Ghana be fun...

Out and About in Accra

The National Museum in Accra is one of the oldest museums in Ghana. Established in 1957, the museum was officially opened by Britain's Duchess of Kent on the eve of Ghana's Independence, a fact of which they are rightly proud and will relay often and to anyone who stands still long enough. The museum is relatively small; more of a collection than a fully sized national museum, but it contains some fascinating exhibits that are a part of the country's historical past.

The collection in the museum ranges from pre-historic, archaeological discoveries, to colonial antiquities and exhibits of contemporary African art. Unfortunately very few of them are helpfully labeled.  If you are lucky enough to find a marker it will give a basic and factual description of what you can see in front of you, rather than a full explanation putting the item into context.  On numerous occasions you will find yourself looking at “various pottery shards, from various dates”.  Yet you never find out where they would have been used, by whom or what the cultural significance may have been. 

There is a permanent exhibition in the ethnography gallery that contains objects such as indigenous musical instruments, gold-weights, stools and pottery, as well as the famous Ashanti gold weights used long ago to determine the value of goods.  This does cover some of the heritage but not in the depth one would expect from a museum of this note.  I have to say that until recently I had given very little thought to museum layout, style and set up- however having been educated by friends at the highest levels I do have a new found respect for the amount of work that goes into a display.  It isn’t just the scribble on the card that tell viewers a little of the history, but the whole ambience and approach to the cases that has to be taken into account. 

I am sure a lot of this has been developed since 1957- when Ghana gained its independence - but maybe they need to look at updating their ideas and displays to reflect the ever changing nature of society and the way in which our past can impact us now.  Or maybe I am once again, looking at this with far too much of middle class, European upbringing.

Courts- Supreme, Commercial and Commissioner of Oaths

The Supreme Court was built and established in 1876 as the highest tribunal in Gold Coast when Ghana was under British colonial rule.  As such it looks like a Victorian neo-classical building and has a justice model similar to that found in the UK- along with the red robes for judges, black gowns for barristers and white wigs for use in the court.  I found this twice as funny when compared with the Commercial Court which is built right next door, and is much more modern in design and style; it also afforded a great juxtaposition of the traditional and the accepted way of doing things.  On the day I was in the area not only were there barristers in wigs outside the very “traditional” court house, but standing next to them outside the modern architecture of the commercial court were the tribal chiefs in full-on tribal regalia. 

It is here, outside the courthouse that you will also find a Commissioner of Oaths, an extra-ordinary man who sat in the doorway of his brightly painted hut looking for all the world like he had just stepped out of a 1920s newspaper office.  He was wearing a pin stripped suit, a bowler hat, and he was frantically punching the keys on a typewriter and returning the carriage with a hefty slap as the “ding” signaled the end of the line.  Carbon paper, cigarettes and people shouting after documents only heightened the effect. 

All documents for the court need to be filed by 2:00pm if they are to appear on the docket for the following day, and all papers need to be seen and agreed to by the Commissioner of Oaths, so the hustle and bustle to get to the front of the queue and to gain his signature was intense.  When I did get to the front, he shouted at a girl who read the papers, nodded and ran off round the back to attach a red rosette shaped sticker. 

The last activity for this weekend has been a trip to the National Arts Center in Accra.  It is noisy, it is hustle and bustle, it is full of tiny narrow twists and turns and whole lot of people who claim to know you. I am fairly sure that I have no idea who most of these people are- especially those who think I have visited them here before- I would remember something like that; but they were all incredibly friendly and had so many products to share and show, all of which I would have taken home given half the space in which to store them. 

National Arts Center

I was there for a reason.  I knew what I wanted- a carved African box.  I had seen them a few weeks ago at the Christmas Craft Market at the Trade Center but hadn’t been able to get them home, so a few phones call, and a few weeks later I found myself in a workshop looking at some of the most amazing carving and jewelry I have seen since I arrived.  It really was fantastic.  The haggling on price was interesting, in that it went precisely… nowhere!  After giving a price and then inviting an offer, the guy selling the boxes decided he actually couldn’t do any better and that was the price after all.  But he has promised that next time… and I do think there will be a next time... he would give us a good deal, because now we were brothers.  I do after all really like the boxes and I am quite a fan of the carvings, stools and silver jewelry he has in his workshop.

I really am enjoying the colors and vibrancy of this country.

Having been told off for having my camera out and trying to take photos of the courts I have to admit to having “borrowed” these off Google images- the policeman had an AK47 at the time and I wasn’t about to argue with him.

Ghana be fun...

Off to Busua Beach

So, southern Ghana has two rainy seasons; neither of which are now. This is good news.  It does however mean, that the Harmattan is on the way in- dry air, and lots of dust blowing in from the desert, it also means that this three day weekend has been all about unbroken sunshine, cascades of dust on the road and perfect weather to get out, along the coast and onto the beach at the west of Ghana; all the way to Cote d’Ivoire in fact.

I am going to keep this week very short.  I have had a totally perfect weekend, and as a picture is worth a thousand words I shall simply add a few more of those than usual and leave it at that.

The weather has been amazing, the hotel was phenomenal… I loved sitting outside under the canopy area, the breeze coming off the sea- just enough to keep cool, the sun glinting off the water, the fishing boats in the harbor, the palm treed island on the horizon, the dust kicked up was enough to cause the sky and the sunset to glow a brilliant red and orange, but not enough to leave you feeling choked… it was picture perfect movie Africa. 

The roads have been great; the usual slow and heavy traffic in and out of town, but otherwise curvy, windy and well enough surfaced to enjoy being on the bike, the vegetation got denser and more jungle like the further away from the city you were, but always a lush green and slightly Jurassic park looking, it really did make you wonder what might be hiding among the trees.  The rubber plantations with trees in neat rows left you with the distinct feeling that something was not quite right but needed a second look before you could discern quite what was troubling you about them in relation to the rest of the haphazard greenery. 

The trip back into Accra had its own special and bemusing moments.  A new freeway is being built from Tema all the way to Elmina (I think- possibly slightly further) and progress has been at lightning speed.  Last week they opened a new junction that means that the freeway is now an option for getting back into the city and home.  Until today however, and my first trip along it, I didn’t realize it cut straight thru the market.  What makes this noteworthy is that all the traffic is on one side of the road- going in both directions- the off ramp currently serves as the on and the off ramp with cars going in both directions at once and cutting across each other to get to their correct area… and the market is still in progress, on the road!  They haven’t relocated the market yet so the freeway just goes straight through and drivers weave their way around the stalls.  What is even more amazing is, it seems to be working.  There were no accidents and everyone appeared to get where they were headed.  Including the people who just jumped out a taxi mid traffic flow and wandered off.

 

As ever, the odd questions arose:

How much should one interact with locals before you can say you have had a new experience?

Should I have enjoyed looking at the picturesque movie Africa picture that was created when I have seen what that means to the people that live it?

Why is there always at least one completely naked person walking down the middle of a main road on any trip out of the city?

Why have I only just discovered FanDango in citrus flavor, and how can I create an Um Bongo like song for it?

But as I said it was a perfect weekend and I really don’t want to ruin the feeling by trying to answer them.

Ghana be fun

Thanksgiving – Take Two

This week is Thanksgiving and despite the fact that I am not American I feel totally at liberty to celebrate this holiday, given that I am sure by pure dint of being British that I can find some ties to the Mayflower. I am also sure that, given my inability to provide food for myself or cook anything of significance, genetic links must surely prove that I descended from -or at least I am related to- those hapless souls escaping persecution.  I also know that I have mixed at least three different versions of the story of the first Thanksgiving to make these claims.  But, again, as there are at least three such stories I feel perfectly entitled to use whichever one and whichever version best suits my purposes.  As has been pointed out this week, Thanksgiving may come from the pilgrims who may or may not have landed at Plymouth MA 1621, but they were not the first settlers, nor were they the first to rely on the Native Americans, but for the purposes of the story, etc… and as it happens I LOVE thanksgiving! It is my favorite holiday and a great excuse to eat all my favorite food, have fun and generally start the lead up to Christmas.

This week has seen two celebrations- Thanksgiving American style on the Thursday- which is the official day to celebrate; since 1941, when it was declared that the fourth Thursday in November would be used for Thanksgiving.  I have also had a few explanations for this over the last few days but I think it is something to do Lincoln and the Civil War and the fact he declared November 26 a day for giving Thanks and not fighting… so nothing to do with the first Thanksgiving and a complete change in date- but a small fact that I am not going to let get in the way of a perfectly good holiday, and great food.

So, Thursday was a very traditional celebration.  Beautifully hosted, the food was roast turkey with all the trimmings, green beans, stuffing, cranberries, Mac and Cheese, mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie, apple crisp and lemon tart… the list continues.  Everyone was sat around one table, grace was said, we took a moment before dinner to think about things we were personally thankful for, shared memories of previous Thanksgiving, and the fact that while we were away from family we were able to celebrate with friends.

Saturday was a little different.  It was a much bigger affair with a much more Ghanaian twist to things!  It started with a live turkey running around the yard, and then the ritual slaughter of the said turkey… there was blood, feathers, severed feet and a lot of noise!   There was of course also the piglet that was roasting on the spit, a hand turned spit, over heated coals, and the man who sat in a 95F heat turning the spit. 

Having said it was much bigger affair means there were a lot more people involved, and the whole day was spent with people coming and going, tables being delivered, chairs being set up, the ice and the bar man arriving for the evening, people in and out of the kitchen, ladies chopping vegetables and preparing the food for later, glass ware being delivered, china being set on the tables, ovens and fridges being utilized in all houses possible- a general hustle and bustle and industriousness of what was to come.

Then as the afternoon wore on and started to turn into the evening more people arrived, but this time as guests.  The atmosphere was very convivial.  The gas lamps around the pool and the colored lights strung along the back wall just seemed to encourage a Greek taverna feel, the floating flowers and candles in the pool had a very island holiday feel, and everyone seemed relaxed happy and ready to chat.

 I have to say I think I enjoyed the evening all the more for having been out of the way and not involved in the cooking for most of the day.  Probably for the taste buds of everyone invited it was a good thing I wasn’t involved in the cooking, but it also meant I got to enjoy an afternoon at the pre-Christmas craft bazaar at the Trade Center.  It was held outside and while there were a whole lot of people it didn’t feel over crowded.  They also had a great mix of newly crafted things and slightly older objects to be bought.

The big purchase of the day- along with the obligatory beads and knick knacks that you inevitably find in these places (and buy despite the fact you kind of know you are never going to need them) was a set of three people.  They do seem to be quite popular and date in age, having been carved and crafted from anywhere in the last 60 years until very recently and probably in the case of the police officer just for the bazaar.  They also only ever seem to come wearing the same costumes- the soldier, the police officer and the doctor.  I am sure that on some level they are deeply politically incorrect and I have a certain uneasiness about buying them, a throwback to colonialism (although I also have a feeling that it is me reading these messages into objects, which is in and of itself very Un-PC- not enough to stop me- just that I feel I really ought to be offended by them).  On the other hand I think they are totally great, and a real African souvenir, which despite my convoluted and involved circular thinking I am going to enjoy.

After all- the day started with a turkey having its head removed and ended with beautiful oil lamps floating in the pool.  A day of contrasts if ever there was one to be had.  

Ghana be fun...

Akosombo Dam

It turns out there are a fair few things to see and do when you head outside of Accra, as long as you are prepared to sit in the traffic or dodgy and weave around the jams in order to get out of the city.

The weather this weekend has been gloriously sunny, and the sun has been blisteringly hot and intense, a smattering of white fluffy clouds have kept the blue sky looking pretty and the sun from burning.  In fact a perfect weekend to head out to the Eastern Region and along to the Akosombo Dam and the Volta.  This dam has been a long time in coming, originally conceived in 1915 as part of a huge Hydro-electric project, plans weren’t drawn up until the 1940s and building was completed in 1961, creating both the dam and Lake Volta, the world’s largest man-made lake.  It also makes this year the 50^th Anniversary of the Volta River Authority and of the dam.  

 

All along the lake are small rural fishing communities.  The fisherman still go out in hand paddled canoes, they still have fishing nets hung out along the rocks to dry, they still go down to the river to wash and to wash their clothes. They are completely surrounded by lush looking green hills.  It really does feel like stepping back in time, and I completely imagine a biblical fishing village to look something like this.  You can’t even see any of this from the road.  Or see this from the road. It feels and sounds totally and secluded and peaceful once you are on the lake.  It was so silent and the water was so still and calm. 

Apparently the dam hasn’t been such a huge success for those living along the sides of it.  It might have appeared clam and idyllic and hydroelectricity might be good for the country as a whole, but the short term effects of the dam have been an increase in water bourn disease, such as river blindness and malaria.  This has led to aquatic degradation causing the fishing to be damaged.  There is no longer the quantity or the quality to be caught.  The weight of the water in the lake has caused crustal movement that has lead to coastal erosion; the land that was flooded to create the lake was more fertile than the rocky outcrops left. Meaning that all the communities that were relocated lost part of their livelihood.  Maybe there is more to this than I actually understand.  I wonder if this, along with the "sand winning" is causing some of the problems in Elmina too- or whether they are too far along the coast to feel the effects?

 

It wasn’t just the lake that was clam and serene.  The hotel was also unusually peaceful (despite the cockerel who insisted on screeching all night).  It really was a great place to sit and relax.  The restaurant served nice food, and the location picture perfect, on a deck out over the lake.  You could watch the fish swimming underneath if you looked down through the slats, or on the decking you could watch the lizards playing chase.  An activity I found fascinating.  They very rarely seemed to sit still, lunging at and grabbing each other. 

On the way back into Accra there was a small craft market, with a lady who made the funniest deals.   The conversation was something along these lines…

-       “How much?”

-       “45GHs, I made it all myself, you can have it in all these colors”

-       Nod “OK”

-       “OK. 40GHs.”

-       “Yep- sounds good.”

-       “You can have it for 35GHs”

Hang on a second… isn’t it the job of the person buying the goods who is supposed to knock the price down?  But it carried on, the more things that were picked up the cheaper the prices came, and then upon paying a few more things were thrown in for free.  So that is a few Christmas presents bought, another craft fair coming up before the vacation and I can’t wait to go back to Akosombo.  There is still a river cruise I want to do.