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IN EVERLASTING MEMORY
Of the anguish of our ancestors
May those who died rest in peace
May those who return find their roots
May humanity never again perpetrate
Such injustice against humanity
We, the living, vow to uphold this
A similar plaque is on display at Auschvitz
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This is where the 2 hour tour began .. one
of the most touching experiences of my 71 year old life.
The temperature when we were there was 35 Celsius .. a
normal temperature for this place near the equator. |
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This was a female dungeon ... packed with
150 prisioners without sanitary facilities for a minimum of
3 months ... designed to completely demoralize and destroy
strength so that they wouldn.t be able to cause trouble on
the ships. 50% died here .. 50 % of the remaining died
on the boats .. and it was still profitable in trade.
35 to 40 degrees heat and minimal ventilation. |
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This is a room used for a re-enacting
ceremony in honor for the dead .. 150
people volanteer to be locked in for 2 days ..
today they have doctor supervision!!! |
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This is Mireille standing in the door of no
return ...ramps down to the boats ... never to return.
Approx. 50% died on the boats -- so every second
person that went through this door was doomed to die within
a month!!!! |
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This was one of the court yards --- the row
of windows on the right side was documented as "missionary housing" ... the
building in the midde was built as a Christian chapel
(for moral guidance??!!??) The chapel function was
later moved to inside the main castle structure (above
the slave dungeons) |
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Bible quote from the Dutch period on one of the walls Psalm 132
--- Blessed by God!!!
Detailed Christian support for slavery through history
Pope Nicholas V issued the papal bull Dum diversason
18 June, 1452. It authorised King Alfonso V of Portugal to
reduce any "Saracens (Muslims) and pagans and any other
unbelievers to perpetual slavery. He issued another bull Romanus
pontifex on
January 5, 1455 also addressed to King Alfonso. It extended
dominion over newly discovered lands to the Catholic nations
of Europe. It sanctified the seizure of non-Christian lands,
and encouraged the enslavement of native, non-Christian
peoples throughout the World:
The record of the Anglican Church was no better than that of
the Roman Church. It was the universal opinion of churchmen
that God had ordained slavery, and clergymen had no qualms
about owning slaves themselves. Anglican slave traders were
often extremely devout, and widely respected by their fellow
Christians. It never occurred to them, or to their priests
or ministers, that slave trading might be immoral. The most
famous English slave trader, Sir John Hawkins, named his
slave ships Angel, Jesusand Grace
of God. |
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We will never forget this day or this place.
Why has it taken me 71 years to become aware of the enormous
evil perpetuated by a religion I have associated with? Not
just isolated mistake but a systemized horror, murder and
inhuman abuse that was operated and condoned for well over
200 years |
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From the castle rooftop. Today Elmina Castle
is included as a World Heritage Site but I am surprized at
how few westerners are aware of its history or existence at
all!!
A site representing one of the most horrific state managed
massacres and human abuse in modern history. |
Other Info:
Early Historical Christian policy on slavery
Ignoring the African Holocaust
Death statistics |
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