become enslaved in other parts of the world. This place was also where some enslaved people would jump into the water to commit suicide before getting on to the tight and cramped boats that would eventually take them to Europe and the Americas. We also learned about how Sweden participated in the slave trade. During this part of the tour many of us felt emotional realizing that people in the past would never get the chance to return to the castle’s walls, whereas we did get to return. After the tour ended we learned the term Akwaaba meaning welcome in Fante. 

The students then went to the market and got things like a guitar, soccer jerseys, and other hand crafted items. When the gentleman left the castle they reflected what horrific things happened in the castle such as rape, beatings, death, and human trafficking and how some of these horrific events still happen today. For Cam, he felt mournful for his ancestors since some came from Ghana and could’ve experienced the same terrible fate. For Cole, he felt the seriousness and heft of what had happened and where he was. Even though it was hard for Cole to connect to the atrocities in the castle, he understood that terrible things had happened there.

Though we went through an emotional journey in the morning, good things were to come in the afternoon. We got to go to a store where, from long distance, Ms. Williams treated each student to three treats. Now to the more joyful part of the day at Hans Botel with the scary crocodiles, we fed fish and some of us even fed a crocodile. To conclude the crocodile sight seeing everyone went on a slow paced paddle boat and later finished off the day with a game of cards.