I spent a few days in Bolgatanga on the way in and out of Burkina Faso in July and again in September. Bolga is the capital of the Upper East Region with about 70,000 people (Bradt Guide). Bolga was a good base to go on day trips to Bongo and Sirigu. When I first arrived in Bolga, I was walking along the major highway that connects with Tamale and Paga. The lanes were wide, lots of concrete, and the low mountains were off in the distance. The way the light was striking the mountains made me feel very much at home. It felt a lot like Albuquerque, New Mexico where I had lived for two years. I enjoyed these comparisons even as I traveled through Burkina Faso.
While in Bolga, I came across the Roots Art Gallery (photo below) and enjoyed a couple cups of Ethiopian coffee while looking at the crafts and artwork. I ended up buying a couple pieces of jewelry. Joy and Nyaaba were two of the artists there who are part of the cooperative. They said that Peace Corps volunteers helped establish the cooperative/gallery. Joy makes jewelry, teaches drumming, does various other crafts and is into reggae music. Nyaaba had several French books he was looking at and loves studying languages.
We listened to cds of Kologo music from the Bolga region. Kologo (Koliko,Koloko) music is played on a two-stringed instrument similar to a banjo or a guitar. The body is made from a calabash gourd with a hide stretched across its opening. The strings are played with an intense rhythm. I loved the music and asked them the names of the musicians. I heard Atongo Zimba, Sambo, King Ayisoba, and Amodo. Atonga Zimba sang a song with lyrics something like, "In heaven there is no beer, so that is why we are drinking all the beer here." They told me he is now in Accra and doing well.
When I returned to Bolga again in September, I stumbled upon Sambo's recording studio while venturing to the loo at the lorry station. Sambo was there working on his motorcycle. I asked him about cds and he took me to the back where he sampled them. Sambo's full name is Aburiya Adabire. His music seemed the most intense and urgent of the Kologo players I heard. Joy said his lyrics are good and intellectual. I ended up buying four cds.
I returned to the Roots Art Gallery again and asked about the Koloko musicians. Nyaaba said that Amodo (Akadumah Amodo) lived nearby and he'd check about me paying a visit. While I drank my tasty cup of Ethiopian coffee, he came back and said that Amodo has malaria but he would still like me to come by. We went there walking through various dirt paths behind houses where several pigs were resting and children were playing.
We entered Amodo's courtyard (Agoo, Agoo, knock, knock). He was lying on his cot in the middle of the courtyard. His face was drenched in sweat and I thought we'd just inquire about some cds and then get out and let him rest. But he picked up his Kologo and started playing for us. His music was a melancholy almost wailing bluesy style with a heavy pulse and rhythm from the Koloko strumming. His voice was raspy and sweat was streaming down his face. Nyaaba who was interpreting the lyrics for me assured me he was very happy to be playing. His wife was in the corner washing dishes. I enjoyed a small, very special concert while thinking from here to Mali was the origins of the Mississippi Delta Blues.
Amodo didn't have any cds that day and so I returned again to buy three of his cds. I also ended up buying Atongo Zimba's "Savannah Breeze" cd at the Roots Art Gallery. I'll look for King Ayisoba in Kumasi.
In Bolgatanga, I ate several dinners at Sala's Fast Food (photo below). It was near where I was staying, the Nsanmini Guesthouse, and it was delicious food; all for 1.50 cedis I ate a leg of chicken, a large heaping of white rice and stew. I told Sandra, the owner, that it was some of the best pepper stew I've had in Ghana. It was nice and spicy.
Sandra is only 22 yrs. old and was running a good business. She was training a teenager how to cook. While I was there, several street boys came by and she gave them large heapings of rice. They called her "ma".
She had a T.V. set up in her small sitting area so we would watch music videos, and she would educate me on who the various singers were. We watched the group P Square from Nigeria, twin singers and dancers. They're very popular and Sandra said they are her favorite. We also watched several videos by the singer and dancer, Costuleta. He's originally from Angola but lives in Portugal. He has only one leg and is an incredible dancer, sometimes humorous but also playfully sexual, innovative dancing. Another dancer appeared in his videos who would do comical moves and funny, distorted, facial expressions. They did a lot of dancing with the ladies by a swimming pool or out on the streets.
Sandra enjoys clubbing, often trying out different wigs, and would go on Friday night when it was ladies night at the Soul Train, the local night club. Her friends would stop by and eat, watch videos, and try out various accessories and hair styles. I almost went along with tired, but was too tired when 11:00 came around to eventually go out.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Mole! Mole!, Mole National Park, Ghana, July 13-15, 2009
The View I spent so much Time Looking at While at Mole National Park, Ghana
Originally uploaded by Daniel Kerkhoff
This is the view from the observation deck at Mole Motel in Mole National Park.
According to my Bradt Guide, Mole National Park is Ghana's largest wildlife sanctuary, about 4,480 square kilometres. It has more than 90 mammal species and 344 bird species. There are about 800 elephant, 1,100 buffalo, hippos, warhogs, and antelope species such as kob, Defassa waterbuck, bushbuck, and roan.
At 6:30 am on Monday, July 13, I started walking from the village of Larabanga to the Mole Motel, about 5km on a gravel road. Along the way, I saw Pata Monkeys and Kob Antelope. The guinea fowl crossed in front of me, and a warthog and I passed each other on the road, both of us keeping our eyes on the other. When I got to the Mole Motel, warthogs were on the front lawn eating grass. One stared me down and snorted at me. I already felt like I had my fill, and it was only 8 am.
At the motel restaurant, right in front of the swimming pool, I ate a tasty breakfast --an onion and mushroom omelet and coffee. Then, I proceeded to the observation deck where I stayed for the rest of the day until 7pm; that is, when I wasn't going back for another refreshment.
Just all the green alone could have kept me fixated at that observation deck, but there were also various antelope down there grazing, chasing each other, trevassing and lounging. At around 10 am, I saw big trees moving, and then some grey, and then out came the large pachyderms. Five elephants slowly made their way to the watering hole and started swimming. They submerged themselves turning from light, dusty grey to almost black. Their trunks would rest on each other's backs and intertwine as they waded around for a couple hours. These were all males. The females were with their young in the bush. I also saw a couple crocodiles floating like logs not too far away from the elephants.
People come and go, various volunteers from Europe or the States, and we have little chats while were looking out over the expanse. I talked with David, a Ghanaian studying biology at Novrongo. He said he was doing some research at the park for three weeks. He told me that there were about 100 lions in the park but they are being reduced. They believe it is due to inbreeding. He was researching creating migration corridors between Mole NP and another park in Burkina Faso. The corridors would be about 200 km wide and would alleviate the inbreeding problem. He also said there were hyenas around, but they were very endangered. Park rangers go through the park and search for poachers.
At around 2 pm, three elephants are back in the water playing and swimming. Six elephants all together are near the watering hole. Baboon monkeys occasionally pass behind me looking for some grub in the trash cans or on some unsuspecting tourists table. One surprises me by knocking over the trash can about 10 feet away. I don't have anywhere else to go. Luckily, I don't have a sandwich in my hand. He moves on to the swimming pool, and I hear some women scream. Later, I talk to a European guy who says the baboon jumped on his table and grabbed his sandwich.
I eat guinea fowl for dinner and am back at the observation deck to watch the sunset. Just when it's getting too dark below to notice much, I spot some very dark shapes moving across the slightly lighter grasses. Judging by their size, I reckon they are African Buffalo, about 50 of them walking slowly. Thus ended my day at the deck before I retire for another refreshment. The whole day seemed surreal, like I was some hawk watching a hyper-real, HD, computer generated, digital paradise.
The next day, I woke up at 5:30 am and was back at the observation deck. I'm all alone, misty layers upon layers of light and dark green canopies of trees for miles and miles. Below on the grass, the brown kob and bushbuck antelope go out into the green fields to do some grazing. Hugh Masekela's "Grazing in the Grass".
At 7am, I head over to the visitor's center to go on a two hour walking safari, only six cedis (about $4.00) for a 2 hour plus safari. Along the way, I encounter about 30 baboons walking towards me. I step to the side and hope they just pass me by. At the visitor's center, I put on my Wallenting boots, tall rubber boots, for the walk and wait around with some Europeans. A big group of South Korean students arrive. Then, out of the bush comes an elephant with big tusks. Everybody starts taking pictures and are excited. The Koreans get too close and the guides warn them to stay back. You're supposed to stay 50 meters, but we all get too close because a couple more elephants come and mosey by us to eat some of the nice shrubs and grasses.
I get with a group of 10 people and our guide starts walking us out towards the bush. We see green monkeys and many many kob antelope watching us, then prancing away. We see bushbuck which have incredible white lined markings like tattoos. We also see Defassa waterbuck. Our guide shows us a natural salt-lick. It's smooth, light gray rocks are visited by the antelope and the elephants for a little treat and necessary nourishment. We walk all around the areas I had seen from the observation deck. When we get to the watering hole, there are a couple elephants bathing. Then, some more come into the water and they all swim and play and we watch and take photos. On our way back to the hotel, we come upon a elephant in the bush, only 10 meters from us. Our guide quickly takes his rifle from his shoulder and tells us to back off and go around. As I'm moving away, I snap a photo.
Elephants Going in for a Swim, Mole National Park, Northern Ghana
Originally uploaded by Daniel Kerkhoff
Watching these elephants go for a swim while we were on safari was pretty cool.
This green monkey and her baby passed me while I was eating breakfast. Many baboons were around and would get close. The waitress gave me a big silver platter to use to scare them away. I would stand up occasionally and wave my platter and then go back to my coffee and omelette. On my last morning in the park, I sat at the observation deck and about a dozen green monkeys were eating leaves off the trees around me. The way they ate, those leaves must have been tasty.
West Africa isn't really known for its wildlife and safaris. Most people go to east Africa and southern Africa for that and I've seen some amazing photos from there showing what most people associate with Africa. But Mole NP was a wonderful place, not very crowded or on the beaten path. The motel had its comforts and the rainforest and animal and bird life were mesmerizing.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Larabanga! Northern Ghana, July 12 and 15th, 2009
On July 12, I took a very bumpy bus trip to Larabanga, the gateway to Mole National Park. I sat next to Cecelia, a school teacher going to Damongo to visit her family. She was in her thirties and still single so I complimented her on her "singleness" and we had a nice chat while we rode the bucking bronco bus.
Larabanga is a village of about 4000 inhabitants. According to my trusty Bradt Guide,it's also the place of what is considered the oldest extant building in Ghana, the mosque. Some say it dates to the 1400s and others put it more in the range of 1600s, but opinions vary.
In Larabanga, I stayed overnight at the Salia Brothers Guestlodge. As soon as I arrived, Alhassan took me up to the roof where we chatted and watched the sunset. He told me about the projects he and his brothers are doing. He wanted me to visit the school they ran, and I said I would after I returned from the park.
Al-hassan Salia at the Salia Brothers Guestlodge, Larabanga, Ghana
Originally uploaded by Daniel Kerkhoff
I slept on the roof. A mattress was put up there and I spectated at the twinkling starchestra in the sky with the occasional flute and piccolo solos of shooting stars. I actually got cold and eventually had to bury my head in the sheets. The next morning, I walked the five km gravel road to Mole National Park.
On my walk back from the park, I stopped at the "Bambeniye", Community Basic School of Larabanga. It was founded by the Salia Brothers. I got a little tour, took some pictures which the children seemed to really enjoy. They were working on a kindergarten classroom that would hopefully soon be running.
The Salia brothers saw that there were many children not attending school. These children didn't have the money for school uniforms or school supplies. This motivated the Salia brothers to start a school. Whenever they see someone in the village not attending school, they encourage to come to their school.
The school is largely dependent on funds from outside and volunteer help. While I was there, I met three volunteers from Austria, Germanay, and Holland. I had beans and rice with Hussein Salia and Monika Els from Austria. Hussein explained how the school was run and some of their issues. Monika is raising money in Europe and put together a calendar that is for sale to raise funds.
Monica Els with Child and Hussein Salia at the Bembeniye Community Basic School in Larabanga, Ghana
Originally uploaded by Daniel Kerkhoff
They are looking for volunteers to help with teaching and working with the children. The volunteers stay at the guestlodge. They are also looking for anyone who wishes to donate supplies or money. A little more info is at: www.larabang.netfirms.com Here is their addresses below if anyone wishes to contact them and support them:
Hussein and Al-hassan Salia, Project Coordinators
Larabanga Community Development Center
P.O. Box 47
Damango, Northern Ghana
Ghana, West Africa
Alhassan Salia, Co-director, e-mail: save_larabanga@yahoo.com
Monika Els (Project Coordinator Austria), e-mail: obtain@gmx.at
I also spoke with another brother who has a vision of putting a internet cafe at the guestlodge. His goal is to obtain three computers and go into business.
Recess at Bambeniye Community Basic School in Larabanga, Ghana
Originally uploaded by Daniel Kerkhoff
Larabanga is a village of about 4000 inhabitants. According to my trusty Bradt Guide,it's also the place of what is considered the oldest extant building in Ghana, the mosque. Some say it dates to the 1400s and others put it more in the range of 1600s, but opinions vary.
In Larabanga, I stayed overnight at the Salia Brothers Guestlodge. As soon as I arrived, Alhassan took me up to the roof where we chatted and watched the sunset. He told me about the projects he and his brothers are doing. He wanted me to visit the school they ran, and I said I would after I returned from the park.
Al-hassan Salia at the Salia Brothers Guestlodge, Larabanga, Ghana
Originally uploaded by Daniel Kerkhoff
I slept on the roof. A mattress was put up there and I spectated at the twinkling starchestra in the sky with the occasional flute and piccolo solos of shooting stars. I actually got cold and eventually had to bury my head in the sheets. The next morning, I walked the five km gravel road to Mole National Park.
On my walk back from the park, I stopped at the "Bambeniye", Community Basic School of Larabanga. It was founded by the Salia Brothers. I got a little tour, took some pictures which the children seemed to really enjoy. They were working on a kindergarten classroom that would hopefully soon be running.
The Salia brothers saw that there were many children not attending school. These children didn't have the money for school uniforms or school supplies. This motivated the Salia brothers to start a school. Whenever they see someone in the village not attending school, they encourage to come to their school.
The school is largely dependent on funds from outside and volunteer help. While I was there, I met three volunteers from Austria, Germanay, and Holland. I had beans and rice with Hussein Salia and Monika Els from Austria. Hussein explained how the school was run and some of their issues. Monika is raising money in Europe and put together a calendar that is for sale to raise funds.
Monica Els with Child and Hussein Salia at the Bembeniye Community Basic School in Larabanga, Ghana
Originally uploaded by Daniel Kerkhoff
They are looking for volunteers to help with teaching and working with the children. The volunteers stay at the guestlodge. They are also looking for anyone who wishes to donate supplies or money. A little more info is at: www.larabang.netfirms.com Here is their addresses below if anyone wishes to contact them and support them:
Hussein and Al-hassan Salia, Project Coordinators
Larabanga Community Development Center
P.O. Box 47
Damango, Northern Ghana
Ghana, West Africa
Alhassan Salia, Co-director, e-mail: save_larabanga@yahoo.com
Monika Els (Project Coordinator Austria), e-mail: obtain@gmx.at
I also spoke with another brother who has a vision of putting a internet cafe at the guestlodge. His goal is to obtain three computers and go into business.
Recess at Bambeniye Community Basic School in Larabanga, Ghana
Originally uploaded by Daniel Kerkhoff
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Hot Tamale, Alhassan, Obamamania, July 9-12, 28-30, 20009
In July, I went on a three week trip. I started out by taking the bus from Kumasi to Tamale. Tamale is the third largest city in Ghana and the gateway to northern Ghana. I stayed in Tamale with an artist, Alhassan, a brother of Sumaila, the taxi driver who picked me up at the airport when I first arrived. Alhassan does commercial art/sign painting as well as traditional village-style art. He apprenticed when he was younger, then studied journalism for awhile, and then decided he wanted to do art as a career. He works from his apartment which he set up nicely with a big sign. He is also working on getting a shop going with another artist across from the Alhassan Hotel and next to the Decency Spot. You can see his work at www.flickr.com and search Alassart.
The sign Alhassan is painting is for a barber shop. This is a common style for painting for sign painters/commercial artists. Many small businesses advertize by employing sign painters.
While I was in Tamale, President Obama was visiting Ghana. Alhassan and I watched a lot of his visit at his friend Muda's house. We saw him get off the plane on Friday evening and enjoy the cultural greeting (music and dancers) he received. Then, the next day, we saw his speech to the Ministers of Parliament. From people I've talked to, his speech went over very well.
It was Obamamania leading up to his arrival. People were talking about it a lot, his books were out on the streets, people were wearing t-shirts. People were excited and there was a feeling like he was coming home. The Daily Graphic, Ghana's major newspaper devoted most of it's articles to the Obama visit on the days leading up to him coming. The question was: What does this mean for Ghana and what will it mean for Ghana? People seemed to want the world to know that Ghana was open for business and were proud that he chose Ghana over Kenya and all the other sub-saharan African countries.
People would ask me where I was from and then right away say "Obama!" and would look at me to see how I'd react and I'd give them a smile. When his speech was over, I would ask, "What did you think of Obama's speech." One man said that the only U.S. President that could give a speech like that would have been Obama. It would not have gone over well if any of the previous presidents had done so. Then, the question was how much were Ghanaians or Africans relying on Pres. Obama to be some kind of savior. Pres. Obama seemed to realize this and down played his ability to change Africa by himself emphasizing it will be Africans who will change Africa for the better.
In the Daily Graphic, they showed one text message that was circulating Africa during the U.S. presidential elections. Many of you have already heard this. It went like this:
"Rosa Parks sat so that Martin Luther King could march, Martin Luther King marched so that Obama could run and Obama ran so that our children could fly."
This seems to be the mood about Obama here as in so many other places.
The two major political parties in Ghana are the NDC (the National Democratic Congress) and the NPP (the New Patriotic Party) The NDC just won the election last December and are in power for four years before the next election. The NPP were in office for the previous eight years, and before that the NDC.
Jerry John Rawlings who was in power from 1982 to 2000. A new constitution and a multi-party system were formed in 1991, and J.J. Rawlings ran on the NDC party. He won in 1992 and in 1996. John Kufour of the NPP party won the next election against John Atta-Mills and was in office from 2000 to 2008. Then, John Evans Atta-Mills (NDC Party) won a very close election against Nana Akufo-Addo (NPP). Because the election was so close, they had to have a run-off election at the end of December. There was a lot of tension and some skirmishes. I had bought my plane ticket a couple days before this run-off and I was a bit nervous as were many people. What happened in Kenya was fresh in people's minds, a supposedly stable, African country. But by and large, the transfer of power went smoothly and peaceably and it was lauded around the world. Hence, Obama's choice to come to Ghana instead of his father's native land of Kenya.
From what I've gathered the NDC is somewhat similar to the U.S.'s Democratic Party and the NPP is somewhat similar to the U.S.'s Republican Party in their philosophies regarding government's responsibility, social services, and business. Also, the red state, blue state phenomenon in the U.S seems to be the case as well in Ghana. The Ashanti region heavily favors the NPP and northern Ghana seems to be strongly NDC. But, I did see many NPP signs when I was traveling north. The NDC is perceived to be strong in Accra and the coastal regions, but I was told that is just a perception because J.J. Rawlings is from Accra.
Inflation has risen sharply in the past few months and many people are blaming the current government. I explain that in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, there are also recent economic problems. Talk radios seem similar here as in the U.S., very loud with lots of political opinions flying about.
--------------------------------
On my return from Burkina Faso, I stopped back into Tamale for a couple nights. A family invited me to stay with them. They lived in the nurses quarters, the mother was a nurse. The daughters liked to watch professional wrestling on satellite television. We also watched Akon music videos and Michael Jackson videos. I also relaxed in their courtyard.
Eating yams, beans and pepper stew,
Three year old Bridget drawing,
A flat stone in the courtyard.
"A Tamale Courtyard"
for Glen Gould
In the corner, a rusty oil drum
for water,
A low wooden bench, weathered,
loose nailed.
Against a wall,
a darkened metal pot on a
blackened grill, old charcoal,
a mortar, a pestle.
Flies and ants
scour and forage
concrete, cracks, and crevices.
Torpid, hardened, aged surfaces,
textured and layered,
a scarred, infertile landscape,
rain pounded and foot pressed,
solar molested with persistent,
unrelenting sun gropes and other
courted weights, patiently waiting
for the night.
And inside of this,
a solid walled space of sound visits,
gentle meetings of various engines and
human voices, of bird songs and floating
televisions, winded leaves and waning
branches, vital movements of metals
pounding surfaces and other
waves of outside activities,
a goat's call, a schoolyard cadence,
a dove's coo, a fly's buzz.
They introduce themselves,
pass by unintruding,
an interweaving solitude,
orchestral and symphonic.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Yefre me Yaw Daniel...
Yefre wo sen (What is your name?)? Yefre me Yaw Daniel (I'm called or they call me Yaw Daniel). So, this is Twi. Unfortunately, there are Twi letters and sounds I can't replicate here, but this is close.
The Akan people and also people from other parts of Ghana who have adapted the Twi language are often named after the day of the week they were born. Hence, I am Yaw Daniel because I was born on Thursday. I've written about the family who I live with, Ama, Yaw Bimpe, Kwaku Baah. These names are all based on the days of the week. Here are the names of the other days:
Sunday: Kwasiada, Boy's name: Kwasi, Girl's name: Akosua.
Monday: Dwoada, Boy's name: Kwadwo, Girl's name: Adwoa.
Tuesday: Benada, Boy's name: Kwabena, Girl's name: Abenaa.
Wednesday: Wukuada, Boy's name: Kwaku, Girl's name: Akua.
Thursday: Yawoada, Boy's name: Yaw, Girl's name: Yaa.
Friday: (E)Fiada, Boy's name: Kofi, Girl's name: Afua/Afia.
Saturday: Memenada, Boy's name: Kwame, Girl's name: Amma.
This info was taken from my Twi book, A Comprehensive Course in Twi (Asante) for the Non-Twi Learner by Florence Abena Dolphyne.
According to my Bradt Guide, the Akan believe the person's soul is linked to the day of the week they were born. I was told by one Ashanti that there are different personality types for each day of the week. He said "Yaw", Thursday born, are strong. I've asked around, but the people I've talked to don't know the personality types for the days.
Also, according to Bradt: Eight days after the child is born, the parents decide on another name to be given, often that of a respected family member. Kwaku Baah was named after his grandfather on his father's side.
Mr. Atta, the father of the household I'm staying at, is named "Atta" because he was a twin. Other spellings are "Ata" or for a female, "Ataa"
Two three year old girls who were twins stopped by over the weekend and did some drawing. Their names were Sefenica and Levina(most people I've met also have an English name). I've met some people with beautiful English names such as: Gifty, Comfort, Patience, Lovejoy.
For boys, the name, Ebenezer, is alive and well in Ghana. I spose Dickens put the kabosh on this name in most other English speaking countries. It's refreshing to ask a little boy his name and he responds, "Ebenezer". Also, Emanuelle is more common here than what I've heard in the States.
Yefre wo sen?
The Akan people and also people from other parts of Ghana who have adapted the Twi language are often named after the day of the week they were born. Hence, I am Yaw Daniel because I was born on Thursday. I've written about the family who I live with, Ama, Yaw Bimpe, Kwaku Baah. These names are all based on the days of the week. Here are the names of the other days:
Sunday: Kwasiada, Boy's name: Kwasi, Girl's name: Akosua.
Monday: Dwoada, Boy's name: Kwadwo, Girl's name: Adwoa.
Tuesday: Benada, Boy's name: Kwabena, Girl's name: Abenaa.
Wednesday: Wukuada, Boy's name: Kwaku, Girl's name: Akua.
Thursday: Yawoada, Boy's name: Yaw, Girl's name: Yaa.
Friday: (E)Fiada, Boy's name: Kofi, Girl's name: Afua/Afia.
Saturday: Memenada, Boy's name: Kwame, Girl's name: Amma.
This info was taken from my Twi book, A Comprehensive Course in Twi (Asante) for the Non-Twi Learner by Florence Abena Dolphyne.
According to my Bradt Guide, the Akan believe the person's soul is linked to the day of the week they were born. I was told by one Ashanti that there are different personality types for each day of the week. He said "Yaw", Thursday born, are strong. I've asked around, but the people I've talked to don't know the personality types for the days.
Also, according to Bradt: Eight days after the child is born, the parents decide on another name to be given, often that of a respected family member. Kwaku Baah was named after his grandfather on his father's side.
Mr. Atta, the father of the household I'm staying at, is named "Atta" because he was a twin. Other spellings are "Ata" or for a female, "Ataa"
Two three year old girls who were twins stopped by over the weekend and did some drawing. Their names were Sefenica and Levina(most people I've met also have an English name). I've met some people with beautiful English names such as: Gifty, Comfort, Patience, Lovejoy.
For boys, the name, Ebenezer, is alive and well in Ghana. I spose Dickens put the kabosh on this name in most other English speaking countries. It's refreshing to ask a little boy his name and he responds, "Ebenezer". Also, Emanuelle is more common here than what I've heard in the States.
Yefre wo sen?
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
"The Beautiful Game", Ghana Black Stars, Asanti Kotoko
The U.S. football (soccer) team almost pulled it off on Sunday. They were ahead an unbelievable 2-nil at the half against the mighty Brazil in the FIFA Confederation Championship game!
I started thinking about the extra clout I'd have in the village if the U.S. won(Maybe I'd be invited to some fufu dinners in honor of our victory). But, alas, the Brazilians did what they do best and scored three goals in the second half to defeat the U.S.
It was an amazing run for the U.S. though. They started out losing two matches in a row, then they beat Egypt 3-0, then totally unexpectedly stopped Spain 2-0. Spain was ranked number one in the world I believe with a 35 game winning streak, and in this tournament, they hadn't had any goals scored against them. And then, the U.S. of all teams comes along and humbles them. So, maybe this will increase the popularity of the sport in the U.S. Maybe someday it will rank right up there with baseball, basketball, American football, and ice hockey. I don't know where it ranks now, but I'm sure it's gaining popularity.
I hardly ever watched soccer in the States. I did play soccer for two years in high school. Our coach was a Mankato State University student from Nigeria, Ebbi Clark, who had posters of Jimi Hendrix in his dorm room and taught me the opening chords to Foxy Lady. When I was 16 yrs. old, I spent two weeks in Germany and got to see Bayern Munich play 1860 Ingolstadt at the Olympic Stadium. When there was a goal, beer would rain down on us. Large groups of blue(1860) or red(Bayern)clad young men would gather outside and march together chanting their teams songs or name. Intense.
Football(soccer) is BIG here in Ghana! In fact, it was football that got the inkling going about Ghana as the country to go to. It was 2006, and I stopped into a Greek Cafe in Astoria, Queens for a coffee and baklava. The match between Ghana and the U.S. was on during World Cup. I sat down and watched it. Ghana won 1-0. I remember being really happy for them, enjoying all the dancing and wild red, yellow, and green outfits, and all the flags being waved. It was truly a jubilant experience, and I imagined the whole country celebrating.
The Ghana Black Stars are doing well this spring and summer. They did lose to The Democratic Republic of Congo 2-0 in the final of the Pan African Games, the Chan Tournament in March. These past three months, they shut down Benin, Mali, and Sudan. I was at a spot in Kumasi when they were playing Sudan. It was a huge crowd gathered around the T.V., mostly men with some children. When Ghana scored, the place erupted with everyone standing up and cheering. Ghana won 2-0. Hopefully they'll go far in the World Cup which is being held in South Africa next year.
For the Ashanti's, the team that is the favorite is Ashanti Kotoko. It's also the Asantahene's (Ashanti King's) team. I was told Kotoko is porcupine in Twi and that's their mascot. A couple weeks ago, they beat the Accra Hearts of Oak and the village was shouting and celebrating. In this area, there is also teams such as King Faisal, Kesben FC, and Obuasi has Ashanti Gold.
Here are the boys playing a local pick-up game near the house I'm staying at in Adugyama, Ghana. They play here often and have teams of usually 4-6 players on each side. The boys and many Ghanaians are really into European football. England's Chelsea FC is a really popular team because one of the Balck Stars, Michael Essien, plays for them. They also imitate their other favorite players. At the moment, Barcelona's Messi from Argentina is a favorite and so is Kaka from Brazil who I think will be playing for Real Madrid next year. Kwaku Baah, one of the boys at the house I'm at, likes Kaka, so I now call him Kaka Baah. I preferred Liverpool as a team this spring. I think they were the first team I watched play and they did well that game, so I liked them. Also, probably because of the Beatles.
So, I've finally gotten into what the rest of the world has been into for so long. Football (soccer), "The Beautiful Game", all you really need is a ball or something kind of round...
I started thinking about the extra clout I'd have in the village if the U.S. won(Maybe I'd be invited to some fufu dinners in honor of our victory). But, alas, the Brazilians did what they do best and scored three goals in the second half to defeat the U.S.
It was an amazing run for the U.S. though. They started out losing two matches in a row, then they beat Egypt 3-0, then totally unexpectedly stopped Spain 2-0. Spain was ranked number one in the world I believe with a 35 game winning streak, and in this tournament, they hadn't had any goals scored against them. And then, the U.S. of all teams comes along and humbles them. So, maybe this will increase the popularity of the sport in the U.S. Maybe someday it will rank right up there with baseball, basketball, American football, and ice hockey. I don't know where it ranks now, but I'm sure it's gaining popularity.
I hardly ever watched soccer in the States. I did play soccer for two years in high school. Our coach was a Mankato State University student from Nigeria, Ebbi Clark, who had posters of Jimi Hendrix in his dorm room and taught me the opening chords to Foxy Lady. When I was 16 yrs. old, I spent two weeks in Germany and got to see Bayern Munich play 1860 Ingolstadt at the Olympic Stadium. When there was a goal, beer would rain down on us. Large groups of blue(1860) or red(Bayern)clad young men would gather outside and march together chanting their teams songs or name. Intense.
Football(soccer) is BIG here in Ghana! In fact, it was football that got the inkling going about Ghana as the country to go to. It was 2006, and I stopped into a Greek Cafe in Astoria, Queens for a coffee and baklava. The match between Ghana and the U.S. was on during World Cup. I sat down and watched it. Ghana won 1-0. I remember being really happy for them, enjoying all the dancing and wild red, yellow, and green outfits, and all the flags being waved. It was truly a jubilant experience, and I imagined the whole country celebrating.
The Ghana Black Stars are doing well this spring and summer. They did lose to The Democratic Republic of Congo 2-0 in the final of the Pan African Games, the Chan Tournament in March. These past three months, they shut down Benin, Mali, and Sudan. I was at a spot in Kumasi when they were playing Sudan. It was a huge crowd gathered around the T.V., mostly men with some children. When Ghana scored, the place erupted with everyone standing up and cheering. Ghana won 2-0. Hopefully they'll go far in the World Cup which is being held in South Africa next year.
For the Ashanti's, the team that is the favorite is Ashanti Kotoko. It's also the Asantahene's (Ashanti King's) team. I was told Kotoko is porcupine in Twi and that's their mascot. A couple weeks ago, they beat the Accra Hearts of Oak and the village was shouting and celebrating. In this area, there is also teams such as King Faisal, Kesben FC, and Obuasi has Ashanti Gold.
Here are the boys playing a local pick-up game near the house I'm staying at in Adugyama, Ghana. They play here often and have teams of usually 4-6 players on each side. The boys and many Ghanaians are really into European football. England's Chelsea FC is a really popular team because one of the Balck Stars, Michael Essien, plays for them. They also imitate their other favorite players. At the moment, Barcelona's Messi from Argentina is a favorite and so is Kaka from Brazil who I think will be playing for Real Madrid next year. Kwaku Baah, one of the boys at the house I'm at, likes Kaka, so I now call him Kaka Baah. I preferred Liverpool as a team this spring. I think they were the first team I watched play and they did well that game, so I liked them. Also, probably because of the Beatles.
So, I've finally gotten into what the rest of the world has been into for so long. Football (soccer), "The Beautiful Game", all you really need is a ball or something kind of round...
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
SaNsA International Artists' Workshop, Kumasi, Ghana, June 2nd - 15th, 2009.
Bernard Akoi-Jackson (Ghana) Installation, SaNsA International Artists' Workshop
Originally uploaded by Daniel Kerkhoff
The Asantahene of the Arts
This is Bernard Akoi-Jackson and his installation at the exhibition for The SaNsA International Artists' Workshop. The workshop took place from June 2nd to June 15th, 2009 at the Ghana Cultural Centre in Kumasi. Ten artists from different parts of the world and ten artists from Ghana came together for a two week workshop. In the evenings the artists gave presentations and had discussions in which I was very fortunate to attend a couple.
The artists attending were:
Adwoa Amoah (Ghana) Adwoa also teaches at the Foundation for Contemporary Art in Accra, www.fcaghana.org
Amenyo Dzikunu Bansah (Ghana)
Asokipaala Aberinga (Ghana) Asokipaala is a member of SWOPA (Sirigu Women's Organization for Pottery and Art) located in the village of Sirigu in northern Ghana. I'll be visiting there in July.
Atta Kwami (Ghana) Atta is also an art historian and a professor of art at The Univ. of Kumasi, K.N.U.S.T. He is the main organizer of SaNsA.
Bernard Akoi-Jackson (Ghana) Bernard lives in Accra and teaches at the Nubuke Foundation, www.nubukefoundation.org
Elias Tiger Oppong (Ghana)
Eugene Ampadu (Ghana)
Emmanuel Adjare (Ghana)
Isumaila Moro (Ghana)
Jennifer Opare Ankrah (Ghana)
Ji Hye Yeom (South Korea) www.jihyeyeom.com
Jorge Rocha (Portugal) www.jorgerocha.org
Goddy Leye (Cameroon) Goddy also runs an art center called Art Bakery in Cameroon.
Umesh Kumar (India)
Li Chuan (China)
Mary Hark (USA) Mary also teaches art at the Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison.
Rasheed Olaniyi Akindiya (Nigeria), Rasheed works with street kids in Accra, www.akirash-black-roots.net
Amara Hark-Weber (USA)
Tooraz Khamenehzadeh (Iran) www.tooraj.ir
Urmila Venugopal (India)
The photo below is of Atta Kwami's work. You can google his name and find more of his work on-line. Atta Kwami shows his work internationally and lives and works in Kumasi.
The workshop was held in a large building at the Cultural Centre. This allowed for artists to really use space. These paintings by Atta were very large.
Here is Jorge Rocha (below)singing some Fado. One of the installations was based on music. Two guitarists played and there was an open microphone. Many students came to the exhibition and often a student would go to the mic and start singing. I heard some wonderful music and often other students would begin to dance, a nice festive occasion. Jorge's art was based on food and would cook daily for the workshop. He would go to the market and would create meals based on Ghana dishes along with specialties from the various regions of all the participants. I was lucky to be able to taste some of his art as well.
Jorge Rocha (Portugal) Singing, SaNsA International Artists' Workshop, Kumasi Ghana
Originally uploaded by Daniel Kerkhoff
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