Exploring the Historical Connection Between Elmina Castle, Cape Coast, and the Holy Scriptures

We never know just how true something is until we can actually see, feel, smell, hear, and touch it. After all, the five senses must relate it to our brains’ that this a real person, place, or thing and not just a figment of our imagination; and after visiting Elmina Castle—what many have read in their Bibles was yet confirmed through all of our innate senses. The intensity of seeing the Atlantic Oceans waves brush harshly against the seashore and the dark and grim back shadow of Elmina Castle overcasting on the high hills of the shore confirms exactly what many wish to deny. Which is the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

Consequently, when first entering through the narrow gates of Elmina, the patchy white paint that is cracking along the bricks confirms that the atrocities of human enslavement are very real. For those that are astute in the writings of the Holy Scriptures of Devareim 28 (Deut.28) and understand what would befall us, we would then begin to witness these harsh realities. Only those will begin to feel a weakness and trembling of the legs and a shift of the mind that we have now entered into a place where our ancestors were once captured, tortured, killed, and/or enslaved to be sent to the four corners of the Earth as human cargo.  As we walked along the old woodened bridge, with the rusty chained bars and roughly placed bricks that the soles of our feet touched upon, we can only begin to imagine how reality set in for those that would soon be haunted by the repercussions of the disobedience and defiance of our Eloheim.

“And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but YEHOWAH shall give thee there a trembling mind, and a failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind.” (Devareim 28:65) We began our tour by entering a small room with a sign above the door that signified death. Then, there was a slam, the door closed and locked shut behind us, and terror filled us. The dingy room had little to no ventilation and hardly any light to see. It was there that our forefathers were imprisoned with the sanction of death for seeking to escape or for causing an uprising. As I tried to hold back the tears not even the strongest minds can perceive the longing that our people wept for. The worry and fear that must have struck them and the words of their very own ancestors became a reality. All liberties have been abruptly snatched that were once enjoyed and if one did not obey. The punishment would be death or torture. They must’ve wondered, “What did we do to deserve this?” Yet, the answers were there all along.

In Devareim 28:1-14, YEHOWAH granted us with beautiful blessings through obedience towards HIS words, statues, and judgements. HE never neglected to tell us of the wealth we’d attain and the bountiful pleasures that all of humanity desires, but knowing how rebellious of a people we are, we were given forewarnings of what will succumb to us if we do not hearken. “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of YEHOWAH thy Eloheim, to observe to do all HIS commandments and HIS statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:” (Devareim 28:15). We read this today in our day and time and slap down onto our thigh thinking, “How could they not be afraid of this?! Did they not think that this evil will come upon them?” At least, those were the thoughts of my mind while walking the castle grounds. In reality, I couldn’t be so angry at the Goyeim for the evil that was brought upon us, because I knew exactly why it happened. We were warned and still sought after powers of wood and stone as YAH commanded us not to. (Devareim 28:64)

However, I could not neglect the fact that the Goyeim went to such great extents in bringing harm unto our very own people. We then ventured out from the small holding cell into an open courtyard, with writings of Dutch, Portuguese, and sometimes British languages that were imprinted onto the various walls. Some gave credence to the perpetrators of these atrocities, while others stated bible verses that gave them the destiny to inflict such pain on a particular group of people. Could you believe it? While both men and women were being enslaved, raped, and brutally tortured, that they have also used our very own bible verses and weaponized it against us? These are the thoughts that would have run through anyone’s mind during this expenditure.

Later, we visited the dungeon, an area with a great stench that can be witnessed unto this very day. It was infuriating to see and smell how our people had to defecate, urinate, vomit, and sometimes give birth in such an unsanitary place while they awaited their exit to the slavers’ ships. Then we walked through the dampened area into which our people would leave the castle into the open sea to load onto the ships thus fulfilling Devareim 28:68. From that very exit seeing the tiny door which then led out to the sea we can conclude that there was no more denying that this had happened. It would only confirm that the words of YEHOWAH are very real and to be feared and taken seriously.

Then, we walked into a church which anchored the top of the castle where many of our ancestors were converted into religions’ that are of wood and stone. Whether Christianity or Islam, our people were subjected to following these strange powers that still linger and cling unto many this very day. How be it so, that the very same people that were responsible for enslaving masses of our peoples, would also teach us the correct ways to worship The Almighty. This proves just how low we have fallen and how much has not changed today. Many still call upon strange powers: The Christians who idolize ‘Christ in saying he was hung or plied into wood or Islamists’ who state that the ‘Mecca stone is a symbolic place of hierarchy in worship. Both are ways and worships that were enforced upon us in our various captivities. Yet, we still have Yisraelites who embrace the culture of ‘Christianity, in their ideas that a ‘Messiah called ‘Yeshua will come to save them, which ironically is the very same ‘Yeshua that was hung from a tree or nailed to a wooden ‘cross that is found in ‘Christianity. Funnily enough, it didn’t save them then and it will not save us now.

The Elmina Castle visit left me speechless, yet so filled with anger, rage, and pain that I could not contain it. I began to speak loudly that, “The words of The Almighty will come to pass!”, as I overlooked the ocean from the top balcony. Even in reference to our rebellious ancestors who did not hearken, but even unto the people that surrounded round about me. The expenditure included not only so-called Blacks who were seeking for more connection and truth, but the Goyeim or ‘whites” whose ancestors more than likely were a part of this atrocity or complicit in benefiting from it. Yet, there were no apologizes or empathy expressed from these very same people. Did they not feel affected? Was this not touching for them? Do they even feel bad for this? I internalized so many questions that would possibly never be answered. Yet, I maintained my integrity by the strength of my ancestors.

In truth, visiting Elmina Castle opened my eyes to the grim reality of where we as “Black people” are today. Lost in derision, following foreign powers and strange worships that our ancestors knew not. While we were there, I envisioned myself being amongst my ancestors and wondered what name our people called upon as they were being stripped and beaten by their oppressors. Did they call out, “Boa foe Ne YEHOWAH!”, meaning YHWH is my help in Twi mixed with Hebrew, did they say, “Jamaicia” which is the Twi word for “We are stuck here.” Did they curse others

in the name of The Almighty, or had they forgotten who was their Eloheim altogether? We can only imagine what must’ve gone through their minds, but one thing that is not a figment of our imagination is the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Our ancestors left through the “Door of No Return”, only for people like I, to enter in as a freed woman, who embraces her history, and choose to never follow the ways that led us here. Our people existed then in Ghana as they do now in various places across the World, and we who have returned are our ancestor's greatest dream. Everyone must bring themselves to experience what the hands of The Almighty will accomplish to know to never transgress HIS laws, statues, and judgements ever again.

Peace and love family,

Nasekah Tai’Leone