Shadows of Empire in West Africa: New Perspectives on European Fortifications (African Histories and Modernities)

These essays reexamine European forts in West Africa as hubs where different peoples interacted, negotiated and transformed each other socially, politically, culturally, and economically. This collection brings together scholars of history, archaeology, cultural studies, and others to present a nuanced image of fortifications, showing that over time the functions and impacts of the buildings changed as the motives, missions, allegiances, and power dynamics in the region also changed. Focusing on the fortifications of Ghana, the authors discuss how these structures may be interpreted as connecting Ghanaian and West African histories to a multitude of global histories. They also enable greater understanding of the fortifications’ contemporary use as heritage sites, where the Afro-European experience is narrated through guided tours and museums. Preface 7 Contents 9 Editors and Contributors 11 List of Figures 17 List of Tables 20 Chapter 1 Introduction: Interpreting West Africa’s Forts and Castles 22 Forts and Castles Research: Perspectives and Sources 27 This Collection: Thematic, Theoretical and Empirical Common Grounds 33 Concluding Suggestions 40 Bibliography 47 Chapter 2 Grossfriedrichsburg, the First German Colony in Africa? Brandenburg-Prussia, Atlantic Entanglements and National Memory 53 The Foundation of Grossfriedrichsburg: A Small Niche for a Weak Newcomer (1681–1683) 53 Pokesu: A Hub of Atlantic Entanglements (Seventeenth to Eighteenth Centuries) 56 The Invention of a Tradition: Grossfriedrichsburg as “The First German Colony” (Nineteenth to Twentieth Centuries) 65 Postcolonial Echoes 72 Bibliography 86 Chapter 3 ‘Far from My Native Land, and Far from You’: Reimagining the British at Cape Coast Castle in the Nineteenth Century 94 Introduction 95 Narratives of Heroics and Honour 98 Memories of Abolition 101 Myths of Romantic Possibility 106 The Letters of Letty Landon 112 Conclusion: More Real Than Truth 116 Bibliography 122 Chapter 4 Viewed from a Distance: Eighteenth-Century Images of Fortifications on the Coast of West Africa 126 Introduction 126 An Englishman, a Frenchman and a Dutchman... 128 Critical Distance 139 Conclusion 145 Bibliography 153 Chapter 5 Illusions of Grandeur and Protection: Perceptions and (Mis)Representations of the Defensive Efficacy of European-Built Fortifications on the Gold Coast, Seventeenth–Early Nineteenth Centuries 156 Introduction 156 This Study: Theme and Background 157 Historical and Spatial Setting: Fortifications, Spheres of Interest and Security 159 Illusions of Grandeur and Power 161 Treaties and Architectures of Protection 163 Maximising Profit: Intermediaries in the Militarised Economic Space 167 Akan Militarism and Expansionism: Motives Nature and Expanse 170 African Expectations of Protection and European Self-Preservation in the East 172 Asante, the Fante and the Europeans 174 Conclusion 177 Bibliography 183 Chapter 6 Female Agency in a Cultural Confluence: Women, Trade and Politics in Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Gold Coast 187 Introduction 187 Literature on Gender, Politics and Economic Activities 188 Studies on the Gold Coast 190 Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Gold Coast 192 Gold Coast Society and Occupational Structure 195 Women, Trade and Politics on the Gold Coast 195 Influence of African-European Social Relations on Women’s Trading Activity 199 Women, Political Influence and Trade 200 Women and Ancillary Entrepreneurial Businesses 202 African-European Politics: Involvement of Gold Coast Women 203 An Exception to the Rule 205 Queen Aqua (Aguaaba) Brafo and the English-Pawn in African-European Politics 206 Queen of Agona and Anglo-Dutch Rivalry 208 Conclusion 210 Bibliography 215 Chapter 7 Fort Metal Cross: Commercial Epicentre of the British on the Gold Coast 218 Introduction 218 A Brief Historical Antecedent of Fort Metal Cross 219 The Archaeological Investigation 225 Discussion 226 Conclusion 246 Bibliography 252 Chapter 8 European Fortifications in West Africa as Architectural Containers and Oppressive Contraptions 255 Territoriality, Boundaries and Filters: The Power of Architectural Design in Christiansborg, Osu 256 A Brief Architectural History of Christiansborg 257 Physical Expressions of the Architectural Design of Christainsborg Castle 263 Physical Expression of “Territoriality” in Christiansborg’s Architectural Design 264 Conclusion 266 Architecture of Oppression: Uses of the Dungeons in the Forts and Castles of Ghana 267 Approach and Expected Outcome 268 A Snapshot of the “Passage to the New World” 269 Architectural Design and Spatial Exegesis of the Castles and Forts in Ghana 270 Spatial Nomenclature: The Semantics of Horror in the Castles and Forts 271 Spaces of Horror: Anthropometrics of the Dungeons 273 Spaces of Horror: The Need for Air and Light in the Dungeons 276 Conclusion 279 Bibliography 286 Chapter 9 A Theatre of Memory for the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade: Cape Coast Castle and Its Museum 289 Cape Coast Castle and Its Museum 290 A Performative Memoryscape 295 Enactment Performances 300 Conclusion 306 Bibliography 309 Chapter 10 Diplomacy, Identity and Appropriation of the “Door of no Return”. President Barack Obama and Family in Ghana and the Cape Coast Castle, 2009 312 Introduction 312 Meanings of Obama’s Presidency to Africa: Optimism, Great Expectations and Realpolitik 314 An “Extraordinary Experience”: Castles, Dungeons, Heritage and Tourism 318 The “Door of no Return”: Invisibilities, Identities and Appropriation? 324 Conclusion 330 Bibliography 337 Chapter 11 Recreating Pre-colonial Forts and Castles: Heritage Policies and Restoration Practices in the Gold CoastGhana, 1945 to 1970s 342 The Establishment of Colonial Heritage Policies and Restoration Practices 344 Heritage Management After Independence 352 Tourism and Heritage Management in Ghana 353 Conclusion 359 Bibliography 364 Index 366 Front Matter ....Pages i-xxii Introduction: Interpreting West Africa’s Forts and Castles (John Kwadwo Osei-Tutu, Victoria Ellen Smith)....Pages 1-31 Grossfriedrichsburg, the First German Colony in Africa? Brandenburg-Prussia, Atlantic Entanglements and National Memory (Roberto Zaugg)....Pages 33-73 ‘Far from My Native Land, and Far from You’: Reimagining the British at Cape Coast Castle in the Nineteenth Century (Victoria Ellen Smith)....Pages 75-106 Viewed from a Distance: Eighteenth-Century Images of Fortifications on the Coast of West Africa (Emily Mann)....Pages 107-136 Illusions of Grandeur and Protection: Perceptions and (Mis)Representations of the Defensive Efficacy of European-Built Fortifications on the Gold Coast, Seventeenth–Early Nineteenth Centuries (John Kwadwo Osei-Tutu, Hermann W. von Hesse)....Pages 137-167 Female Agency in a Cultural Confluence: Women, Trade and Politics in Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Gold Coast (Kwabena Adu-Boahen)....Pages 169-199 Fort Metal Cross: Commercial Epicentre of the British on the Gold Coast (Fritz Biveridge)....Pages 201-237 European Fortifications in West Africa as Architectural Containers and Oppressive Contraptions (Henry Nii Adziri Wellington, Rexford Assasie Oppong)....Pages 239-272 A Theatre of Memory for the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade: Cape Coast Castle and Its Museum (Neelima Jeychandran)....Pages 273-295 Diplomacy, Identity and Appropriation of the “Door of no Return”. President Barack Obama and Family in Ghana and the Cape Coast Castle, 2009 (John Kwadwo Osei-Tutu, Ebenezer Ayesu)....Pages 297-326 Recreating Pre-colonial Forts and Castles: Heritage Policies and Restoration Practices in the Gold Coast/Ghana, 1945 to 1970s (Jon Olav Hove)....Pages 327-350 Back Matter ....Pages 351-368 The Authors Collectively See Fortifications As Nodes Within Entangled Spaces In West Africa Where Different Peoples Interacted, Negotiated, And Transformed Each Other Socially, Politically, Culturally, And Economically. This Multi-discipline Collection Presents A Nuanced Image Of Fortifications, Showing That Over Time The Functions And Impacts Of The Buildings Changed As The Motives, Missions, Allegiances, And Power Dynamics In The Region Also Changed. With Their Focus On The Fortifications Of Ghana, The Authors Engage In New Scholarly Discussion Of How These Structures May Be Interpreted In Connecting Ghanaian And West African Histories To A Multitude Of Global Histories. They Also Enable Greater Understanding Of The Fortifications' Contemporary Use As Heritage Sites Where The Afro-european Experience Is Narrated Through Guided Tours And Museums. John Kwadwo Osei-tutu ; Victoria Ellen Smith, Editors. On 1st And 2nd August 2012, Many Of The Contributors Attended A Conference Entitled Shadows Of Empire: Studies Of European Colonial Fortifications In West Africa From Fifteenth Century At The University Of Ghana ... This Publication Brings Together Selected And Revised Papers From The Conference ... --page Vii. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Annotation These essays reexamine European forts in West Africa as hubs where different peoples interacted, negotiated and transformed each other socially, politically, culturally, and economically. This collection brings together scholars of history, archaeology, cultural studies, and others to present a nuanced image of fortifications, showing that over time the functions and impacts of the buildings changed as the motives, missions, allegiances, and power dynamics in the region also changed. Focusing on the fortifications of Ghana, the authors discuss how these structures may be interpreted as connecting Ghanaian and West African histories to a multitude of global histories