The Slave Trade

Two weeks ago (yes, I know I've been slacking on posting), we went on excursion to Baker’s Fort in Patiko.

Sir Samuel Baker was a British explored who came to Africa in search of the source of the River Nile.  What he found was an avid Arab slave trade.

Baker’s Fort is essentially a natural rock formation that the Arabs used as a trading post before their captives were transported to Khartoum and on to Europe to be sold.  Baker later took over the fort and used it as a headquarters for his soldiers in his fight to end the slave trade in East Africa.

It was strange to stand in awe of the natural beauty of this place and realize this is where many Ugandans of days gone by met their fate.  There were specific sections pointed out to us by our guide that were used for firing squads, and more gruesomely, a slanted surface of rock that was used as a site for beheadings.  You can still see the axe marks in the stone, and up until a few years ago, you could still see blood stains.

beaheading platform.

cave where female slaves were kept before they were transported.

firing squad.

The slave trade had an active role in shaping the history of this region.  In school growing up we spent most of our time looking at the West African slave trade, which supplied forced labor to the Americas, but never really looked at the Arab slave traders in the east.  It was certainly an eye-opening experience to step foot in a place so rich with history.  Despite its gruesome past, Baker’s Fort is likely one of the most interesting and beautiful places we’ve visited.