The Dutch Cemetery of

Elmina Elmina ( Fante: ''Edina'') is a town and the capital of the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem District on the south coast of Ghana in the Central Region. It is situated on a bay on the Atlantic Ocean, west of Cape Coast.Straight line distances ...

was constructed on the order of Governor of the

Dutch Gold Coast The Dutch Gold Coast or Dutch Guinea, officially Dutch possessions on the Coast of Guinea (Dutch language, Dutch: ''Nederlandse Bezittingen ter Kuste van Guinea'') was a portion of contemporary Ghana that was gradually colonized by the Dutch (et ...

Johannes Petrus Hoogenboom in 1806. Up until that date, the Dutch had buried their dead inside or just outside

Elmina Castle Elmina Castle was erected by the Portuguese in 1482 as Castelo de São Jorge da Mina (''St. George of the Mine Castle''), also known as ''Castelo da Mina'' or simply ''Mina'' (or '' Feitoria da Mina''), in present-day Elmina, Ghana, formerly t ...

, but by the beginning of the 19th century, little space was left there, so it was decided to construct a new cemetery in what was known as "the Garden" of Elmina. Ironically, Governor Hoogenboom was also one of the first people to be interred in the cemetery, after he was murdered by local Elminese people with whom he had a disagreement.

Overview

In the middle of the cemetery, a large tomb is situated in which the most prominent people were buried, including governor-general

Herman Willem Daendels Herman Willem Daendels (21 October 1762 – 2 May 1818) was a Dutch military officer and colonial administrator who served as governor-general of the Dutch East Indies from 1808 to 1811. Early life Herman Willem Daendels was born on 21 October 1 ...

, acting commander Johannes Oosthout, acting commander Eduard Daniel Leopold van Ingen, and governor Anthony van der Eb. Other people buried in the cemetery include

Carel Hendrik Bartels Carel Hendrik Bartels (29 September 1792 – 10 February 1850) was the wealthiest and most important Euro-African trader and businessman on the Dutch Gold Coast in the second quarter of the nineteenth century. Apart from his entrepreneurial ...

, R. P. Baffour,

Chief Kweku Andoh Chief Kweku Andoh (March 1836 – 14 December 1898) was a military officer in the British army and Regent of Edina State (1873–1898). The Fanti expression "Andoh nye woa?" meaning "Art thou Andoh?" is a way of saying "Who Do You Think You Are?" ...

, and Elmina King Nana Kobina Gyan.

Renovation

The cemetery was renovated in 2006, as part of the Elmina 2015 Strategy. The reconstruction was funded by the Dutch embassy. Among other things, the gate was restored, and the inscription reading "O weldadige moeder, ontvang uwe kinderen weder" (English translation: ''Oh benevolent mother, receive your children once again'') was put into place again. A plaque unveiled on 24 July 2006 by Dutch ambassador to Ghana Arie van der Wiel and

Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem Municipal District Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem Municipal District is one of the twenty-two districts in the Central Region of Ghana. Originally created as an ordinary district assembly in 1988, when it was known as Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem District, it was creat ...

Chief Executive George Frank Asmah remembers this renovation.

Gallery

File:Aanzicht grafmonument van Carel Hendrik Bartels - Elmina - 20373118 - RCE.jpg, Grave of

File:Aanzicht beeld Fr. Auguste Moreau - Elmina - 20373125 - RCE.jpg, Statue of Fr. Auguste Moreau File:Herinnerings plaquettes aan gouverneur Hogenbom en luitenand Joost - Elmina - 20373128 - RCE.jpg, Plaques on the tomb remembering Governor Hoogenboom (misspelled) and lieutenant Joost File:Overzicht muur met toegangshek en zicht op grafmonument - Elmina - 20375092 - RCE.jpg, Cemetery gate before renovation

References

{{reflist

External links

Web page about the cemetery with all people interred listed
Cemeteries in Ghana Dutch Gold Coast Elmina 1806 establishments in the Dutch Empire