Ghana: Heritage & Culture

Finally, you have arrived. Time to relax and take it all in as your senses go into overload. Africa is special and over the coming days, we hope your experiences will help cement your connection to your culture and heritage. Your guide and driver are excited to meet you on your arrival at the Kotoka International Airport Accra, which is situated on the beautiful gold coast of Western Africa.

Make yourself known to your guide who will be accompanying you for the duration of your trip and they will take care of you from here. Most flights arrive in the evening and our aim is to transfer you to the hotel and check you in for you to be able to relax and start to enjoy your vacation. You must have so many questions as your guide officially offers you Akwaaba {welcome) and briefs you on all aspects of your trip. You can choose to relax at your hotel after the flight and rest up in preparation for the following days activities. Maybe you are too excited to rest and would like to experience Accra nightlife, no problem, your guide, and driver will be happy to head into town with you.

From the National Museum we pass by Black Star Gate symbolizing our freedom and visit the adjoining Independence Square {Black Star Square) which is Ghana’s main ceremony grounds and where we find the enclosed flame of African liberation, lit by Kwame Nkrumah himself in 1961. A short distance away we find Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, final resting place of our founding father who led the Gold Coast to independence from the British in 1957. Set in attractive gardens, there is an adjoining museum, containing photos, artifacts, and an insight into this incredible man’s life. If you are looking to purchase African fabrics and crafts then adjoining the park is the National Cultural Center, Ghana’s largest outdoor arts and crafts market selling traditional items from all over West Africa. 

Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant serving a selection of West African and continental dishes. Ghana is famous for the best Jollof Rice in West Africa, why not try some to see if you agree. Jamestown and Usshertown are next after lunch as we enjoy a walking tour of these vibrant communities, Accra’s oldest suburbs taking in some of the historical structures that predate the colonial era. Residents here are committed to conserving these buildings and have made significant efforts to maintain them, our time here gives us an excellent idea of what it was like pre-independence during the colonial occupation. The 30-meter-high lighthouse built by the British in 1871 is of interest and the attractive colorful fishing boats on the beach are also wonderful to see. 

We continue to Fort James which was built by the British as a trading post in 1673, before it joined the Dutch Fort Crevecreur, and the Danish Fort Christiansborg. Fort James gave its name to the Jamestown neighborhood in Accra. These areas give us a perfect picture of old Accra, distinguishing between British Accra and Dutch Accra. The community tour would not be complete before seeing the Brazilian stone houses, built by free enslaved African’s who reside in Brazil. Africans who made their way home after the slave trade was abolished; their descendants have now integrated with the community here.

This part of Accra is one of the poorest and there are many social issues within this community. Street children, orphans and child workers are common here and our evening will be dedicated to meeting community members who are trying to change the lives of the youth through boxing. Jamestown is famous in Ghana for producing several World Champion Boxers that including Isaac Dogboe, David Kotei, Joseph Agbeko, Richard Commey, and the most famous of all and considered Africa’s greatest ever boxer Azumah Nelson. It is believed that this part of Accra produces excellent boxers due to the poverty and hardship faced by the youth. They see boxing as an opportunity for a better life in the future, as you will see this is a part of Ghana that lives and breathes boxing. A successful businessman who hails from this community wants to support the children here by helping some with school fees and he is also sponsoring a weekly boxing event where the boxing clubs put on a show for the locals. Set in the perfect location in the heart of the community overlooking the ocean it could be a wonderful night of entertainment if our dates coincide with an event. If not, we will visit one of the many gyms here to see the youth and professionals in training.

We check out of our hotel after breakfast and set off Northwards towards the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Before we set off, our first visit this morning will be the DuBois Center. This is the final burial place and former home of the prominent American Pan-Africanist Dr William W Burghardt DuBois, who lead the Pan-African congress between 1919 and 1927 he was a vocal Anti- Segregationist and prolific speaker and writer. The center now serves as a library and research institute for students of Pan-Africanism. 

Our journey today will take us into the beautiful Akuapem Hills, however before we head out of this bustling City, we visit TK beads, experts in making beautiful African beads using traditional methods. The Krobo people of Ghana are renowned for their traditional bead jewelry that dates back centuries, and it would be wonderful to see and learn firsthand the historical importance of beads and learn the ancient process used to make them. Your guide will talk you through the skilled process of making the beads and you will see skilled craftsmen at work and can even try your hand. Beads are culturally a symbol of wealth and beauty here in Ghana and are still used during traditional durbars and festivals with most Ghanaian women wearing beads daily. There is a wide selection of quality, beautiful, reasonably priced beads available for purchase at the onsite shop.

Manhyia Palace (palace of the King of the Great Asante Kingdom)

Manhyia palace is the home of the King of Asante. It is a palace that upholds the heritage and values of centuries of Ashante culture. It is the administrative headquarters of the “Asante Kingdom”. The palace holds history of the Ashantes since before the arrival of the British in the Gold Coast during colonial rule till date.

Prempeh II Jubilee Museum

This museum is popularly known as Kumasi National and Cultural Center is a national workshop for crafts, art performances and a museum. The museum was established by Nana Prempeh II and is well noted for portraying Asante culture and history. At the museum, visitors learn about the lifestyle and beliefs of the Ashantes.

Okomfo Anokye Sword Site

Okomfo Anokye Sword Site is a sacred site to the people of Asante. It is the site where Okomfo Anokye, a high priest in Ghana planted an unmovable sword known as “the sword of unity and strength” to aid in uniting Akans in Ghana. Till now, there are no records of the sword being removed by visitors and nationals.

An emotional stop at Assin Manso, a prominent town along the enslaved African trade route where so many of our ancestors from the northern parts of Ghana, Burkina Faso and Niger were marched bare foot in shackles heading towards the coast. The town surrounds the Ndonkor Nsuo {Slave River). This river is where enslaved Africans were checked for fitness and bathed before being transported to Cape Coast for shipment to the Americas. They would have walked hundreds of kilometers from Northern Ghana through thick forests in shackles and chains, many being in poor health once they reached Assin Manso. Once bathed and rested they would continue the final 32-mile march to the dungeons of Cape Coast or Elmina Castles where they would remain for up to 6 weeks before being shipped to the Americas. In 1998, a symbolic gesture was made when the bodies of two free {previously enslaved) Africans, Samuel Carson from New York U.S.A and Crystal from Kingston Jamaica were returned to Cape Coast Castle and symbolically passed through the “Door of no Return” before being transported to Assin Manso for re-internment. After learning the history, having time to reflect, and visiting the river we continue to Cape Coast.

An action-packed day lies ahead and an early start for us as we enjoy the sunrise and our breakfast on arguably Ghana’s finest beach front location. Africa’s world-famous rainforest canopy walkway awaits us as we set off to Kakum National Park which is a semi-deciduous upper guinea rainforest.

The time has finally arrived for you to be given your true African name during your own personal traditional naming ceremony in your honor. Chiefs and elders of the community officially welcome you as they lead you through the ceremony which has been performed by your ancestors through history. You will finally have the chance to adopt your own African name based on the day of the week you were born or numeric order of your siblings. This would have been your actual name if you were born in Ghana and has an emotional attachment to many when they receive them. A major highlight of your time here, after an afternoon of celebrations we return to your hotel to relax. In the evening we hope to celebrate such an important occasion, our plan is to head into Cape Coast town and visit one of the most popular night spots to enjoy a local live band, dancing and reflecting on such an incredible day. If you would prefer to relax and reflect at your hotel this would not be a problem.

After a relaxing breakfast, your guide, and driver will collect your bags from your room and bring them to our vehicle to load as we set off back to Accra. On route to Accra, we pass through the fishing town of Elmina. During our time in Elmina town, we visit the Castle of St. George, the oldest extant colonial building in sub-Saharan Africa, dating from 1482. This castle is steeped in history and played a prominent part during the tragic, transatlantic slave trade era. There is an informative museum inside which concentrates on local history and this now silent monument to the pain and suffering our ancestors endured has been formally designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO.