Written by: Pernille Helena Glesaaen, Johannes Lyder Gulbrandsen, Isaac Marfo and Gladys Boatemaa
The interaction between Europeans and Africans on the Gold Coast was both extensive and profound. Evidence of the traces left behind by transatlantic interaction are deeply rooted and still to this day quite possible to come by, if one knows how to look.
The city of Winneba is no exemption to this gross generalization. But as with most generalizations, the details and nuances, while complicated, offer a far more authentic image into the past of the region, and its heritage.
A visible example of shared Atlantic history in Winneba is the Presbyterian church, which can trace its history back to the Basel Mission in 1883 (Dabi-Dankwa, 1985, p. 17). The mission is linked to the nearby Agona traditional area, as its centre was first established at Agona Nsaba, where it was ran by Rev. Henrich Bohner (Dabi-Dankwa, 1985, p. 17). There, the station served as a trading link for the Basel mission trading company.
In Winneba, the Presbyterian church started with a small group under the leadership of Mr S. A. Wentum, who was a senior employee of the Basel mission trading company (Goldman, 2016, p. 66). In a story of humble beginnings, what is now a major church began with workers gathering for morning prayer in the house of Wentum. But the communion grew, and so did their customs.
A western style education
The impact of the Basel Mission is visible in modern day Winneba mainly through its successor, the Presbyterian Church, but also in the presence of a school. The Presbyterian school in Winneba can link both its existence and education style to the impact of transatlantic influence.
Christian missionaries on the Gold Coast frequently established schools practising a western style education (State University, 2019). This is a trend which can be traced all the way back to when Portuguese presence on the coast was at its peak, and the Basel missionaries were no exception (Dabi-Dankwa, 1985, p. 23).
Much later, during the consolidation and subsequent colonization of the Gold Coast by Britain, western style education became increasingly present (State University, 2019). In an attempt to standardize and increase both quality and efficiency in the colony’s education, local teachers were trained to work in the schools established by European missionaries (State University, 2019). As a part of this overarching process, the Basel Mission first received grants in 1874 to further improve their schools. In the following years they expanded their operation and established additional schools as the demand for teaching grew (State University, 2019).
Impact
It says in The story of Winneba Presbyterian Church Golden Jubilee, which is a pamphlet of their jubilee from 1935-1985, that the Winneba Presbyterian Church has played a vital role in the development of education in the area (Dabi-Dankwa, 1985, p. 23). One of the primary schools was first housed in a shed or a warehouse abandoned by a European trading firm (Dabi-Dankwa, 1985, p. 24). The pamphlet later describes different usage of different locals which were improved through time. During the development of the schools the Ghanaian Government reduced the erstwhile impact of the Churches in the country in 1951, this was a result of the State school taking over the church schools (State University, 2019). As a result of this the churches could not open new schools. Further on it followed a series of protests by the churches, which led to a compromise between the government (State University, 2019). Whereby the old churches operate by the old regulations but no new schools could be opened without the prior permission by the local council.
It is difficult to measure or indicate the degree of influence the presence of the Basel Mission in Winneba has on the goings of everyday life for people today. All we can do is document the linkages, the red lines of history, and argue in case for or against correlation. It is evident that the presence of the Presbyterian church can be largely credited to the workings and establishment of the Basel missionaries in Ghana. However, to what degree European heritage has been part of shaping the church since its inception in 1935 is a complicated issue. A large part of heritage involves how a being defines and understands itself. In this regard, the Presbyterian Church in Winneba and its conjoint school of its past roots.
References
Dabi-Dankwa, S. (1985). The story of Winneba Presbyterian Church Golden Jubilee. Winneba: Presbyterian Church of Winneba.
Goldman, E. K. (2016). A History of Christianity in Winneba. Winneba: WGBC Publications Winneba.
State University. (2019, Juli 6). Education Encyclopedia. From https://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/529/Ghana-HISTORY-BACKGROUND.html?fbclid=IwAR1dc78J1SxlhGJr643TQtz-vBdzBHWpzs-ZtdLhI6lcn9EGfJibsTS7SEc