Cape Coast

This past weekend out program took us on a trip to Cape Coast. This area is about 3 hours west on the coast of Ghana. In the three days we spent there, we had three incredible, unique, and memorable experiences. Our destination on Friday was the most important thing I’ll see all semester. A slave castle. That experience may be the closest I ever get to my African ancestors, and it was an extremely emotional day for me. Jason, Ash, and I were wary of experienced the tour in mixed company, so we linked up with three other black ISEP students to form a tour group. Our guide, a Ghanaian, was extremely knowledgeable, respectful and inspiring in his tour. Even though he gave us a thorough tour, I impatiently awaited the moment when I could roam the harrowing halls on my own. Finally the time came. The male and female slave dungeons. The Cell, where rebellious, subversive, or unmanageable captives were left to die. The Door of No Return, the last portal countless Africans would cross on their home continent. These are the sights that awaited me. From time to time, I said silent prayers and sometimes I wept. I prayed for the souls of my ancestors and cried for their tortured earthly vessel. Dressed in my untainted Western clothes, I dropped to my knees in the dungeon and spoke to God. It was the most connect I’ve ever felt to my ancestors, and probably one of the most spiritual experiences I’ve ever had. I found a rock on the floor and scribbled “sankofa” wherever I could. I’ll hold on to this rock for as long as I can. Not only did the experience convey the reality of slavery, but it also put a lot in perspective for me personally. It gave me a new definition of the word “struggle” and compelled me to honor my forefathers. Issues ranging from school to relationships seemed profoundly trivial, and I suddenly realized that nothing lies in my path that can stopping me from accomplishing what I set out to do. I’m extremely blessed to have the kind of opportunities I have, and I have NEVER taken them for granted thanks to two well-grounded parents. However, I had never felt such a strong urge to take advantage of all opportunities that lie before me and excel. Like my ancestors, I have unlimited potential, but unlike the innumerable potential doctors, poets, artists, educators, and other great minds that were lost to slavery, I have the opportunity to pursue my dreams. That’s power. I take pride in the fact I always count my blessings and never take them for granted, but I was more conscious of it than ever standing in a dungeon that may have very well held my ancestors.

There is so much more to say about this experience, but I’m still making sense of the flood of thoughts and feelings that have overwhelmed me since I left the castle.

Later that night, we checked into a “botel” (think of a hotel, but on the bayou. I know, I don’t really get it either) and were entertained at dinner by a local pianist. To make a long story short, Jason and I ended up jamming with the dude while he played bass. The best part about it was Jason and I actually went back and forth between drums and piano! You probably know I’m no drummer by training, but I am a musician. So, I did manage to hold a pretty tight groove together, if I do say so myself. Needless to say, we gave the crowd an encore the following night, continuing our Like Mindz covers, jazz standards and some blues improv.



The next day we hit up a festival in Cape Coast. I’m still not exactly sure what the occasion was, but I’m pretty sure it was a harvest thing. The Fante people live in this area, so they had grand processions exalting their chiefs through song, dance, and a whole lotta drumming. Even though it was raining throughout the day, the streets were literally filled with people, and the wetness didn’t seem to damper their spirits at all. And when I say everyone was in good spirits, I’m talking groups of 13 year old girls kicking back 40 oz’s of booz in the street, adolescent boys dressed up as girls dancing in the streets, and plenty of performers dressed as clowns asking for a few cedis. We searched for food in the area, but virtually everyone in town was partying, and a good number of them were a lil’ more than tipsy. We lost our hunger in all of the excitement, Jason, Ash and I did our best to maneuver through the 3 or so miles of confusion, and somehow we survived the chaos with all of our belonging intact. A lot of other ISEPers weren’t as lucky, and we heard about a lot of missing cells phones, etc. As crazy as the scene was, I gradually put myself at east while remaining alert, so I had a good time.


Day 3 included a trip we didn’t really hear about until we got on the bus. Ready to head back to campus and rockin’ our flip-flops, we were informed that we’d be taking a hike through the rain forest. That’s a pretty significant change of plans. Anyway, we ended up taking a walk through some tree-bridges, (yea, Return of the Jedi style) and they lasted a little longer than some people would have liked. The mantra: “don’t look down, don’t look back. One step at a time.” Of course it started pouring while we were up there, but somehow we made it across the five treacherous bridges in the rain and hiked back down to the buses. Long weekend, huh? Physically, psychologically, and emotionally exhausting, but definitely all great experiences for different reasons. And to think, I could have spent the weekend unpacking in Harrison College House.