Hello Ghana! – Beyond the Return

Why Ghana? 🇬🇭 Why now? We travelled to Ghana with University of Puget Sound to learn more about the transatlantic slave trade, pan-Africanism (cultural and political unity between Africans), and because the 2019 Year of Return welcomes (akwaaba) us all home to connect with Black people in the diaspora.

Accra is lovely. We see each other here. We see the artists whose art fills the walls of the Artists Alliance Gallery, the Emefa Jewellery artists who melted sterling silver into the beautiful pieces we purchased, Mr. Eric Kpakpo the coffin carving carpenter, the seamstress who is tailoring the clothing we designed, as well as the many residents and entrepreneurs who line the streets daily.

Pan-Africanism is not just talk. We must band together as a people. Professor Dexter Gordon reminded us, this is one way to start. Putting our body on this continent. 🌍 Standing here on the motherland and allowing our soul to connect with the stories, history, and struggle.

After three nights in Accra we are heading to Central Region to visit Elmina Castle and take The Canopy Walk. The Ashanti Region and Kamasi will follow. We return to Accra before heading home.“Blackness is the highest constellation.” 🇬🇭 #blackstar We toured University of Ghana and visited the Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum.

“The Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum memorial complex was dedicated in 1992, and is situated on the site of the former British colonial polo grounds in Accra. The mausoleum, designed by Don Arthur, houses the bodies of Kwame Nkrumah and his wife Fathia Nkrumah. The building is meant to represent an upside down sword, which in Akan culture is a symbol of peace. The mausoleum is clad from top to bottom with Italian marble, with a black star at its apex to symbolize unity. The interior boasts marble flooring and a mini mastaba looking marble grave marker, surrounded by river-washed rocks. A skylight at the top in the mausoleum illuminates the grave.

The mausoleum is surrounded by water, a symbol of life.” 💦One Love. 🇬🇭⚽️♥️ Soccer with new friends.Tour of Elmina Slave Castle – Cape Coast

Thinking about our ancestors who where captured, traded, tortured, and raped in these dungeons. 💔

Each room reeked of pain. Pain we will never forget. Pain that reminds us of the work that still needs to be done to unite us as a people. The pain of millions of bodies that left this coast to never return.

But we returned. We returned to honor, remember, and respect our ancestors. We will fight against division of our people. We are united. We are one.We hiked at Kakum National Park + braved The Canopy Walk. I also met a sweet little friend and his maame. ❤️💛💚Videos departing Cape Coast and heading to Kamasi.In Kamasi we visited the Assin Manso Slave River Site, learned how Kente Cloth is woven, experienced an Adinkra-making workshop, tasted fresh cocoa beans, drove through the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and visited Manhyia Palace Museum.I’m going to miss these sweet students THE MOST. Their welcome was so warm + filled with long hugs. I’ll miss their sweet voices calling me “ma’am” or “obruni” (foreigner) and asking “What is your name?,” “Do you have on mascara?,” and “Is that your hair?” (chile!!!!) The mouths of babes are just as unfiltered abroad as they are at home.

In partnership w/ AYA Centre, our University of Puget Sound group donated soccer balls and funds for students at Anani Memorial International School.W.E.B. Dubois Museum and MausoleumBeautiful, beautiful, Ghana. 🇬🇭Continent Hopping Currency: Cedis from Africa and Euros from Europe🌴 ☀️🇬🇭 Ghanaian Sunshine + Palm Trees at Abrui Botanical Garden Finally on my way home after a long layover in Amsterdam.