Elmina: Looking unassuming yet deeply professional, Mr Kwamena Amissah, a volunteer tour guide at the Elmina Castle, walks visitors, both foreigners and locals, through the dark dungeons of one of Ghana's most significant historical sites. His dexterity leaves visitors of the castle with lasting impressions about the country's painful past and enduring resilience.
According to Ghana News Agency, with calm authority and empathy, Mr Amissah narrates the history of the transatlantic slave trade, offering vivid illustrations, engaging tourists with questions, and patiently allowing time for reflection and photographs as he guides them through the narrow corridors and dungeons of the castle. "This is not just tourism; it is education," he told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview. He added that, "I teach people about the history of this country, so they understand where we are coming from."
Mr Amissah said he had volunteered at the Elmina Castle for over 10 years, combining his passion for tourism and education to ensure that Ghana's story was told accurately and respectfully. "I did my national service here in 2010, and since I am from Elmina, I decided to continue volunteering to help," he said. Although he currently has no permanent employment, Mr Amissah said his commitment to the castle remained unwavering, noting that he received modest stipends and occasional appreciation for his work.
"I don't do this because of money. I have the interest to see people come here, learn, and understand our history. We are also invited sometimes to give presentations outside the castle," he explained. He noted that patronage at the castle remained strong, particularly on weekends, with a steady flow of visitors from across Ghana and beyond. "People visit here a lot, especially on weekends. We are trying to educate our people because many Ghanaians don't really know their history," he said.
According to him, a visit to the Elmina Castle offers first-hand knowledge that textbooks often fail to convey, stressing the importance of Africans telling their own stories. "There is something called Sankofa (return to your roots)," Mr Amissah said, stressing that "until the lion has his own historian, the hunter will always be the hero. We need to write and tell our own history."
He said part of his role involved explaining the brutal realities of the slave trade, including the inhumane conditions in the dungeons and the emotional and sexual abuse suffered by enslaved women. Mr. Amissah believes that preserving and sharing such difficult truths is essential to national consciousness, healing, and identity. "People must know what happened here," he said quietly. "Only then can we truly understand ourselves and where we are going."