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Ghana Top Ten By Nichole Huck
Tamale, Northern Ghana
My time in Ghana is drawing to a close and now it’s a time of reflection. I know that the mark Africa has left on me is far greater than the mark I have left on her. I have learned a lot about journalism, relationships, hardship, religion, generosity, and myself. There are some things I’m happy to leave but there are far more things that I will miss.
TOP TEN THINGS I WILL MISS MOST ABOUT GHANA 1) “You are welcome” “Akwaba”, “Amaraba”. You hear this greeting when you enter a restaurant, store, office or home. Nothing makes you feel better and puts you at ease faster.
2) “You are invited”. When someone is eating in your presence you are invited to their food. This truly is generous because most of the food is eaten with your hands so they are in essence inviting you to stick your grubby hand into their meal. I’ve come to expect this invitation from co-workers and friends, but it still cracks me up to be ‘invited’ to the meal of a perfect stranger in a restaurant or on the street. I’m never
sure exactly how I should respond. I usually just smile and say thank-you and then keep going....but I wonder what the person would do if one of these times I actually just sat down and started eating.
3) The Dancing. Anytime, anyplace. In the street, at the football stadium, in the kitchen, on the playground, in Church. Everyone can dance, even babies have rhythm. It’s really nice to see men who will get out on the dance floor without the aid of alcohol. I have seen an old woman dancing as she passed a music shop while balancing a bucket of water on her head (never spilling a drop). Young girls already know how to move their hips to the music, young boys look just as comfortable on the dance floor as they do on the football field.
4) Co-existence. Northern Ghana is predominately Muslim, but there are also a lot of Christians who live here. It truly is a model for peace. I have been to a Christian/Muslim wedding ceremony where they were able to blend the two religions to please both families. Buses wait for Muslim prayers to finish before leaving, meetings might start with a
The Dancing
These are my neighbours. We have held many a dance party at our house. Christian prayer and end with a Muslim prayer. You don’t see people out trying to convert the others to their religion. Over the last 8 months I have been woken up at 4:00 every morning by a mosque calling for prayers, and on Sundays the Evangelical Church down the street starts singing and dancing from early morning until night (which I can only assume is irritating for people living right beside the Church). The only thing I can think of that could further contribute to a peaceful co-existence is the banning of loudspeakers by all religious groups.
5) Greetings in Dagbani. Desibah (Good Morning), Anteray (Good Afternoon), Ananwula (Good Evening). Greetings can go on for an extended period of time, asking how the other slept, how is work?, how is the family?, how is your health? If you aren’t sure about the question, it’s a safe bet the answer is “Naa”. Growing up in a small town I was used to greeting everyone I passed, but I kind of lost that when I moved to a city. I hope it’s something that I will bring back to Canada with me.
6) Clothes that fit. There is no Wal-Mart
The Colours
This Church is at Butri along the coast of Ghana here where you can go and pick up some cheap made in Bangladesh dress. You buy the material by the yard from a local shop. Some of it is made abroad but most of the batik style is made right here in Ghana. Then you go to a tailor or seamstress, they will take your measurements you can decide on a style and they will make the clothes to fit you. It’s nice knowing the person who makes your clothes actually gets paid a fair wage.
7) Guns, fire, and machetes. When an important person dies the men pay tribute by firing off old muskets into the air. When I hear drumming from morning to night and the sound of gunfire I no longer fear, I know it’s a time of celebration. The fire festival was one of my favourite experiences in Ghana, I will never forget seeing small children and women with babies on their backs running down the street holding flaming sticks. Children are amazing with machetes - they can fashion a spear from a stick, cut open a coconut, or cut up a log faster than you can say ‘be careful’. I think it will be
Boys Holding Hands
Homosexuality is illegal in Ghana, and many people will tell you there are no Gay people here. Perhaps that is why men feel so comfortable showing affection with eachother. It's refreshing. a little strange when I return home to the land of seatbelts, helmets, safety scissors, and child proof locks.
8) The colours. Bright coloured mosques, houses, material. Row after row of identical, beige houses is boring. Splash some orange onto that door, paint your walls blue, and get red furniture. Why should bright colours only be reserved for fast food restaurants? Come on Canadians - be brave - embrace the rainbow of options!
9) Children. I can’t walk two feet without tripping over children, even children carrying children. Every venture out of the house is punctuated with the greeting ‘Salminga (White Person) Hello’ from the masses of children. Or the ever popular chant, ‘Salminga buy toffee’. And while I won’t miss feeling like I’m in a parade, waving at all the children when I pass through a village, I will miss the mere presence of children. When I go out to a village and see temporary classrooms set up underneath trees to accommodate the hundreds of students that just won’t fit in the existing schools - I can’t help but think about the village where I grew up. My hometown recently closed its school because there weren’t enough
Termite Hills of the Savannah
Termites are incredible little creatures that build these impressive skyscraper type buildings all over. children to keep it viable.
10) The people. While I have learned that every country has its jerks, it’s the other 95 per cent of the population that I will miss. I will miss the handshake with the snap that greets me at the office every morning. I will miss the conversations and debates. Some of the people I have met have changed me - their generosity, patience and kindness astounds me. I am truly grateful for the people I have met and the experiences we have shared.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Baby goats (especially the ones with a Lipton tea bag hanging from mouth), women balancing incredible loads on their heads, twenty cent meals and dollar beers, riding a motorcycle, names of stores, taxis, and shops with biblical references, large termite hills, boys holding hands.
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