IT ALL began with a raid on a small village in Africa. In the dead of night, the village was attacked by their traditional enemy: Another African tribe. Those who put up fierce resistance were killed; all the others were captured and herded off to the coast to be locked in the dungeons of the forts there. Resistance meant the whip; or worse. Soon, ships arrived, and the captives were stacked tightly into their holds. The journey across the Atlantic Ocean was about to begin.
In time, Ashantis ,Mandingos,  Igbos, Wolofs, Coromantees and many other tribes were thrown together and shipped off to the New World. Their sole purpose was to provide labour for sugar plantations there.
Millions were ripped from their tribal lands and sent into a strange new world; the journey was filled with pain, horror, and suffering. Many died of smallpox, and thousands more from grief. Those who didn’t make it were unceremoniously thrown overboard to the hungry sharks that followed the laden vessels, knowing that every day, there would be dead or dying bodies to feed on.
Many struggled to stay alive. So tightly were they stacked that at times it was difficult to breathe. For five to twelve weeks, all the captives knew was sickness, grief, pain and misery. Some became severely depressed, while others tried to escape or revolt. The ships were filthy.  Lice, fleas, and rats abounded. These all feasted on the hapless cargo. Manacled together, the captives suffered the inhumane treatment of their captors. Because of the enormous profit, slaves were packed willy-nilly, with little regard for their health or life. Some captains provided better food, packed loosely, and offered more space in the hope that there would be less deaths, and that healthy slaves would fetch better prices. As the weeks stretched on, conditions became worse.  With no toilets or baths at their disposal, the situation was unbearable. And each time the ship lurched or rolled, their bodies took a battering. Some were never able to see the sky for the entire journey.
Many of royal blood were reduced to mere human cargo. Some tried to commit suicide; others just didn’t care whether they lived or died. The men were often tortured, while the women brought the crew sexual pleasure. After the long and perilous journey, their naked, manacled, and infected bodies were removed from the bowels of the death-ships.
Many witnessed family and friends dying, and others going mad. This terrifying ordeal did great damage to the survivors. Even though many were physically strong, by the end of the journey, they would be haggard and gaunt. For thousands, death was a merciful alternative. For those ripped from their families and loved ones, accustomed as they were to love and warmth, the brutality of the sailors and the disgusting conditions affected their sanity. They were cold and filthy for lack of space. Shut away in the dark bowels of the hold, many prayed for death. This strange new and hideous world was beyond the scope of their imagination or experience.
The Portuguese began this deadly trade. Then came the Spanish, followed by the English and the French. They all saw the profits that could be had from this ‘death trade’. Slaves were taken to South America, the West Indies, and North America.  Small forts and castles were built along the West Coast of Africa to hold captured Africans until the slave ship arrived. Most of these  holding facilities were built in Ghana. Each building would hold from 300 to 500 slaves at a time.