Tamale
Sorry it's been so long. I promise there was an attempt to post last week, but the power went out in the Internet cafe before I managed to upload or save. Our week in Tamale is now over, and tomorrow we dive into our two week rural village stay. No running water or electricity! I feel up for the challenge though, as running water and electricity sort of come and go as they please in Ghana.
Tamale, was unbelievable. The intense heat was bearable since the hotel we stayed at had air conditioning! The city was great. People ride bikes everywhere. There's a large Islamic population in Tamale so the mosques dot the skyline, and head scarves became a staple even among our group to guard against the sun. During the day in Tamale we had a few lectures at the Catholic Guest House. I also enjoyed visiting the market or the cultural center and chatting with the vendors about their paintings, sculptures, and other goods.
Our class also visited a Shea butter women's cooperative and helped to grind the Shea nuts, which look something like chocolate but taste something awful. It was a very poor community and therefore my first encounter with serious malnutrition, as most the children's stomachs bulged for lack of food. We said our thanks to the chief, purchased ridiculous amounts of Shea butter we may or may not use, and were on our way.
The next day we went to a village to watch some traditional dancing and drumming, which is difficult to find in Northern Ghana because the people have not been allowed to drum for three and a half years now. This is because their chief was killed and not given a proper burial, so out of respect, until the matter is resolved, no one is allowed to celebrate using the master drum, unless it is for a wedding. We drove far out of our way to this village which was just outside of the enforced no-drumming area. Many people crowded around to watch, understandable since this was quite the occasion. It literally had been years since last they celebrated, and the dancing was unbelievable. One woman became possessed and fell to the ground, actually a common occurrence in drumming ceremonies here. The master drummer drew all of us up one at a time to dance with him. As thanks, the audience got up and placed money on the forehead of the performers.
Our class also spent a day at MOLE National Park. We drove three hours along a very bad dirt road in a very cramped tro-tro. I still have bruises on my knees from where the seat in front of me kept jarring against my legs. (Think old rickety wooden roller coaster for three hours and you get the idea.) The ride was well worth it though. We arrived caked in dirt and jumped right into the pool. After our moonlit swim we slept outside under the stars in our mosquito netting. I woke up to the sound of my friend next to me discovering there was a scorpion in her netting. She survived, though, and now knows the importance of investing in netting which comes with a zipper.
We spent the day hiking around the park with a guide who carried a shot gun in case we were to run into anything that didn't want us there. We saw monkeys, antelope, and at least 20 elephants, 15 of which were at a watering hole bathing. I have never been so close to such wild life without zoo bars in the way. One elephant was unhappy with us though, and when it started breaking down small trees our guide told us very urgently it was time to leave. Apparently there are no giraffes in Ghana, and the lions in the park prefer to stay in their caves during the day, so our walking safari was a little incomplete. No complaints though.
We returned to Tamale after that adventure, and the next day went to the border between Ghana and Burkina Faso. Here there was a crocodile pond. Our guide pulled a couple of chickens off the street, led us to the waters edge, and stood there as four crocs emerged from the murky water. We all took turns holding the largest one's tail and snapping pictures. Apparently, they are such cooperative reptiles because they are actually the ancestors of the village people there. This must be true since there were even children swimming at the waters edge. The grand finale was getting to watch the crocs gobble down the chickens. What a day.
We finished things off by crossing the border into Burkina Faso for a good half hour, where I got to speak to the locals in French and listen to French radio, while enjoying a Fanta. I hope this counts as actually having been to another country in Africa.
Tamale was wonderful. I was sad to leave my hotel rooftop dinners under the stars, but I am very glad to be further south from the Sahara. Now on to the village stay! Wish me luck. God bless!
Tamale, was unbelievable. The intense heat was bearable since the hotel we stayed at had air conditioning! The city was great. People ride bikes everywhere. There's a large Islamic population in Tamale so the mosques dot the skyline, and head scarves became a staple even among our group to guard against the sun. During the day in Tamale we had a few lectures at the Catholic Guest House. I also enjoyed visiting the market or the cultural center and chatting with the vendors about their paintings, sculptures, and other goods.
Our class also visited a Shea butter women's cooperative and helped to grind the Shea nuts, which look something like chocolate but taste something awful. It was a very poor community and therefore my first encounter with serious malnutrition, as most the children's stomachs bulged for lack of food. We said our thanks to the chief, purchased ridiculous amounts of Shea butter we may or may not use, and were on our way.
The next day we went to a village to watch some traditional dancing and drumming, which is difficult to find in Northern Ghana because the people have not been allowed to drum for three and a half years now. This is because their chief was killed and not given a proper burial, so out of respect, until the matter is resolved, no one is allowed to celebrate using the master drum, unless it is for a wedding. We drove far out of our way to this village which was just outside of the enforced no-drumming area. Many people crowded around to watch, understandable since this was quite the occasion. It literally had been years since last they celebrated, and the dancing was unbelievable. One woman became possessed and fell to the ground, actually a common occurrence in drumming ceremonies here. The master drummer drew all of us up one at a time to dance with him. As thanks, the audience got up and placed money on the forehead of the performers.
Our class also spent a day at MOLE National Park. We drove three hours along a very bad dirt road in a very cramped tro-tro. I still have bruises on my knees from where the seat in front of me kept jarring against my legs. (Think old rickety wooden roller coaster for three hours and you get the idea.) The ride was well worth it though. We arrived caked in dirt and jumped right into the pool. After our moonlit swim we slept outside under the stars in our mosquito netting. I woke up to the sound of my friend next to me discovering there was a scorpion in her netting. She survived, though, and now knows the importance of investing in netting which comes with a zipper.
We spent the day hiking around the park with a guide who carried a shot gun in case we were to run into anything that didn't want us there. We saw monkeys, antelope, and at least 20 elephants, 15 of which were at a watering hole bathing. I have never been so close to such wild life without zoo bars in the way. One elephant was unhappy with us though, and when it started breaking down small trees our guide told us very urgently it was time to leave. Apparently there are no giraffes in Ghana, and the lions in the park prefer to stay in their caves during the day, so our walking safari was a little incomplete. No complaints though.
We returned to Tamale after that adventure, and the next day went to the border between Ghana and Burkina Faso. Here there was a crocodile pond. Our guide pulled a couple of chickens off the street, led us to the waters edge, and stood there as four crocs emerged from the murky water. We all took turns holding the largest one's tail and snapping pictures. Apparently, they are such cooperative reptiles because they are actually the ancestors of the village people there. This must be true since there were even children swimming at the waters edge. The grand finale was getting to watch the crocs gobble down the chickens. What a day.
We finished things off by crossing the border into Burkina Faso for a good half hour, where I got to speak to the locals in French and listen to French radio, while enjoying a Fanta. I hope this counts as actually having been to another country in Africa.
Tamale was wonderful. I was sad to leave my hotel rooftop dinners under the stars, but I am very glad to be further south from the Sahara. Now on to the village stay! Wish me luck. God bless!
posted by Lisa | 10:25 AM
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