Portrait - Ebenezer Faybill Pobee, 2004

Between the 16th and 19th century the Dutch were an important presence on the Gold Coast of West Africa, now the Republic of Ghana. They owned numerous forts in the coastal towns and developed a strong settlement in the town of Elmina, the Dutch headquarters from 1637 to 1872. Relations with the local communities and political leadership were trade-driven - including the Atlantic slave trade - but not entirely mercantile in their final form.

European men and African women struck up lasting relationships, that were both an expression of personal cross-cultural intimacy and a means to build a common social, economic and even political structure. More often than not these relationships were therefore sealed by way of local marriage practices and rituals as well as official Dutch regulations. The children from these marriages and their descendants had a special position on the Gold Coast. Often related to powerful local elite families on the one hand and with continued European bonds on the other, the so-called Euro-African population of the coastal towns played an important role in the development of the coastal urban communities of the Gold Coast.

The Gold Coast DataBase is the first attempt to bring together in a comprehensive way a large collection of biographical, genealogical and general historical data, as a resource for the study of the Euro-African elites of the Gold Coast, more particularly the Dutch-Ghanaian segment.

For more information read the feature articles, especially the first article on the Gold Coast DataBase, which is also a basic FAQ list.

Important notice
To use this site you need to be registered. You find the registration form here. Make sure to fill out the form completely, and enter a reason for your application in the Notes section. Incomplete submissions will be automatically refused.

After registration you will be issued with a password. Make sure you read the User Regulations and Disclaimer and that you are in complete agreement before you register as a user.

What is the Gold Coast DataBase?
FAQ - Read all about the background of the project and its aims and objectives.

Blog
Check out the Gold Coast DataBase Blog at Ghana and the Netherlands - Historical Notes and leave your comments.

Pictures from the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast in 1890 - Collection of photographs brought together by Dutch merchant H.P.N. Muller during his trip to West Africa, visiting Elmina in April 1890.

Tuck's 'Oilette' Postcards of the Gold Coast - Collection of postcards from watercolours commissioned by the Gold Coast government for the Empire Exhibition at Wembley in 1924. Artist: Edith Cheesman.

Postcards of the Gold Coast - Collection of miscellaneous postcards with images from the Gold Coast.

Information wanted and the latest additions
Most Wanted - I am looking for information about these people. Can you help?

What's New - View the latest updates made to the site.