THE Kingsley Holgate Foundation started the year with a West African adventure, returning to a region last visited by the foundation nearly a decade ago.
The three-week-long ‘Slaves, Castles, Voodoo and Gate of No Return’ journey forms part of the Living Traditions series of expeditions, and included stops in Ghana, Togo and Benin.
‘We last visited these countries in 2007 and 2008, when we circumnavigated the outline of Africa in a world-first for Land Rover, which resulted in a book called ‘Dispatches from the Outside Edge’,’ said Kingsley Holgate.
‘This time around our mission was different.
‘We went to gather information and document cultures for posterity, and also to highlight the fast-disappearing treasures Mama Africa has to offer.’
The journey was an opportunity to add another great traditional ceremony to the Living Traditions book.
Documenting ancient traditions
These expeditions visit various sites in Africa to document ancient traditions and historic sites that are in danger of disappearing forever.
Many more journeys into Africa are planned for the next two years, all of which will be included in the Living Traditions book set to be published in 2018.
The expedition to West Africa saw Kingsley and his team fly directly to Ghana, where they were supplied with a Land Rover Discovery by Alliance Motors, the country’s Land Rover retailer.
The team zig-zagged across Ghana, leaving the capital Accra and headed to the Gold Coast where 29 forts and castles still stand as testimony to the West African slave trade.
Around 12.5 million slaves were transported to the Caribbean and the Americas.
From there, the expedition proceeded to Cape Three Points, the southern most point of the country, and inland to West Africa’s biggest and most colourful market, situated in Kumasi, the historic capital of the Ashanti gold empire.
The journey also took the team to Akosombo, where a massive 114 metre high dam wall holds back the Volta River to form Lake Volta.
Voodoo traditions
In Togo and Benin the team researched and documented the Voodoo Festival in Ouidah.
Ouidah, an ancient coastal town, is also a stronghold for the Voodoo religion, which is estimated to have more than 50 million followers worldwide.
‘Thousands of devotees attended the colourful festival, coming from all over West Africa and also from as far as Brazil,’ said Holgate.
‘It was an opportunity to add another great traditional ceremony to the Living Traditions book, which will also feature Ethiopia’s Timkat Ceremony, the Turkana Festival of northern Kenya, the Swazi Reed Dance and many other vibrant ceremonies and cultures across Africa.’
Humanitarian aid
Providing humanitarian aid was, as ususal, also part of the expedition.
The vehicles carried malaria nets and ‘Rite to Site’ reading glasses for the poor-sighted in remote areas.
Malaria education and quality, long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets were supplied to pregnant mothers and mothers with children under the age of five at many villages along the route.
One of the stops included the Anyanui Health Centre in Ghana, which treats 540 cases of malaria every month during the rainy season.
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