My Story | Tamia McDonald
By Tamia McDonald
As we close out the school year, I reflect on my opportunity to go to the Motherland - to go to the soil the soles of my ancestor’s feet cross before facing the uncertainty of their futures - Ghana, a land rich in people, culture, and history. I am thankful to return and see its beauty firsthand. The ten days I spent in the country as a part of the HIST 890 course broadened how I view Ghana, the continent as a whole, and how I interact with sites of public memory.
At first, I wasn't sure what to expect. Would what I read or heard prior match the experience I had? Would it feel like everything clicked into place? Would I feel like an outsider? An alien in what we colloquially call the Motherland?
Ultimately, it felt like peace. In a sea of Black faces, music, laughter, and kindness - I was one among many.
This was especially poignant during the Independence Day Celebrations. When the group arrived in Black Star Square, we arrived to a sea of Black Joy. The plaza was packed and lively: folks were singing, dancing, selling wares, and truly celebrating not just as an ode to Ghana - but to what that Independence represents on a greater scale. Ghana was the first in sub-Saharan Africa to release themselves from European tyranny, this precedent - alongside the Pan-Africanism of Kwame Nkrumah ‐ made the country an inspiration and point of pilgrimage throughout the diaspora.
There were many instances throughout the trip that were significant in my understanding of Ghana’s social and political history - and how they choose to represent said history; two occasions that stuck out to me are our visits to the Asante King's Palace, Elmina Castle, and Cape Coast Castle. Whereas the Castles were a representation on how the Atlantic Slave Trade and its impact on African people - both on and outside of the continent - is remembered, the Asante King’s Palace was a direct connection between the past and the present. In the palace, I got to witness a more honest history focused on Black pride - not shame. There was a sense of respect to the Asante community and to the ancestors in the detailed narratives and the reverence evident in the tour. It did not feel like the displays and descriptions were attempting to make up for an atrocity or appeal to a white audience.
From the perspective of one who studies history, the museums and tours at Elmina and Cape Coast felt sensationalized and shallow. The descriptions written often alluded to atrocities and injustices committed by colonial entities (Portuguese, Dutch, and English) while skipping over the extent of their ramifications ‐ lacking accountability. The most impactful aspect was at Cape Coast, where the guide led us to a room excavated to show the original floor in contrast to the centuries of bodily fluids and suffering that caked-on the floors. In a way, it reminds me of how the United States speaks upon the Civil War and Reconstruction - present, evident, and yet still ignored.
History aside, one of the most rewarding aspects of the trip were the people themselves. Kofi and Kwame provided amazing perspectives on their home and day to day life that I found to be very similar in my own family - while also providing background on the places we visited. Between anecdotes of Kwame and his younger sister, I found that culturally, Black family dynamics and discipline are quite similar on either side of the world. In Kofi's quiet comments I gleaned societal practices and connections that were not so apparent to my eyes, but made perfect sense when considering the history of the country and those who lived in it. I witnessed a funeral in passing, Kofi explaining the meaning of their red and black garb, only for me to see a woman - exhausted - on the plane returning to the United States in similar dress. I learned of the meaning behind day names, how they often dictated one's first impression of you and how you are perceived in day-to-day life. Later on in the trip, we were given our day names. I received the name “Afua,” as I was born on a Friday. With “Afua” came the inherent characteristics of compassion, creativity, and great leadership - which I do believe is quite fitting.
During our first instance in the Accra region, we went to Volta Lake - one of the largest reservoirs in the world and a byproduct of Ghana’s Akosombo Dam. The Akosombo Dam was Kwame Nkrumah’s largest project and success, as even to this day it is the main source of electricity in the country. I would be remiss to exclude our one stop on the way to Volta Lake - as it was one of the memorable parts of the trip. Halfway to Akosombo, we visited the Shai Hills National Preserve, where we hiked up to the Sayu Cave that was once used by the Se people as a home for the chief and vantage point against the British?
This stop was a surprise, and it showed in how none of us were ready for the hike. Most were in sandals, open toed shoes, and cute outfits in preparation for pictures by Volta Lake, but we adapted. If anything, that day was where we truly began to connect as a group: the encouragement of peers, helping out one another, and unity in getting through this trial with our ankles intact, and the ultimately breathtaking view at the top made the experience worthwhile. Our trip up the hill was not done alone, we also crossed paths with students from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. While we waited for both of our groups to go up and return from the lookout spot, I had the chance to talk with fellow students who desired to come to the United States and hear their outside perspectives of the country.
During the many hours we spent traveling, I was also able to build great relationships with the undergraduates that came on the trip, especially those within the History Department (and those who had an interest in the field). I was able to get some insight into their goals while also providing advice and avenues where they can achieve them. Amongst the undergraduates I found many kindred spirits - even for those not interested in history, our discussions varied on a multitude of topics. Some preferred to speak on religion, others about our homes, education, life, and at times we were just kekeing through all the elements that come with a 23 person trip. Through it all, I saw how they grew as students and citizens of the world day by day alongside me.
As a whole, I am grateful for all that I have experienced and learned in those ten days. Though it may not seem long, I was able to build a solid connection as a mentor and friend while evolving my worldview. I know that I will take these memories with me as I complete my dissertation and develop in my field ‐ and I’m excited to see where the undergraduates go from here.
