Being Portuguese in Africa

Margo and I went to Cape Coast for the weekend. As any tourist we’ve been to the tourist places: Kakum National Park, Cape Coast Catle and Elmina Castle – that’s when I realized that being Portuguese in Africa is quite different than being Portuguese in Europe.

Elmina Castle holds the status of Africa´s oldest European building. It was built by the Portuguese explores in the 15^th century when they discovered the rich gold lands of Western Africa Coast. In the 17^th century the Dutch took control over it and later in the 19^th it was time for the British to hold it.

Back in Portugal when the Portuguese negativism and pessimism takes control over us there is always someone who says “Came on, we were great back in the 15^th century; we discovered great part of the world! We should be proud of it”. And we are. I am. Or I was. Now I don´t really know…

At Elmina Castle we heard about how life was back then and how the Portuguese, Dutch and British had great life conditions and how they treated the slaves – very cruel and brutal ways.

I didn´t feel like saying that I was Portuguese if anyone had asked…

Should I or shouldn´t I be proud of the Portuguese discoveries?!

06/08/2012