Remembering Ghana and The Year of the Return
Before traveling to Ghana, African continent was a distant place. It was a continent that might as well have been a million miles away. (Its actually 8,235, but who’s counting?) I didn’t know much about Africa other than common knowledge: Africa is the genesis of life, arts, sciences, and mathematics; loaded with history, saturated in culture, language and tradition — you know, common knowledge. I grew up with very few Africans but remember rich skin tones and names with many syllables meaning things like “born on Tuesday” or “God’s love endures forever”. The depiction of Africa is systemically skewed and the majority on the Western hemisphere succumbed to the narrative much through the 90s - 00s, some even scrutinizing Africans based of falsities and ignorance. But one day we woke up refused to believe the lies any longer. Young Black people were taking matters into their own hands to experience the land for themselves and I was among the many who made their way back for the Year of the Return in December 2018.
It was February 2018 when I decided to go #HomeForTheHoliday. I didn’t know what was waiting for me there, but I knew I wouldn’t dare to let the opportunity pass me by. There were whispers of a celebratory occasion in December called The Year of the Return. In anticipation for the Holiday, President of Ghana His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo welcomed those who had been lost, back home. Those who were “lost” represented the descendants of enslaved Africans who departed from the Continent at Cape Coast Castle 400+ years ago and never returned.
Under the organization of 3 good Brothers, I sent in my first deposit. While we were settling our balances throughout the year, there was a buzz on the street. There were conversation starting with “are you going to Ghana?” “have you heard of the Year of the Return?”. I didn’t want to say anything because tomorrow is not promised, but in my mind I knew if we were talking about it in America 6 months prior -- this was going to be an experience for real! There was an equal amount of excitement and frustration in the weeks coming to our departure. Visas, vaccines, and passport renewals were all hanging in the balance, but when it was time for take-off, we showed up and were fully expecting Ghana to show out. And She did.
Facing Our Past
When we flew in to Accra from Morocco, we were tired, some were hungover, and we were on the move. We traveled from the airport to the Golden Tulip hotel to drop our bags, then we were off to Kakum National Park. Other landmarks we visited during our stay was Wli Waterfalls and the marketplace but we were all ready to see Cape Coast Castle. The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade transported an estimated 12 million enslaved Africans to the “New World”, many of whom passed through Cape Coast’s dungeons. Under the guidance of Sebatian Ketty, we were led throughout the Castle’s rooms, cells and slave auction blocks. We might’ve been a large group but the storytelling, the heat, and the darkness of the Castle silenced us in reverence and in remembrance as we stood where our ancestors suffered. We made sure to walk through the doors that faced the shore that were once called “The Door of No Return”. The symbolic act affirmed that we in fact returned from where we had been placed and we were now Home. The doors have since been renamed “The Door of Return”.
A view of the shore lining Cape Coast Castle
Door of Return
Just a few months prior I walked the halls of the Citadelle Fortress in Cap-Haitien, Haiti where Haitian armies fought for their freedom and succeeded; and here I was visiting Cape Coast Castle where the bondage of the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade all began. It was a full circle moment and I’m thankful that travel could allow me to encouter two significant landmarks in world history especially in the same year.
Good things Come to Those Who are Ghanaian
Accra is a long way from Brooklyn, and its impossible to deny that no matter how connected we felt to the Motherland, were we still Americans who needed to adjust to a new culture and different rules to live by. The most evident cultural difference was the concept of time. Black people in America think they know what “Colored People” time is, but they will have no idea until they travel back Home. A Ghanaian party doesn’t start until everybody gets there – whenever that may be. If you want to be early to a social event advertised for 2pm, get there at 11:30pm. NO EXAGGERATION. It only made sense that we came home after 5a every night on the town, because the party didn’t start ‘til just a few hours earlier! Many times I ran into people who looked like people I knew back in Brooklyn. Complete strangers forced me to do a double-take to make sure my friend’s sister’s cousin didn’t also make it to Ghana for the Return. My memories of partying with the Ghanaians was a great one. They’re a beautiful people who love a good time and a good flex! I wont forget the way they let a BMW in the club before the people! That story is for a different post though.
I got a great peek into Ghanaian culture surrounding music and the arts at the 2nd annual Afrochella festival. Afrochella highlighted the music, food, and art that came out of Ghana’s beautiful people. There was so much to do there and so little time. Ironically, the invite said 1p, and when we got there at 8 I feel like we missed a few things. (I’ll know better for next time). Afrochella was where an artist could be on stage rapping passionately and I was just as hype as everyone else without knowing a word about what was said. I really knew I was in the right place when I heard the melodious keys to the classic “Computers” by the now-freed Rowdy Rebel and Bobby Shmurda. As I sang along to the violent lyrics I had never lived, I knew I was Home.
Now living in a post*-pandemic world. I am looking forward to my Second Coming return to Ghana. I wonder how Ghana has adjusted since the Coronavirus global pandemic hit. As of today, US citizens are allowed entry into Ghana, however a negative COVID 19 test is required for entry and a mandatory $150 COVID 19 test (paid online prior to arrival) must be administered upon arrival. The US Embassy has Ghana listed under Level 3 advisory, asking travelers to “reconsider” entry, but places like Mexico, Jamaica, and Costa Rica are also listed under Level 3. Please follow all precautions and guidelines to prevent the spread/contraction of the Coronavirus, but also get those passport stamps! Everyone should make their way to the Continent at least once in their life. You deserve to go to place where everyone looks like you and you can connect to what’s been separated from you for multiple generations. As we celebrate Ghana’s 64th year of independence in 2021, I’m thankful for the privilege to have returned once before, but I know it wont be the last.
Read my profile interview with Abdul Karim the co-founder of Afrochella, here.
Revisit my day-to-day tweets and stories of our visit to Morocco and Ghana on Twitter and Instagram .
Read about my return to my personal Motherland, Haiti here.
Thanks for reading!