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Ghana Mission
2003
Part 5 - The
Sights and Sounds of Ghana
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Listen to the Kora |
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Note: click on the pictures below for
full-sized view.
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Partially finished buildings
were a common sight during the
drive from Accra to Busua. They
often take years to complete since loans are hard to get in Ghana.
The construction pace usually matches that at which funds can be saved. |
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Dixcove (originally named
Dick's Cove) is the southernmost town of Ghana and is the site of
a fort built by the British in 1691. Named Fort Metal Cross, its view is wonderful,
although its history is not.
The fort was one of many along the coast used in the
slave trade.
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Even modest housing in Ghana can come with a
great view. These houses are just below the fort.
Dixcove Harbor is a lively fishing port,
known for lobsters and other
large fish (click). It is also well known for the surfing.
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Here's how the bus was filled at a
country gas station.
Gasoline was first pumped by hand into a
liter-sized bottle. Then, when the bottle was filled, a
valve was opened to allow the gas to drain into the bus's tank.
The man put pebbles on the platform after each fill to keep track of the
amount of gas he took. |
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Things got busier at the
modern gas station along the highway, with many items for sale. The
early-evening streets were also lively in the nearby city of Takoradi. The
kids loved
to have their pictures taken. Try dancing with something like that on your head!
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The streets were full of
vendors of all kinds, including those selling
a Ghanaian version of fast-food. Ghana
is an interesting mix of the old and the new. In
some parts of the city, herds of goats roam around, and they can go
anywhere they want. |
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One of our stops was at a
small center for making Kente cloth, a ceremonial cloth hand-woven on a
loom. The strips measure about 4 inches wide and are
sewn to form larger pieces.
Each of the designs has a well-known
meaning. (Click
to see some samples.) |
| While waiting, one of our
team members challenged a local to a game of Oware. The score was
1 - 1. |
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Kumasi is also a center for
carving. Objects, such as boats, figurines, or drums, were shaped
out of tree trunks. The worth
of the object depended on the type of wood used to carve it.
The youngest member of the team purchased a
drum and, back home, accompanied the choir during the singing of
African Alleluia on Ghana Sunday. |
Music Source:
Mali-Music
Fish Picture:
Camel World
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