Carl Christian Reindorf

Carl Christian Reindorf (31 May 1834 – 1 July 1917) A teacher, farmer, trader, traditional medicine physician, he wrote The History of the Gold Coast and Asante in the Ga language; scholars consider the book a "culturally important" work and an increasingly important source for Ghanaian history. The work was later translated into English and published in 1895 in Switzerland.

Biography Early life and education

Reindorf was born in Prampram, Gold Coast, a palm oil trading port As a little child, he lived in ritual servitude at a fetish shrine, Digbla of Gbugla of his mother's Ga-Dangme traditional religion. He then continued his education at the Basel Mission School at Osu between 1847 and 1855.

Christian mission Carl Reindorf was a mission assistant to the Basel missionary, August Steinhauser and ran administrative errands for him in Odumase-Krobo to meet the paramount chief, Odonkor Azu, whose sons, including Sir Emmanuel Mate Kole, were educated by the Basel Mission. As principal, he mentored several students such as Christian Holm, Peter M. Anteson and William A. Quartey, who all became teachers and catechists of the Basel mission.

Personal life In 1856, Carl Reindorf married Juliana Ayikai Mansah Djebi from a notable household in Asere. Djebi had received a European-type education, living with Marie Locher, a missionary-wife in Christiansborg.

Works Reindorf, Carl Christian (1895, 1966), The History of the Gold Coast and Asante, Basel

Death and legacy Carl Reindorf died of natural causes on 1 July 1917. as well as Ludwig L. Richter and Samuel Wuta Ofei (1850–22) delivered eulogies. His remains were buried at the Basel Mission Cemetery in Accra and his epitaph reads, "native pastor and historian". The church also renamed its chapel extension, the Carl Christian Reindorf Auditorium in recognition of his contributions to church, history and country.

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