After viewing the 3D rendering and taking tour through Google Maps I chose Fort San Sebastian because it was one of many Buildings located around and near the ocean (which many people wrongly believe is non-existent) in Africa.
Fort San Sebastian, located in Shama, Ghana, is the third oldest fortification in the country. Built by the Portuguese between 1520 and 1526, its primary purpose was to protect their trading interests and facilitate the transfer of African slaves during the Middle Passage. The fort was later captured by the Dutch West India Company in 1642. It served as a deterrent to English interference in the Shama trade and played a significant role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, where kidnapped Africans were imprisoned before being transported to North America. It was in Africa but not For Africans. It served the colonizers in multiple forms.
In an educational context, Fort San Sebastian can be connected to Advanced Placement English Literature and Theater in an environmental-themed school through exploring themes of colonialism, slavery, and historical injustices prevalent in literature and drama related to this period of history.
Summary:
The text explores the concept of knowledge production in precolonial Africa, focusing on metallurgy and pottery making. It discusses the communal nature of knowledge creation in Africa, contrasting it with the Western view of knowledge being produced in formal laboratories. Different types of furnaces used in metal production and pottery-making techniques are highlighted, showcasing the innovation and experimentation that took place in African societies. The text emphasizes the importance of decolonizing African archaeology to recognize and appreciate indigenous technological practices. It concludes by calling for a deeper understanding of African ways of knowing and the need for a more inclusive approach in academic inquiry. This Chapter The Metalworker, the Potter, and the Pre-European African “Laboratory” by Shadreck Chirikure. specifically spoke to me because of my own personal connection with pottery making
Question to consider as a student:
What were some of the innovations and unique features of pottery production in precolonial African societies? And how might the inclusion of these features bring connection between cultures now?
While this question does not reflect a course I teach it does draw near to my love of pottery and its place in societies as means to bring people together via food.