Cape Coast
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Cape Coast
Oguaa Kotokuraba | |
---|---|
Etymology: Portuguese: Cabo Corso ("short cape") | |
Coordinates: 05°06′N 01°15′W / 5.100°N 1.250°W | |
Country | Ghana |
Region | Central Region |
District | Cape Coast Metropolitan |
Founded | 1482 |
Government | |
• Type | Mayor–council |
• Metropolitan Mayor | Hon. Ernest Arthur |
Elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
Population | |
• Total | 169,894 |
• Ethnicities | |
• Religion |
|
Time zone | GMT |
Postcode district | |
Area code | 033 |
Climate | As |
Website | ccma.gov.gh |
Cape Coast is a city, a fishing port, and the capital of Cape Coast Metropolitan District in the Central Region of Ghana. It is one of the country's most historic cities, a World Heritage Site, and home to the Cape Coast Castle, with the Gulf of Guinea situated to its south.[4] It was also the first capital of Ghana. According to the 2021 census, Cape Coast had a settlement population of 189,925 people.[5][6] The language of the people of Cape Coast is Fante.[7][8]
The older traditional names of the city are Oguaa and Kotokuraba (meaning "River of Crabs" or "Village of Crabs").[9] The Portuguese navigators João de Santarém and Pedro Escobar who sailed past Oguaa in 1471 designated the place Cabo Corso (meaning "short cape"), from which the name Cape Coast derives.[9] From the 16th century to the country's independence in 1957, the city changed hands between the British, the Portuguese, the Swedish, the Danish and the Dutch. It is home to 32 festivals and celebrations.[10][3]
Toponymy
[edit]The traditional name of the city is Oguaa, from the Fante word Gua, meaning "market".[11] Another traditional name is Koto-Kuraba meaning "crab-hamlet", which is a corrupted version of the word Koto-wuraba, meaing "crab rivulets". The word survives in the name of a market in the city.[12]: 164, 165
Cabo Corso ("short cape") was the first European name given to the settlement by the early Portuguee navigators who first discovered it. The name was later corrupted by the British to "Cape Coast".[11]
History
[edit]The dominant traditions of the indigenous inhabitants of Oguaa assert that they originated from Fetu, north of Cape Coast. The site has been identified as that of the present-day Efutu. The Efutu State like its sister State of Eguafo, was founded by the Guan-the undisputed aborigines of Ghana.
Legend even has it that one of the early kings of Fetu was a veracious eater of crabs which flourished in the marshy low lying areas around the hills of the present Cape Coast. The settlement was accordingly named KOTOKURABA, viz “Crab rivulet”
The early beginning of the town was, certainly, related to the existence of crabs in the area, and the effigy of the crab became the Traditional Eblem(See; “State Emblem of the Gold Coast” — D.A. Sutherland, 1952 p.67).
With time, another collection of reed huts sprang up nearer to the beach which developed into active commercial centre where salt and other commodities were exchanged. This new settlement became known as GWA or IGWA(Oguaa). There was rapid increase in population following the influx of the people from Efutu. When WJ. Mueller was a chaplain in the Danish fort, Fredrickdborg, 1661 — 1669, the king of Fetu was called Aduafo, a powerful ruler who was feared and honoured by his people.
In 1693, the Fetu kingdom was defeated by the allied forces of Assin and Asebu. The Efutuhene Nana Essifie Kuma transferred his capital from Efutu to Oguaa(Graham, Ibid). On arrival, the new migrants settled in three distinctive areas, viz. Bentsil, the area of highland behind the newly-built castle; Nkum, the sloping ground on the west bank of the stream below Bentsil; then lntsin, the rising ground on the east side of the Stream.
Later, a number of ambitious and influential families broke away, and founded a chain of fishing villages on the east coast. They include Legu, Dwemba-Mumford and Winneba, (Simpa) family groups.
Cape Coast is traditionally been led by the paramount chief, or Omanhene, of what is known today as Oguaa Traditional Area.[9]Cape Coast is one of the historical cities in Ghana.[13] Portuguese colonists built a trading fort in the area. In 1650, the Swedes built a lodge that would later become better known as Cape Coast Castle, which is now a World Heritage Site. Most of the modern town expanded around it. The Dutch took over it in 1650 and expanded it in 1652. The British then took control of it in 1664.
Trade was an important motivator in the creation of fortresses and settlements on Cape Coast. Traders from various European countries built these trading lodges, forts and castles along the coast of modern Ghana. Unfortunately, the acquisition of gold, slaves, honey, and the many other goods that composed the African leg of the Triangular Trade was increasingly detrimental to the inhabitants of Cape Coast.[14][page needed] In 1874, the British dominated all European presence along the coast of modern-day Ghana, using Cape Coast as their base of operations, Gold Coast.
In the 19th century, concerns over Cape Coast's climate prompted discussions about relocating the headquarters to Accra, seen as a healthier alternative. Colonel Henry Ord's report in 1865 highlighted Accra's appeal, but an earthquake in 1862 damaged key government buildings, thwarting plans.[15] By the 1870s, Cape Coast's climate and sanitation issues persisted, leading to consideration of alternatives such as Ada, Elmina, and Accra. Despite Elmina's drawbacks, Accra's advantages, including its commercial significance and relatively healthy surroundings, outweighed its shortcomings.[16] Ultimately, in 1875, the decision was made to move the Gold Coast Colony's headquarters to Accra.
With the establishment of formal colonial administration, they relocated to Accra following opposition to the "window tax" in 1877. Accra became their state. Cape Coast Castle was also where most of the slaves were held before their journey on the Middle Passage.
Asafo companies
[edit]Oguaa Traditional Area has seven Asafo companies—traditional warrior groups based on lineal descent, whose historical role was defence of the state[17] (the word deriving from sa, meaning "war", and fo, meaning "people")—with a complex social and political organization based on martial principles[18] and elaborate traditions of visual art.[19][20] The Asafo companies feature largely in Cape Coast's annual Fetu Afahye festival held on the first Saturday of September,[21] and each have historically established uniform colours: Esi Sutherland-Addy identifies these as: No. 1. Bentsir—red; No. 2. Anafo—blue and white; No. 3. Ntsin – green; No. 4. Nkum – yellow; No. 5. Amanful – wine and black; No. 6. Abrofomba (Brofo Nkoa) – white; No. 7. Ankrampa – white and black.[22]
20th century
[edit]The city's St. Francis Cathedral was dedicated in 1928.[23] The building is the first Catholic Cathedral built in Ghana.[24] In addition, one of the first Catholic schools in Ghana, St. Augustine College, was established in Cape Coast during 1936.[25] The cocoa marketing boom of the 1900s that Ghana experienced, the city experienced a certain period of economic prosperity. After the completion of harbours and railways in other parts of the country such as Sekondi and Kumasi, cocoa cultivation and trade in Ghana diversified and Cape Coast lost some importance.[26] However, after the establishment of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese and the university of the city in 1950 and 1962 respectively, Cape Coast became a regional educational hub for this area of Ghana.[26]
Transportation
[edit]There are Public Transports from Cape Coast to major cities such as Accra; Kumasi, Mim, Ahafo; Sunyani; Tamale; Tema; Ho; Wa; Bolgatanga; Elubo; Aflao, Techiman.
Government
[edit]The metropolitan has a mayor–council form of government. The mayor (executive chief) is appointed by the president of Ghana and approved by the city council, the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly.[27] The current mayor of Cape Coast is Hon. Ernest Arthur, serving his second term in office.[1]
Demographics
[edit]Cape Coast was historically a early centre for Christian missionaries, most notably the Basel missionaries. Christianity is the most practiced religion in the city, followed by Islam and traditional religions. The biggest ethnic group that resided in the city are the Fante, who are a subgroup of the Akan. The ethnic group's language is Fante.[3]: 30, 3
Geography
[edit]Metropolitan Area
[edit]Cape Coast is located at 05°06′N 01°15′W / 5.100°N 1.250°W (5.100000, -1.250000) and is about 38.4 mi (61.8 km) from Sekondi-Takoradi and approximately 80 mi (130 km) from Accra.[28] The city resided in the Cape Coast Metropolitan, which have an area size of 122 km2 (47 sq mi) and is one of 6 metropolis in Ghana. The district is bordered to the south by the Gulf of Guinea, the Hemang-Lower Denkyira District to the north, to the west by the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem Municipal District, and to the east the Abura/Asebu/Kwamankese District.[3]: 1, 3
Topography
[edit]The city's topography is classified as hilly, the hills overlain by sandy silts. The rock type of the city is dominated by the Birimian formation and batholiths, also consisting of granite and pegmatite. There are valleys of various streams between the hills, with Kakum being the largest stream. The minor streams end in wetlands, the largest of which drains into the Fosu Lagoon at Bakano. In the northern part of the district, however, the landscape is suitable for the cultivation of various crops.[3]: 1, 3 [29]: 43
Parks
[edit]Cape Coast is noted for its significant green spaces, but rapid population and infrastructure growth presents threats to its vegetation. The city's greenery plays crucial roles in flood management and improving residents overall well-being. Data from a 2023 study showed that the metropolitan's dense vegetation in 2018 was 47.12 km (29.28 mi), a 24.01% decrease from 71.13 km (44.20 mi) in 1991.[30]
Climate
[edit]Cape Coast has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen: As), with two rainy seasons peaking in May to June and October. The dry periods (harmattan) occur between November and February. The annual rainfall ranges from 90 to 110 mm (3.5 to 4.3 in) along the coast while in the hinterland is between 110 and 160 mm (4.3 and 6.3 in). The average temperatures are around 24 to 32 °C (75 to 90 °F) while the relative humidity is between 60% and 80%.[31]
Climate data for Cape Coast (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.9 (89.4) |
32.9 (91.2) |
32.9 (91.2) |
32.7 (90.9) |
31.6 (88.9) |
30.1 (86.2) |
29.1 (84.4) |
28.9 (84.0) |
29.7 (85.5) |
30.9 (87.6) |
31.8 (89.2) |
31.9 (89.4) |
31.2 (88.2) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22.6 (72.7) |
24.0 (75.2) |
24.2 (75.6) |
24.3 (75.7) |
24.1 (75.4) |
23.5 (74.3) |
22.9 (73.2) |
22.4 (72.3) |
23.0 (73.4) |
23.2 (73.8) |
23.5 (74.3) |
23.1 (73.6) |
23.4 (74.1) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 13.5 (0.53) |
18.7 (0.74) |
64.9 (2.56) |
92.8 (3.65) |
199.5 (7.85) |
209.4 (8.24) |
65.9 (2.59) |
29.9 (1.18) |
58.9 (2.32) |
89.8 (3.54) |
49.9 (1.96) |
29.6 (1.17) |
922.8 (36.33) |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 65 |
Source: World Meteorological Organization[32] |
Attractions
[edit]The crab is the city's mascot and a statue of one stands in the city centre. Fort William, built in 1820, was an active lighthouse from 1835 to the 1970s, while Fort Victoria was built in 1702.
The main market of Cape Coast is called Kotokuraba Market.[33]
Other attractions include a series of Asafo shrines, Cape Coast Centre for National Culture, the Oguaa Fetu Afahye festival (held on the first Saturday of September), and since 1992, the biennial Panafest theatre festival.[34] The city is located 30 km south of Kakum National Park, one of the most diverse and best preserved national parks in West Africa.
It is believed that Michelle Obama, US First Lady, considers Cape Coast as her ancestral home,[35] and on 11 July 2009, she took the rest of the first family to tour Cape Coast Castle as part of her husband's trip to Cape Coast.
Education
[edit]Cape Coast is the seat of the University of Cape Coast (UCC). It also has , the Cape Coast Technical University . The city also has some secondary and technical schools:
- Wesley Girls' High School
- St. Augustine College
- Holy Child High School, Ghana
- Mfantsipim School
- Adisadel College
- Aggrey Memorial Senior High School
- Ghana National College
- Mfantsiman Girls' Senior High School
- Edinaman Senior High School
- Cape Coast Technical Institute
- Asuansi Technical Institute
- Academy of Christ the King Senior High School
- Cape Coast International Senior High School
- University Practice Senior High School
- St. Nicholas Seminary Senior High School
- Efutu Senior High Technical School
- Sammo Senior High School
- Commercial Service Institute (CSI)
- Oguaa Senior High Technical School
Notable people
[edit]- Frederick Acheampong, football administrator and media personality[36]
- Nana Amba Eyiaba I, queen mother[37]
- Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, fifth vice-president of Ghana[38]
- Gifty Anti, journalist[39]
- B. J. Da Rocha, founding member of the New Patriotic Party and served as its first National Chairman[40]
- Kwesi Brew, poet and diplomat[41]
- Joey B, musician[42]
- Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, former Minister for Education[43]
- Efua Sutherland, playwright, author, and child advocate[44]
Media house
[edit]- Kastle FM
- Asaase Radio
- Cape FM
Foods
[edit]The Fante people of Ghana are notable for their way of cooking. They are known for eating rich cuisine, mostly with more fish, meat, or any form of protein than necessary. It is believed that this is because of the number of rivers and lakes situated in the town. The people are known for their expert fishing and fish preservation abilities. Some of the cuisines are fante fante, stew and pepper sauce or okro stew, fante kenkey, which can be eaten with soups, stews or shito.
International Relations
[edit]Sister cities
[edit]The following is a list of sister cities of Cape Coast, designated by Sister Cities International:
- Bonn, Germany (2012)[45]
- Buffalo, United States (1976)[46]
- Hanover Park, United States (2019)[47]
- New Orleans, United States (2019)[48]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Mayor". Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly. Archived from the original on 24 June 2024. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ "2010 Population and Housing Census" (PDF). Ghana Statistical Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 September 2013.
- ^ a b c d e 2010 Population & Housing Census (PDF) (Report). Cape Coast Municipality: Ghana Statistical Service. 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ "Cape Coast | Historic Town, Slave Trade, Castle | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ^ "About - Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly". ccma.gov.gh. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
- ^ "Cape Coast Metropolitan (Metropolitan District, Ghana) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
- ^ "Cape Coast – Ko-Sa Beach Resort". Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ^ "The irritating sounds of 'by force Twi' by some Fantes on Cape Coast radio".
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c Briggs, Philip (2019). Ghana (8th ed.). Bradt Travel Guides. p. 203. ISBN 9781784776282.
- ^ Banda, Rajaa. "11 Fascinating things to know about Ghana's Cape Coast". The Culture Trip. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
- ^ a b Dynamics of Systems of Secondary Cities in Africa (PDF). Cities Alliance (Report). p. 219. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ Hyland, A. (1995). "THE ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY OF CAPE COAST". Transactions of the Historical Society of Ghana. 16 (1). JSTOR 41406616. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ "Cape Coast". Ghana Web. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
- ^ Rømer, Ludvig Ferdinand; Winsnes, Selena Axelrod (2000). A Reliable Account of the Coast of Guinea (1760). British Academy. ISBN 978-0-19-726218-4.
- ^ Hove, Jon Olav. "Forts and Castles in the Colonial Period: Uses and Understandings of the Pre-colonial Fortifications." Forts, Castles and Society in West Africa. Brill, 2018. 250.
- ^ Hove, Jon Olav. "Forts and Castles in the Colonial Period: Uses and Understandings of the Pre-colonial Fortifications." Forts, Castles and Society in West Africa. Brill, 2018. 251-252.
- ^ DeCorse, Christopher R.; Sam Spiers (2009). "A tale of two polities: socio-political transformation on the Gold Coast in the Atlantic World" (PDF). Australasian Historical Archaeology. 27: 36. S2CID 67755840. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2020.
- ^ Herman du Toit (ed.), Pageants and Processions: Images and Idiom as Spectacle, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2009, pp. 117–118.
- ^ Casely-Hayford, Gus (4 February 2016). "Gus Casely-Hayford on Fante Asafo Flags – Artist & Empire". Tate. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ Asafo Flags: Stitches Through Time | HENI Talks, retrieved 6 February 2024
- ^ David Allan Paintsil, "Oguaa to showcase potential of traditional warriors…in 2012 Fetu Afahye" Archived 6 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine, The Chronicle (Ghana), 11 May 2012.
- ^ Esi Sutherland-Addy, "Women and Verbal Arts in the Oguaa-Edina Area", Research Review (NS), Vol. 14, No. 2 (1998), p. 7.
- ^ Sundkler, Bengt; Steed, Christopher (4 May 2000). A History of the Church in Africa. Cambridge University Press. p. 719. ISBN 978-0-521-58342-8.
- ^ "St Francis de Sales Cathedral - Archdiocese of Cape Coast". Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ Amoah, Francis (26 July 2022). Leadership Styles and Spiritual Traits of Catholic Priests: A Research Exploring the Relationships between Leadership Styles and Spiritual Traits of Catholic Priests. Fulton Books, Inc. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-63985-867-5.
- ^ a b Hyland, A. D. (1995). "The Architectural History of Cape Coast". Transactions of the Historical Society of Ghana (1 (Vol. 16, no. 2)): 172. ISSN 0855-3246. JSTOR 41406616.
- ^ A Guide to District Assemblies in Ghana (PDF). Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Ghana. 2010. pp. 37, 38. ISBN 9988572131. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ Straight line distances from: Daft Logic; "Google Maps Distance Calculator". Archived from the original on 26 July 2010. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ Moore, A. (2002). A pattern language in Ghana (Thesis). University of Georgia. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ Duku, E.; Mensah, C.; Amadu, I.; Adzigbli, W. "Changes in urban green spaces in coastal cities and human well-being: The case of Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana". Geo: Geography and Environment. 10 (1). Wiley. doi:10.1002/geo2.119. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ Ankrah, D.; Mensah, J.; Anaglo, J.; Boateng, S. "Climate variability indicators - scientific data versus farmers perception; evidence from southern Ghana". Cogent Food & Agriculture. 9 (1). Taylor & Francis: sec. 3.2. doi:10.1080/23311932.2022.2148323. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ "World Weather Information Service". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
- ^ "Ghana Place Names - Markets".
- ^ "PANAFEST – The Impetus and Objectives of PANAFEST". PANAFEST. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- ^ "Obamas confront history inside Ghana's slave dungeon". businesstimesafrica.net. Archived from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
- ^ Association, Ghana Football. "GFA President chairs International Relations Committee". ghanafa.org. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ "Nana Amba Eyiaba I". The Council of Women Traditional Leaders, Ghana. Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ "Profile of late former Vice President Amissah-Arthur". GhanaWeb. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ Mireri, Julian (26 October 2020). "Dr Gifty Anti biography: Husband, siblings, wedding, daughter, photos". Yen.com.gh. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ "President Mills mourns B. J. da -Rocha". Ghanaweb. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ Bown, Lalage (9 October 2007). "Kwesi Brew". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ Kofi Duah (25 September 2014). "Revealed: Joey B is no 'Tonga'". Graphic Online. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ "Mahama picks Prof Naana Opoku-Agyemang as running mate". GBC Ghana Online. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ "Efua Sutherland". Britannica. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ "Cape Coast". bonn.de. Bonn. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- ^ "Buffalo Sister Cities". City of Buffalo. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- ^ "Sister Cities Committee". hpil.org. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- ^ "Linking The Diaspora: Cantrell signs agreement with African city". The Louisiana Weekly. 10 February 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- Sources
- Charles Tetty, "Medical Practitioners of African Descent in Colonial Ghana", International Journal of African Historical Studies, Vol. 18, No. 1 (1985), pp. 139–44, Boston University African Studies Center.
- Gallery of Gold Coast Celebrities 1632–1958, Vol 1 2 & 3; I.S. Ephson, Ghana Publishing Corporation, 1970.
- Kofi Baku, "Kobina Sekyi of Ghana: An Annotated Bibliography of His Writings", International Journal of African Historical Studies, Vol. 24, No. 2 (1991), pp. 369–81, Boston University African Studies Center.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Cape Coast". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.