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Our cardinal rule is never ship anything...box it up and take it with you on the plane. If you have to pay overweight, so be it...but don't ship. Based on that, we spent hours concocting boxes using pieces of cardboard, duct tape (a must for us when traveling - we've even used duct tape - or "electrical tape" - to hold husband's hiking boots together when part of a sole separated from the top of one boot), and bubble wrap. The Chief's chair was the biggest and bulkiest and be very glad you weren't there to hear all the profanities ex-Marine was spouting...
At the time we visited, you checked your bags at Accra during the day and then returned in the evening for your flight. Of course, what did the Custom's Inspector want to open? The Chief's chair!! ex-Marine begged, pleaded, groveled and almost cried. The Inspector took pity on us, told the baggage handler to put it through and then immediately said..."do you have a Christmas present for me?" (African for...give me money) We played extremely stupid, wished him a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and left the airport as quickly as possible.
Continue reading ""The Golden Kingdoms" Revisited" »
Ghana's abundant gold deposits were found in the region we drove through on the way to Elmina. We also stopped at Kakum National Park, a protected virgin rain forest that has monkeys, elephants and other African fauna. It has one of the largest remaining rain forest canopies and we viewed the canopy on forest walkways above the ground. But, no elephants.
Elmina itself is a port connected to the sea by a narrow canal. The port was one of the first European settlements in West Africa and is a small fishing village. Elmina's castle, the St. George de la Mina, was built by the Portuguese in 1482 as a trading post, and is the oldest and largest of the early European buildings in West Africa.
Elmina port with St. George's Castle
Continue reading "Elmina and The Slave Trade" »
Attend a festive Ashanti funeral? This had to be carefully explained to us. The person for whom the funeral was held, actually died some time ago. It could have been years before. The family saves up their money and plans a major send-off when they can afford it.
There are "funeral scouts" who do nothing but smooze around to find out when the next big send-off was being held, where and for whom. The funeral, important to Ashanti culture, is a major social event. The participants dress in accordance with tradition. The immediate relatives dress in red while the others wear black cloth and every piece of gold jewelry their bodies can support. There are many rituals: giving offerings to the spirits of the ancestors, food, drinks and the women perform lively, traditional dances.
The "funeral scout" found a top-of-the-line funeral for us. The former ???? (can't remember but he was a major big-shot) - perhaps you'll recognize his photo.
photo of the deceased
Continue reading "An Ashanti Funeral in Kumasi" »
On the road to Kumasi, we left our vehicles and made our way up stairs through dilapadated rooms and came out on the second level of a merchant with tons of "stuff" for sale. Burlap bags of trade beads...an entire room with carved chief's chairs in different sizes and stages of disintergration; antique gold weights; bronze figurines from all over Africa...the array was stupifying. The six of us set to immediately...dumping out bags on the floor...examining ...and bargaining. (See some of our "finds" at the end of this entry.) Completely brain-dead from all the power-shopping-decision-making, we continued the drive to Kumasi, second guessing ourselves...."should we have bought the gold weights?....how about the bronze figurine?..." Very exhausting.
A little background information:
- Gold weights were used to weigh gold dust for about five centuries. The first ones were geometric forms, but by the 17th century, forms representing humans, animals, etc., started appearing.
Continue reading "Kumasi, Ghana" »
Driving from Wa to Wenchi, we drove along the ancient caravan route that linked the Kumasi region to the Kingdom of Sudan. Gold and kola nuts were carried along this route. Traders imported kol anuts from the forests of Asante for hundreds of years, carried in large, donkey caravans from the middle Volta basin Sudan. Now there is a big business in Cashew Nuts...one of my favorites.
We stopped in one village where there was a local blacksmith and spent time watching him make jewelry and tools (on consignment) for the locals, then sat around in his workshop...listening to tales from the elders...View image...telling a little about ourselves...talking to the family...and getting a picture of their everyday lives. Tip: I always seem to forget to bring postcards of Chicago while traveling to hand out. It's helpful in describing where you live (even though it may be hard for them to comprehend a city looks like that). You may want to remember this since I can't!
local blacksmith
Continue reading "Wa, Wenchi and Kumasi" »
The Lobi are famous for ceremonial plugs worn in the lips of the women. We saw a few still wearing them but no photos. They too, build fortress-style, mud brick homes, have animist beliefs and still hunt with bows and arrows Very friendly people who played some traditional Lobi music for us.
We then visited a house belonging to the local witch doctor who had died a little while back. Approaching his house, we stopped a respectful distance away and waiting for a family member to invite us in. On top of the house was what looked like a Scarecrow. Supposedly, this Scarecrow was a lookout for the Witch Doctor and told him if anyone was approaching his house.
scarecrow lookout
Continue reading "More Lobi and Another Witch Doctor" »
Continuing on once again to Wa, capital of Ghana's Upper West Region, a predominantly Muslim area. Since it was Friday, we hoped to see the local people going to the Mosque. Jumu'ah (also known as Friday prayer) is held just after noon.
Wa is the regional capital and the gateway to the Upper West Region from the sout with a number of attractions including the Wa Na's (King's) Palace. It is said to be more than 500 years old. Constructed of traditional materials, the Palace is a blend of Sudanic and Moorish architecture and is beautiful. There was also an old mosque in the village of Nakori. In addition to these ancient Sudanic mosques are modern ones, which are also interesting.
Nakori Mosque
Continue reading "Wa and Lobi People" »
Moving along, our route followed part of the ancient caravan trail through territory inhabited by the Gurunsi, Dagarti, Talensi and Kassena (a subset of the Gurunsi) ethnic groups. these people all live in communal, fortified villages. The Gurunsi and Kassena people are known for the murals decorating the walls of their mud huts. Most of the smooth-walled, mud-brick homes are covered with geometric artwork created by the village women.
The villages consist of narrow streets with houses grouped together in harmonious round formations. Both the Gurunsi, Talensi and Kassena decorate in a similar fashion.
The Gurunsi/Kassena are famous throughout the world for the beauty of their mural decorations, which adorn the outside their round clay huts. The women are responsible for painting gorgeous frescoes on the walls.
Gurunsi/Talensi decoration
closer details
Continue reading "The Gurunsi, Talensi and Kassena Groups" »
The Moba are a group of warriors who still practice the rite of female circumcision. (Owie, that hurts!) They inhabit the north and build their homes of clay, with conical roofs made of straw. A wall surrounds and protects the huts belonging to members of the same family and form small villages spread out over the territory.
But the most important part of this day was Christmas Eve and we would be tenting in the Somba region. On the way back from an excursion to visit a "bracelet village", we passed a young man biking along the road with a turkey hanging by his feet from the bicycle. Turkey! How perfect for Christmas. With that, Roberto and Godfried jumped out of their vehicles and started negotiating and, even though the cook was planning to prepare something else for Christmas dinner, bought the turkey.
This was a great photo op for Godfield ...View image...and ex-Marine...
ex-Marine and turkey
Continue reading "Northern Togo and Ghana's Different Ethnic Groups" »
The Somba were also once famous for their nudity but most wear clothes now. They still hunt with bows and arrows and I seriously considering buying some as souvenirs...then thought about the problems going through airport security with a bow and arrows slung over my back...
Their architecture was very unique with castle-like adobe dwellings. the Sombas began to build these fortress-like houses to protect themselves from the slave raid of the Dan-Homey warriors. They are small, round huts with the ground floor reserved for animals. The kitchen in on the next level and then the sleeping level and terrace is on the top.
Somba village
Continue reading "Somba Villages" »
A morning hike to visit a clifftop Taneka community with unusual round-roofed dwellings. The highest part of the village was inhabited by the chief fetish priests who dress in goatskins, and their young initiates who were naked except for a band fo goatskin around their neck holding amulets. There was quite a bit of nudity with a fetish priest still dressed only in a simple loincloth sitting there on display, and the women wore only sarongs.
These Taneka may be descendants of a tribe thought to have disappeared about 400 years ago. Both the Tanekas and Sombas still live in traditional ways and "Somba" means "naked" in their local language, but I've got to tell you, an elderly, thin naked priest is not pretty sight! The head priest just sat there, placidly smoking his pipe.
Taneka head priest
Continue reading "The Taneka People and Natitingou" »
Abomey is one of Benin's big attractions with painted voodoo fetish temples and remains of former royal palaces. The Dan-Homey empire built magnificcent palaces in Abomey. One is now a museum displaying ritual objects of the court including treasures given by European royalty and merchants. The palace also contained the kings' grand tombs.
There were originally 12 palaces. However, all but two were destroyed by the French army in 1892. The remaining palaces are being restored with the help of UNESCO. Being weak in the history department, I always thought that slavery was initiated by the "White Man" and was surprised to learn that Kingdoms like the Dan-Homey used their powers to be in a constant state of war, thereby allowing a never-ending flow of prisoners for their slave trade! The royal armies also included warrior women. (Go girl!)
Benin map
Continue reading "Abomey, Benin and More Voodoo" »
The Gelede masquerade tradition developed in the Ketu region of Yorubaland (present-day western Nigeria). This large-scale festival celebrates the spiritual powers of elderly women, who protect the community's well-being. The masks are specifically made for the celebration (used masks are patched) with elaborate, superstructures, and consist of both human and animal faces. The Gelede dancers are all men, but represent both men and women in their performance.
This ceremony started with the by now, usual routine...arriving at the village (whatever it was called)...View image...getting the group seated...View image...gathering of the entire village in anticipation...and the drummers in position...
drummers
Continue reading "Gelede Fon Mask Festival" »
We entered Benin and visited Ganvie, Africa's largest village on stilts. Ganvie is spread across Lac Nokoue with the wood and thatch houses built above the water. When the Dan-Homey kings armies were capturing people in the countryside to sell in the Portuguese slave trade, the people of Ganvie were saved from slavery by the Dan-Homey religious traditions...they were forbidden to attack communities on the water.
The people in this unique fishing village live exclusively from fishing (along with a little tourism), use pirogues (canoes) and have a system of underwater plantings that form fences to trap and breed fish. You can visit by catching a motorized boat or pirogue across the lagoon. ...View image...
fishing on Lac Nokoue
Continue reading "Benin - Ceremonies and Festivals" »
Later, we were invited (and you must be invited) to attend a real voodoo ceremony in a local village with dancing and drumming. The village was very serious about this and it was not just a money-making gimmack for the village. The word "voodoo" is traceable to an African word meaning "spirit" and practictioners were taken as slaves to Haiti, still a major center for voodoo. There are different forms of voodoo: Fetishes (items sold in the Togo Voodoo Market, e.g. the dried bats), spirit possession and sacrifices. Today's ceremony would involve spirit possession. The Ewe-speaking people have a strong attachment to animist beliefs even though many of them are Christians.
First Roberto got us settled in the background in the yard of a small compound surrounded by huts while the entire village assembled. The Ewe consider twins especially auspicious and lucky...many bronzes and wood carving show representations of twins...and one woman was nursing her twins at the same time...
waiting for the "spirit possession"
Continue reading "A Voodoo Ceremony" »
Throughout this trip at various border checks, a "money trader" would come on our vehicles carrying bags of money. He would then convert whatever we needed at black market rates. If there were too many military police standing around that hadn't already received their daily graft, Godfried or Roberto would take our $$ and disappear behind a shack...materializing with wads of money. This trip was over Christmas and New Years and the usual comment from police, military or anyone that you wanted something from was..."do you have a Christmas present for me?" This is part of doing business in Africa and Roberto always knew exactly how many CFA's or other cash to give them.
Togo is a small but interesting, French-speaking country. Lome, the capital, is a city of about 800,000, founded by the Eye tribe in the 18th century. Around 1884, the German colonial invasion started the the region became the capital of German Togoland. Lome is small, easy to get around and the ocean is only a few blocks from the center of town.
Continue reading "Togo, Voodoo and A Traditional Healer" »
There were only four other persons in our Mountain Travel group beside us. Two others had cancelled for health reasons. (That's why you need travel insurance.)
The trip was officially begun with a morning tour of Accra. The most unusual point of interest was the district of the carpenters in an eastern suburb. They have a thriving business making caskets! Not ordinary caskets, but elaborate colorful caskets in the forms of airplanes, fruits, buildings and animals. The carpenters build to their client's specifications. You decide exactly what kind of personalized coffin to bury your family member in, they can do it in a week. Or decide on one for yourself, hopefully, years before it is needed... If cremation wasn't my choice, something in the shape of a Burger would be right up my alley! What about you?
a nice cow coffin
Continue reading "Accra to Sogakope" »
An easy border crossing into Togo, arriving at the Hotel Mercure Sarakawa our destination for two nights. Lome is known for its excellent shopping - far more interesting than seeing its few sights.
A big plus on any trip is a chance to meet and visit with people who actually live in the country and join in their celebrations. Roberto was holding huge baptism ceremony in his home that evening and we were invited. We brought along a little outfit from America as a gift for the baby and had a great time meeting friends and relatives of the family. Roberto's gorgeous wife, and equally beautiful sisters, had concocted a huge feast, and it was a privilege to attend and participate.
Togo map
Continue reading "Time Spent in Lome, Togo" »
As usual, a half-dead arrival in Accra, Ghana after marathon hours in the air. Godfried, assistant to Roberto on the main tour, met us at the airport and transfered us to the Novotel. Godfried was also going to be our guide on this extension.
Accra, Ghana's capital (population over two million), was founded around 1500 by the Ga tribe. The Ga began trading with the Portuguese - slaves, gold and palm oil. The Ashanti gained control at the beginning of the 19th century but eventually lost it to the British.
Semi-refreshed the next morning, we drove to Akossombo with its largest man-made lake in the world. The shoreline measures almost 3,100 miles. We visited the hydroelectric dam there which created Lake Volta. The dam provides electricity to Ghana and surrounding West African countries.
Continue reading "Accra to Akossombo" »
Air? This involved flying to and from Accra, Ghana. We flew Chicago to Frankfurt on United, and used miles for the Frankfurt-Accra portion on Lufthansa. Lufthansa has a superb web of routes all over the world and we've found it to be more cost-effective (especially in the Winter) to buy a ticket to Europe and then use miles for the next leg of the trip. Other airlines: Alitalia, American Airlines, British Airways, Northwest - many choices. (Lowest International airfares Economy Travel
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Visas? You need for all three countries including multiple entries for Ghana and Togo. None of these countries let you get visas upon arrival. We used Zierer Visa Service rather than Fedexing back and forth to consulates in Washington, DC, eliminating the entire hassle-factor.
Continue reading "Planning Ghana, Togo and Benin" »
After experiencing West Africa's "Timbuktu & Beyond" (read previous articles) with the incomparable Roberto, we were eager for more. And Mountain Travel Sobek had another one in their brochure, "African Golden Kingdoms."
This trip also took place in West Africa, visting the three different and fascinating countries of Ghana, Togo and Benin. A 17-day comprehensive immersion into their tribal worlds with nine nights in hotels and five nights camping. Each departure also included a special festival and ours, over Christmas, 2001, was the Gelede Fon Mask festival in Benin. There is a saying that..."you visit East Africa for the animals, and West Africa to see the people"...and based on Mali, we heartily agree.
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area of West Africa
Continue reading "The "Golden Kingdoms" of Africa" »
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