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Natalija Gormalova

Photographer & Filmmaker

www.natalijagormalova.com

The Year of Return

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Clients: The Washington Post, Associated Press + Bloomberg Philanthropies, AFP Internazionale

School: Royal College of Art Univeristy of the Arts London

On the rocks the local fishing ...quo; says Cape Coast fisherman.

1 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

On the rocks the local fishing community is occupied with their daily routine feeling unbothered about the "Year of Return" celebrations which commemorate 400 years since the first ship with enslaved Africans left to the Americas. Though the large influx of tourists allowed the country to see a boost of $1.9 billion into its economy, the local community feels left out. “We have not benefited from the “Year of The Return”, for us hustle continues, we struggle to put food on our tables.” says Cape Coast fisherman.

Fishermen untangling their nets outside the Cape Coast castle.

2 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

Fishermen untangling their nets outside the Cape Coast castle.

Visitors take pictures with an ...w outside the Cape Coast Castle

3 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

Visitors take pictures with an iconic view outside the Cape Coast Castle

Fanti fishermen ouside the Cape Coast Castle.

4 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

Fanti fishermen ouside the Cape Coast Castle.

Visitors gather outside the &am...cross the Atlantic to Americas.

5 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

Visitors gather outside the "Door of No Return" through which enslaved Africans were loaded as cargo onto the ships that took them across the Atlantic to Americas.

Young woman watches fishing boa...lcony of the Cape Coast castle.

6 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

Young woman watches fishing boats from the balcony of the Cape Coast castle.

Mother gets her kids ready for ...cture at the Cape Coast Castle.

7 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

Mother gets her kids ready for the picture at the Cape Coast Castle.

Tourists and locals take pictur...oots and invest in the country.

8 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

Tourists and locals take pictures at the Cape Coast Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where once imprisoned slaves where kept before they boarded on ships for the perilous journey to the Americas. Visitors are flocking to Ghana as it marks the "Year of Return"- 400 years since the first enslaved Africans were brought to British colonial North America setting in motion the transatlantic slave trade. To commemorate this anniversary, the president of Ghana has been welcoming descendants of those enslaved back to the West African nation to reconnect with their roots and invest in the country.

Mother and her kids look inside the Cape Coast Castle dungeon.

9 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

Mother and her kids look inside the Cape Coast Castle dungeon.

Visitor takes a selfie at the Cape Coast Castle.

10 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

Visitor takes a selfie at the Cape Coast Castle.

A man takes a picture of a dungeon at the Cape Coast Castle.

11 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

A man takes a picture of a dungeon at the Cape Coast Castle.

While carrying the nets to the ...iled across the Atlantic Ocean.

12 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

While carrying the nets to the beach, fishermen go down the same steps many enslaved Africans walked before they were loaded onto the ships and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean.

African Americans hold hands af...ot;Door of No Return".

13 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

African Americans hold hands after visiting the "Door of No Return".

The view of the Cape Coast from the Slave Castle.

14 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

The view of the Cape Coast from the Slave Castle.

"Within the child lies...re". (African Proverb)

15 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

"Within the child lies the fate of the future". (African Proverb)

A man walks on the rocks outside of the Cape Coast Castle.

16 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

A man walks on the rocks outside of the Cape Coast Castle.

Fishermen enjoy a game of footb...oon on the shore of Cape Coast.

17 of 17 © 2024 Natalija Gormalova

Fishermen enjoy a game of football on Sunday afternoon on the shore of Cape Coast.

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Thumbnail of On the rocks the local fishing c_dquo; says Cape Coast fisherman.

Thumbnail of Fishermen untangling their nets outside the Cape Coast castle.

Thumbnail of Visitors take pictures with an i_ew outside the Cape Coast Castle

Thumbnail of Fanti fishermen ouside the Cape Coast Castle.

Thumbnail of Visitors gather outside the &_across the Atlantic to Americas.

Thumbnail of Young woman watches fishing boat_alcony of the Cape Coast castle.

Thumbnail of Mother gets her kids ready for t_icture at the Cape Coast Castle.

Thumbnail of Tourists and locals take picture_roots and invest in the country.

Thumbnail of Mother and her kids look inside the Cape Coast Castle dungeon.

Thumbnail of Visitor takes a selfie at the Cape Coast Castle.

Thumbnail of A man takes a picture of a dungeon at the Cape Coast Castle.

Thumbnail of While carrying the nets to the b_ailed across the Atlantic Ocean.

Thumbnail of African Americans hold hands aft_uot;Door of No Return".

Thumbnail of The view of the Cape Coast from the Slave Castle.

Thumbnail of "Within the child lies _ure". (African Proverb)

Thumbnail of A man walks on the rocks outside of the Cape Coast Castle.

Thumbnail of Fishermen enjoy a game of footba_noon on the shore of Cape Coast.

Public Project

The Year of Return

Copyright Natalija Gormalova 2024

Updated Apr 2020

Topics Documentary, Freedom, Migration, Photography, Photojournalism, Travel

African-American visitors flocking to Ghana as it marks the "Year of Return" to remember the 400th anniversary of the first slave ship landing in Virginia. The West African nation is banking on the commemorations to give a major boost to the number of tourist arrivals as it encourages the descendants of slaves to "come home".
Cape Coast Castle, 150 kilometres (90 miles) from the capital Accra, is a major magnet for those visiting The white-washed fort lined with cannons was one of dozens of prisons studding the Atlantic coast where slaves were held before their journey to the New World.
A string of prominent African-Americans have headed to the site this year to mark the anniversary since the first slave landing in 1619.
Ghana, one of the continent's most stable democracies, has long pitched itself as a destination for African-Americans to explore their heritage and even settle permanently. In 2009 President Barack Obama visited with his family and paid homage at the Cape Coast Castle.
Story for AFP, Words by Kent Mensah

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