Cape Coast,
Ghana
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
(Taken from Ghana - The Bradt Travel Guide) Cape Coast was probably founded in the early 15th century. By the time the British reached Cape Coast in the Gulf of Guinea, which was called Oguaa at the time, it was a fishing village of about 20 small houses presided over by a chief who went by the name of Don Juan. The rapidly growing village changed hands several times in the 17th century - Portuguese, Swedes, Danes, Dutch etc. From about 1664 Cape Coast was Britian's headquarters and they began expanding the existing fort to become the Cape Coast Castle as it stands today. In the 1680's the slave dungeons were constructed in such a way that they were accessible only from the seaward side of the fort and the famouse Door Of No Return. By this time Cape Coast had grown from a small fishing village to one of the largest and most important trading ports along the coast.
Throughout the 18th century, Cape Coast's economy was dominated by it's role at the heart of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Looking out from the castle, you can presume not much has changed in the fishing village over the years. The houses are nothing more than shacks and the fishing boats are still built in the same traditional way. It was fascinating just to stand and watch the daily routines - from fishing, to mending nets, cooking and caring for the children etc.
