Reclaiming Heritage: A Nova Scotian’s Visit to Sierra Leone
What inspired you to want to travel to Sierra Leone?
In the community, many people spoke of ancestors leaving Nova Scotia and going to Africa. It is well known that Sierra Leone was where the Black Loyalists had emigrated to in 1792, so I knew that is where I would want to go to learn more about that history. The name Freetown has always piqued my interest. The fact that it was a place where free people from this part of the world went during that time to escape slavery and pursue their freedom, was amazing.
When did you go to Sierra Leone?
I went about 5 years ago, in April, during the rainy season. I visited the Sierra Leone Embassy in Washington D.C. to get a Visa, made sure I received all the health requirements, and packed well. I was concerned about the mosquitos. There were so many stories about malaria and sometimes things like that deter you from going. I made sure to get the requirements for that and honestly, I wasn’t too worried after all that preparation.
Landing at Lungi airport was epic. It was a really long flight, though when I landed, I really couldn’t believe I was in Africa. I loved the experience, a very different one. It was the old airport at the time so it was a lot smaller than the one now. It was very crowded and loud, the place was so full of life and activity. There were so many requests to help with my luggage. I had been told what to expect at the airport, though living it out in real life was definitely something. It was not as intimidating as I had been told. I got to see the sunset before getting on the boat to Freetown and I think that was one of the best parts of that experience. Watching the sunset is always something I love doing when in Nova Scotia. It was amazing to experience that in Africa, on the first day there.
What places did you visit during your stay in Sierra Leone?
I spent a week in Sierra Leone and it was certainly an out of the world experience. I visited so many places, including Big Market, 3 Churches, the old Fourah Bay College, the Sierra Leone National Museum, the Cotton Tree, Number 2 Beach, Lumley Beach, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Bunce Island, and so many more places.
Seeing all the local Artists at Big Market was amazing. I spoke to as many of them as I could and learned so much from them and their crafts. I was there for only one Sunday and made sure to visit 3 historic Churches in the center of Freetown, Zion Methodist Church, St. John’s Maroon Church, and College Chapel. All three Churches have some historical link to Nova Scotia. The first two were started by congregations that settled in Freetown from Nova Scotia in 1792. Of course, the Maroons had also lived in Nova Scotia for a few years between the time they left Jamaica and arrived in Freetown in 1800. At Zion Methodist Church, I had a chance to view the Historical Marker in front of the Church that paid homage to Rev. Anthony Elliott, who was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I sat for the service at Maroon Church and even had a chance to speak to the congregation during the service. The Maroons had stayed in my hometown, Preston, during their time in Nova Scotia.
Which landmarks were the most meaningful?
Visiting Bunce Island was very memorable. I remember the canons, the wells, and all the places in my head now, like I was just there. I wondered whether one of my ancestors had been taken through there. It was vivid, reimagining what people must have endured. I sketched in front of one of the mangroves, a small tradition I do throughout many of my travels. Coastal communities and climate change is of major interest to me, so seeing the impact on Bunce Island by climate change was quite something. Trees to me represent so much about life and I could not leave Bunce Island and all the memories and reimagining without sketching a tree there.
The Thomas Peters statue on Wallace Johnson Street was one of the most empowering moments of my trip. Knowing that he was able to bring so many of my people in Nova Scotia to Africa in 1792 was heroic to me and standing next to his statue was such an honor. I felt like I was following his footprints, all the way from Nova Scotia to Sierra Leone, like he and over a thousand others did that year. They came in ships and traveled through storms, yet even though I flew here, we all came from the same place in Canada. It was so amazing to see a part of Canadian history, here in Sierra Leone, West Africa.
It was so hard to leave Sierra Leone after my 8-day trip. I was not ready to go. Everyone was so wonderful to me and the food was very delicious. It is definitely different in Sierra Leone than what I am familiar with on a daily basis in Canada or America. I wanted more Sundays in Freetown, more food for the soul, more interactions with the people. I also wanted to visit other places in Sierra Leone. Number 2 Beach is the most beautiful beach I have ever seen and the loveliest water I have ever felt. I truly miss that vibe and the fresh food that came with it. Leaving Sierra Leone was hard.
How has going to Sierra Leone Shaped Your Next Steps in Life?
Africa was a missing piece for me and going to Sierra Leone completed my puzzle. Attaining global peace, connecting with people who are ancestral to me, is life changing. I am finally able to tell my story in ways I never could. Sierra Leone has become a part of many steps I have taken and will take. Not just because of what is there now, but knowing that I carry Sierra Leone with me everywhere I go. There is more to my ancestral connection with Sierra Leone, but that is another story to be continued.
About Shantelle Vanterpool
Shantelle Vanterpool is a self-taught, multidisciplinary artist whose work explores the tension between structure and deconstruction, rooted in her background in fashion design. Drawing inspiration from global travels and the vibrant cultures of Africa, the Caribbean, and coastal North America, her paintings are layered expressions of intuition, memory, and motion. In her memoir, “Real Eyes, Realize” she tells the story of her journey as an Artist in search of her muse. In travels from her hometown in North Preston, Nova Scotia, to Sierra Leone, West Africa, the Chesapeake in the U.S., and Jamaica, she searches for the connections that give meaning and inspiration to her artworks and entrepreneurial ventures.
Akindele Decker is a writer, public historian, and heritage tourism consultant, whose works, including Runtown and 1800, explore the African and African Diaspora experience, with a particular focus on heritage, identity, and migration.