Reframing Heritage Through Art at Ambrado Yer Anna Araba Smith Fie
Along Liverpool Street in Elmina, a new chapter is unfolding at Ambrado Yer Anna Araba Smith Fie, the historic house also known as the Cornelis Nagtglas House, as artists prepare the building for a mural under the Elmina Town of Art project.
The initiative is led by Emmanuel Eshun in collaboration with Richard Kofi and a team of Ghanaian artists. What began last year as a local effort to beautify parts of Elmina has gradually evolved into a wider cultural project focused on art, heritage, and public memory.
From the beginning, the Edina Traditional Council has played an important role in shaping the direction of the project. The Council has been involved in planning discussions and has also supported efforts to identify and coordinate funding pathways that make the project possible, ensuring that it remains connected to the community it represents.
A key ambition of the project is to integrate artistic activity into the Edina Bakatue Festival, creating space for contemporary cultural expression alongside traditional celebrations. In doing so, the project seeks to expand how the festival is experienced while keeping it rooted in local identity.
A Building with a History
The house was selected for its historical and symbolic importance. It was built in 1865 by Cornelis Nagtglas, governor of the Dutch Gold Coast, for his Ghanaian wife, Anna Araba Smith. Its original name, Ambrado Yer Anna Araba Smith Fie, is Fante for “the house of the Governor’s wife, Anna Araba Smith”. Situated prominently along Liverpool Street, the building remains part of Elmina's everyday landscape.
Rather than treating the building only as a relic of the past, the project approaches it as a living site of memory. Through mural work, the artists aim to re-engage the space and encourage reflection on the layered histories that continue to shape Elmina today.
Work in Progress
Preparatory work is currently underway, including the removal of old paint, sanding of surfaces, and repair of damaged sections in preparation for painting. Work began this week and is expected to continue until Saturday 16 May 2026.
The Elmina Town of Art project is funded by the Dutch Embassy in Ghana under the Dutch Cultural Heritage Project, an initiative supporting cultural heritage work through creative and community-driven approaches.