Last entry: Africa through the senses

This will be my last entry and I am transposing something that I wrote while traveling. It can be an overwhelming experience to be in Africa simply because, in the words of Christopher Guest in Spinal Tap, everything's on a volume of 11. I broke this phenomenon down in terms of the senses:

Sight:
It's like an incredibly rich art house movie everytime you look out the window, both in rural and urban settings. We never got tired of looking, and staring was acceptable for the first time in my life. People wanted to check us out, and this gave us the tacit permission, without hostility for the most part, to check everyone out too. That was probably one of the most enjoyable parts of visiting Ghana, the permission to look without getting scolded.
The soil was rich everywhere, whether it was more of a brown or red red as you went to Kumasi and farther north, and every color, especially green was so saturated.

Smell:
In the rainforest we were introduced to a natural pesticide tree, and indeed there were no mosquitos as we walked about. This was called the perfume tree, and this natural sort of incense-like smell combined with wood smoke made the air often smell...like Africa. It was true whether we were in Kumasi or in rural parts of Ghana. Africa smells different. I have a carved wood mini-coffin here at home along with Badie dye soaked Adinkra stamps and the smell lingers in my house.

Sounds:
The number of languages you hear in a day are numerous, and though English is taught in schools, most folks prefer their language of origin. It was oddly comforting to sit somewhere and let different languages flow around you. Though I have travelled in the past to countries where I don't speak the language, this time there were so many levels of mystery that I was content to just be, and take in what I could.
Many people did talk with us and made us feel welcome. "Akwaaba!" is the Ghanaian (Twi?) word for welcome. Several people, from all over the country said, "Tell people about us"--so I'm telling.

Taste
Just like a mango in Boston does not taste like a mango in the Carribean, so it is for many tropical foods in Ghana. We had bananas that were just--deeper--tasting and of course the mangoes and pineapple were daily and out of this world. I coaxed a recipe or two out of Talk True and will be trying some things out on my own here, like Porto-Poto and Red Red.

Touch
The first thing that comes to mind is the amazing clay workshop we took at SWOPA in Sirigu outside of Bolga--though I have described this already, it was amazing to see how these women would use clay, hands and skill to create their pots.
It's also worth noting the resourcefulness with which folks conduct their lives. For example: I saw tires used in a number of different ways, from shoe tread to roofing and fencing. There are no paper towels, you use and re-use rags. Our disposable lifestyle is in great contrast and worth reconsidering.

Intent
Growing up in a Deaf household, I understand how sometimes you think you are speaking the same language, when in reality you are not on the same page at all. Similarly, even though you and someone else might be speaking English, your conversation might not go in the direction you anticipate. Similarly, not every idiom or experience translates from one language to another. Sometimes you just have to let it go.

Though I am sure it will take years for us to absorb all the lessons to be learned from our trip to Ghana, it has been an amazing summer. Thanks for sticking with me as I sorted it out electronically. Be sure to check my other blog, "...and the rest of life"

http://andtherestoflife.blogspot.com/

for stories on my mother's transition to Boston and the letting go of her house and my childhood home. Until the next time,
Kathleen

Flora and Fauna

It's great to be home! It took longer than expected (surprise, surprise!) but we are back and enjoying the things we have taken for granted.

One of the many exciting things that one experiences in travel is the difference in nature that you encounter. Our trip was no exception. Though I was not able to capture all of the different animals that we saw, we did have the opportunity to see a huge variety of birds, insects, goats, sheep, bats, monkeys, goats, and goats. I was so excited to see weaver birds outside of Cape Coast, and got to see them in action--I could have stayed and watched all day. When we were driving, we kept encountering a red (really scarlet red) bird that only migrates to Ghana during the rainy season. Madeline and I were both excited to see an exotic long-tailed bird on our tour of Cedi's bead factory--I am not sure of the name of either of these, but am researching. Of course, chickens are everywhere, and goats abound. In the city or rural areas, goats are a presence--at one point, we were near the border of Burkina Faso and I noticed a bus with goats on top. I was flabbergasted and confused. Why did they stop the bus to feed the goats on the roof? I asked someone--he said there was no room in the boot. I tried again--"But--there are goats on the roof of the bus..." He said, as if talking to a simpleton, "Yes. There is nothing wrong with that." I realized then that they were tied to the roof--I couldn't see the ropes. It was one of those many moments where cultures collide.

Madeline is quite sure that she can now speak goat. The neighborhood goats bid her goodbye as we left. I asked Talk True if the chickens, goats and sheep know who they belong to. He laughed--he said that though they may wander during the day, they know where home is. Sure enough, the next night I saw his sheep running for home, bleating all the way. I kept trying to speak to them, but I don't speak Twi. Or sheep.

Not surprisingly, there are all sorts of palms, and we would drive by piles of different harvests as we travelled. The palm fruit is fascinating, and I loved how people would stand roadside with bowls of HUGE snails for sale between Kumasi and Accra. There was also this rodent-like animal that would be roasted akimbo and then offered on a stick. Musah was very interested in one, but declined at 45 Ghana cedi apiece. Always an adenture.

Adinkra at Aba House

Adinkra cloth is made from stamping dye made from Badia tree bark with stamps carved from the calabash gourd. Adinkra symbols are used to convey different meanings and sentiments from the wearer to the viewer. We spent time learning the Adinkra process at Aba House yesterday with David, who is an Ashanti and Adinkra stamper--he accompanied us to his village last week where we learned about the process of making Adinkra cloth.

We started by getting a feel for the comb and creating borders for our pieces using a 6-toothed comb and drawing it as evenly as we could from one edge to another. Within the borders we created, we stamped different symbols using the calabash stamps. As with everything, it was harder than it looked and my signature began to be the additional drips that accompanied the symbols. We each managed to get a piece done and worked on a collaborative piece together: David, Madeline, me and Tamara from NY State and Swarthmore College.

Staying at Aba House is an experience in and of itself. Aba is Ellie Schimelman, a former art teacher from the US who lives near us in Boston and also has a house in Nungua. She operates the Cross Cultural Collaborative, which is an organization that connects Obrunis like me with artists from all over Ghana. On any given night, after a delicious dinner cooked by Talk True, the resident chief, you might find yourself deep in conversation about the state of Education in Ghana with the Minister of Education, mudcloth and hanging out with Pygmies with Patrick, an artist and teacher from Cameroon, or debating the right to bear arms with Talk True and Musah. At Aba House, we were always sure to have a rich experience.

After Life

One of the things that I came to see here was the tradition (though not ancient) of creating and painting coffins that suit a person's passion or profession. Paa Joe, the artist who started this tradition decades ago when he created one for a tribal chief, has since moved his studio to a village between Accra and Kumasi. Many of his students are still here in the Teshie/Nungua area. In these shops, you can find coffins in the shape of chickens, fish, giraffes, lions, sneakers, sewing machines--you name it. One of his former students, Doctor Joe has a shop in Labadie and I commissioned a (portable) Coke bottle from him. He has many other fine examples in his shop and invites all obrunis who are interested to come and take a look!

In Accra today we experienced the market, the Nkrumah museum and masoleum and of course we have to check out Ryan's Irish Pub. We are enjoying our remaining time and look forward to the Adinkra workshop tomorrow with David.

Tales from an Obruni, chapter 6

Yesterday Madeline and I joined our old friend Musah for a trip to Odumase-Krobo, which is the bead village north of Tema. We started with a tour of Cedi's glass bead factory, given by Cedi's brother, where they create a variety of different beads using recycled glass, glass powder, recycled glass beads and ceramic-glazed beads. The tour was extremely informative and we walked around from pavilion to pavilion watching the bead production in action. The kilns used to fire the glass are made from gound termite mounds and are fired up to 2000 degrees. The molds are ceramic, and the beadmakers take the molten glass and move it in the molds, freeing it up and making the hole at the same time. Each pavilion houses a different aspect of the production, and folks work collectively to produce the beads.

In addition to the factory, there is also a store, and I got to see some of the beautiful work that Cedi and his family produce. I was tempted by the beautiful chevron glass beads that Cedi makes, but could not afford them at 20/30 cedi a bead. Afterward, we went to the bead market, and were instantly overwhelmed, but of course that did not stop us from getting a few. Some of the older beads for sale at the market are really amazing, and definitely worth the trip.

Today we have come to the fancy hotel down the road in search of a pool and the internet. We have found both.

Tales from an Obruni, chapter 5

We were happy to arrive back at Aba House in time for one of Talk True's famous meals--he does a fantastic job of making sure that everything runs smoothly at Aba House and that we have typical West African meals for breakfast and dinner. Among other things we have had cabbage stew, Red Red, banana bread from a solar cooker, and he promises an African pizza that Madeline may help with.

By now, my cough had become quite intrusive and shall we say...productive. I have not had bronchitis in a long time, but I know it when I see it and the following day we got to experience the Ghanaian medical system at the new hospital in Teshie, a beautiful building. It was pouring, but we were warm and dry in the waiting room and received prompt medical attention! Cost of one hospital visit: 20 Ghana cedis, or about $18.50. We filled my prescriptions, and headed back to Aba House. I rested and plowed through an Ann Hamilton book that was lying around. I have now started a Jodi Picoult book--I know a lot of folks are fans, but I have never read her work. It's pretty good.

Anyway, the next day I taught the kids who come to Aba House a self-portrait lesson. It was highly entertaining to see something that I do frequently in a very different setting. One evening, we had the opportunity to talk with Ben Adipah, who is the Minister of Education here in Ghana about the limitations and promises of the educational system. He is a good friend of Aba's and works very hard to try to get the arts to children in schools in Ghana. I learned that teachers here need two years of training outside of high school and then are required to teach within a rote checklist-like system. We wondered (there were a bunch of us art teachers there that evening) and brainstormed ideas for bringing what is already artistically rich in the culture into the classroom. There is of course no money for such ideas, but we plotted anyway. I am already mentally compiling a list of books to send to Ben when arriving back in the states.

It should be mentioned here that in addition to my famous daughter, my husband has also found a rhythm with his work--he has been working on a series of drawings that are ripe with promise and I am sure will be developed into larger works. He has also developed a love for Castle Milk Stout, which he will quickly tell you is nutritious and good for you! This will come as no surprise to those who know John O'Brien.

Tales from an Obruni, chapter 4

Wednesday morning we woke up (I had been coughing for a few days now--not easy to sleep) and we had a breakfast of oatmeal (I finally figured out how to avoid the white bread and egg--a lot of variation on starch in West Africa, not a surprise that folks struggle with diabetes). Madeline has broadened her horizons and has had everything in the morning from hot chocolate to ovaltine to a sugary coffee drink that isn't too bad. We try to get protein in her every day and luckily she is not a picky eater--I'm really not at all sure what we would have done if she was. In fact, I am not sure what we would have done if she was not flexible in general. There has been very little TV, long drives, a lot of grown ups and a lot of waiting. I commend her adventurous spirit and her willingness to learn alongside her parents.

So, the market in Kumase. We went up to view it before immersing ourselves in the thick of it all and the expanse of it is unbelievable. It has to be at least four square miles, but is pretty well organized by fabric and garments, household items, metals and food. We just did a fraction of the fabric and some of the household items. I bargained my little heart out but some of the fabric prices are set by the government--it didn't prevent me from trying though!

Wherever we walk, we often hear "Obruni! Obruni!" which of course means white person in Twi, the Ashanti language. A lot of little kids say it, and then wave, but there are the hostile utterances too--one day in particular it was shouted from a truck, and we were walking in the mud after a long rain--"Yeah, yeah I'm the obruni.." Many people want Madeline's attention in particular, which can get a little overwhelming, but she takes it in stride. We got our goods and jumped back in the van for the trip back to Accra--and some consistency.

Tales from an Obruni, chapter 3

Early the next morning, we headed back through Tamale to Kumasi again, this time to spend time in the Kente and Adinkra villages, learning about their respective textile traditions. The day was another long hurry up and wait driving day, let's call it "Coughing to Kumasi"--I was developing quite a cough by that point. I bought cough syrup in Kumasi that evening before heading to the hotel.

The next morning, joined by David our Ashanti guide, we headed to the Kente village of Adanwomase. We took the tour that led us through the chief's house, to the fetish priests' house and the cocoa tree grove and finally to the weavers, who were all working together under one pavillion that has been built for this purpose. According to our guide, men are the primary weavers, and all the men of this village are taught to weave kente cloth in the traditional manner. The speed with which they are able to complete a piece is astonishing. I tried the weaving technique myself, all caught on tape, and let me just say you need strong toes to make it work! Afterward, we went looking for Kente cloth and I bargained my way up one side of the street and down another.

After Adanwomase, David took us to his village of Ntonso, where they make Adinkra cloth. He showed us how they make the dye with which they stamp the cloth, and we looked at the different carved calabash stamps that are made for the process. David is coming to Aba house on Tuesday next to work with a small group of us in creating our own Adinkra cloth.

That evening we prepared ourselves for the market in Kumasi, which is the biggest in Western Africa.

Tales from an Obruni, chapter 2

We woke up in Sirigu underneath mosqito netting and to the brightly painted walls of the huts that have been built for those who are interested in this community's work. After a breakfast, where in addition to bread and eggs we were given a sample of the local millet beer (!). Madeline and I took a clay workshop with two of the women of the village. The pots that we made were created out of clay dug from a local river mixed with dried ground pre-fired clay (grog to you and me) and we helped knead and wedge the clay. Once we were done preparing the clay body, we were taught how to "throw" the pot by hand, creating a base and then slowly building up the sides using even pressure from both hands simultaneously while turning it. Yes, they made it look easy, but we were game. After the pot was created, it is smoothed with a small amount of water and paper. The clay gets leather hard and then is worked into again, either burnished or enscribed, and then pit fired.

The folks in the community also shared with us their house painting techniques and there was a lot of painting going on! Our guide shared many of the northern traditions with us, including facial scarification (everyone had) and facial tattoos (only a few had). He said that some older norther Ghanaians tattooed their faces in order to identify themselves as northerners and therefore innocent in tribal wars taking place a few decades ago. I want to thank the community of SWOPA for our visit and for teaching us about their culture and demonstrating that art can work to sustain a community.

After a visit to the sacred crocodiles in Paga on the border of Burkina Faso, we stayed in a hotel in Bolgatanga that had no internet, but did have...Disney Channel. Someone was very happy.

Catching up: Tales from an Obruni

Well, friends, it has been a long time since we last connected digitally. We have come to learn that this happens with more frequency when you are within an infrastructure that is fragile. Remote villages, rain, illness, travel and rain have prevented me from blogging in the past week, but I will do my best to catch up with the details, and there are many:

Monkey Business
Last Saturday found us in the Boaben-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary in the Brong Ahafo Region. The sanctuary protects the headwaters of the streamsin the locality.& has a good number of the Black and White Colobus, Mona, spot nosed monkeys and a variety of birds. north of Cape Coast and its residents did not disappoint. They are very used to tourists and expect the treats that come with the visits. I am sure that my biologist friends would tell you that it is not a good idea to feed any sort of native species, but what of a species that has long coexisted with humans? After one bold Colobus monkey snatched a banana from Madeline's hand and ran off with his stolen prize, others came up and demanded their due. We visited their favorite hangouts, their Mona cousins who do not co-mingle as easily and the cemetery where both monkeys as well as fetish priests are buried. It is amazing to spend time in this way with our primate cousins--we set off for the north after a quick visit to a beautiful waterfalls near Kintampo.

This was a long drive to Sirigu, north of Bolgatanga. Here is a link to a good map, so you can see how far we went:

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/ghana_pol_2007.jpg

I can't say enough about Musah, who is more than a driver, but also a friend and amazingly adept at negotiating both difficult roads and encounters. Musah speaks many tribal languages, and understands and adjusts to most situations . After our long drive north, past Tamale, past Bolgatanga, we discovered there was more than one Sirigu--and the one that we wanted was farther north still. The evening ended with us sitting on the roof of one of the beautifully painted clay houses, watching the bats and waiting for Musah, who was driving home a Ghanaian who helped us find SWOPA, Sirigu Women's Organization for Pottery and Art. Incidentally, it is not unusual for a Ghanaian to hop inthe car and ride along to a destination if you are unsure. We met many different friends that way, and were more certain to reach our destination.

Rainforest and the Ashanti

Well, we did a canopy walk this AM...my daughter was thrilled. I was not so much. Too early, too little coffee, too friggin' high in the canopy on a little bitty rope bridge. I sucked it up and did it. Madeline was intrepid. It was really beautiful--we could hear the monkeys and learned a lot about the rainforest.

We are driving a lot this week, going around the country and are very blessed to have Musaa as our driver and guide. He not only understands the roads, he knows all the best places and answers all of our random questions.

We travelled on (some unpaved roads) to Kumasi, the heart of the Ashanti tribe, a very proud and ancient people. Learned more about Adinkra symbols and Kente cloth and will be doing a textile workshop with an Ashanti artist later this week. In addition to the powerful language that the textiles convey, I was really taken with the Ashanti's identification with the porcupine as a symbol of strength and power, and the unapologetic marriage of symbol and ritual. More to learn, but it was another full day. We are staying at a fabulous hotel and will travel a long distance farther north tomorrow to visit the women potters of Sirigu, who have formed a collective called SWOPA (Sirigu Womens Organization for Pottery and Art). WE will be staying in one of the houses that the women make and paint out of clay. Not sure they have internet that far north, but will post again soon. Time for bed!

Finally, Ghana

We arrived soon after dark to Aba House tired but relieved. Had our first Red-red, which is a Ghanaian dish of red plantains and beans, very delicious. After our second malaria tablets, we all had the vivid dreams. Not too different from our usual dreams.

Today we began our journey across the country and driving in Ghana is an extremely stimulating experience. The going is slow and the commerce is thick; folks selling everything on their heads from peanuts to bags of filtered water, others selling everything roadside from waffle irons to plastic buckets. Who needs TV when you can look out the window. Driving in all three countries; France, Cote D'Ivoire and Ghana has been wild and wooly--I am glad someone else is doing the driving.

We arrived in Cape Coast this afternoon and visited the site of the famous Slave Castle, one of many places where slaves were sold as merchandise by colonialists. The history is thick with complicit tribal chiefs and deceitful Europeans. The situation is sobering and something to attend to. I was looking forward to seeing the "Door of No Return" and the subsequent, recently named "Door of Return" inviting all those of African descent to return and visit Ghana someday. I highly recommend it.

At a hotel this evening with crocodiles and weaver birds, way cool. Canopy walk tomorrow, my girl is excited.

Something worth mentioning about Madeline--what a great adventurer she is! She has proven to be very flexible and open to most everything. I'm a proud mama.

A True Journey

All adventurers know that to embrace the unexpected is the true meaning of a journey, and of course we have experienced this dramatically. Along with Deb, a nurse on a medical mission to set up screening for Diabetes in Ghana, Robert, a Ghanian national with dual US citizenship, and Mary with her large brood from Texas, we have made our way through two extra countries and one exta continent.

We have visited the Eiffel Tower, experienced many cheeses and french bread, and of course the multi-lyered experience of Cote D'Ivoire; today we are finally en route to Accra. In the same outfit for four days and praying our bags are indeed there. Looking forward to some of the expected.

...our bags are packed, we're ready to go

Everything's by the door and we're waiting for our friends to come and pick us up for the trip to the airport. The dog and turtle are ensconsed at Mary, Mia and Diego's house and my mother went back to her house two days ago to spend time with the family and her old friends.

This trip took a lot of preparation! Our bathroom and kitchen are stripped down and will be ripped out and replaced anew when we're gone. Next post will be from the big continent, the continent of our origin.

Sitting here with Julie

First time blogging! Can't wait to share our adventures in Ghana with everyone.

Currently we are sore from yellow fever shots and sick from the oral typhoid vaccine. Getting excited.