Hello, everybody! I arrived in Cape Coast Wednesday after my 11 day trip to the north. I am happy to be back- we were in a few very large cities, so Cape Coast feels like a tame and welcome alternative to the chaos. Here's an account of the trip!
Day One- Trip to Kumasi, visit to Manhiya palace, visit to Bonwire
We left Cape Coast at 9 in the morning, armed with ample snacks and a sense of adventure. We hit Kumasi, the second largest city in GHana, about 4 hours later. After a quick lunch, the group took a guided tour of the Manhiya Palace Museum, the resisdence of the Ashanti kings for most of the 20th century. So far in Ghana I've been on some fairly odd and confusing tours, but this definitely takes the cake. Our guide was an old man with a bizarre and slightly creepy chuckle, that was usually followed by some nervous twitters or, in my case, a spontaneous and confused sputter that forced me to turn my head or physically remove myself from the group. The entire tour through the palace was a strange exhibition on all the ways the West infiltrated the Ashanti kingdom (the exception being the building itself, which was supposed to be a gift to the royal lineage from the British, but the Ashanti king refuse to live in it until it had been paid for by Ashanti money). We learned who was the first king to be Christian. We saw various king's imported work desks and gifted teapots and (my personal favorite) an Israeli manufactured fridge from the 50s that, our guied opened to demonstrate, still works! Cue guide's chuckle and our entire group's confusion as to why we were being shown an old Israeli fridge in the middle of an Ashanti palace in the middle of Ghana. We were shown the different chaise lounges each of the three kings who occupied the palaec used, as well as the guns their ancestors used to spread the Ashanti kingdom into present day Cote D'Ivoire and Togo. It was the largest kingdom in this area of West Africa for a long time, until the British began making inroads into their territory. Some artifacts were great to see, like royal clothes and drums over 100 years old- unfortunately pictures weren't allowed. Three other odd things to note:
1- our guide kept randomly pulling out books on Asante culture from drawers and cabinets whenever we went to a new room. They are the very books in our tiny SIT library that I had used on my last research paper. Halfway through the tour the guide revealed himself to be the author of said books, and that he would be willing to autograph any copies we purchased at the gift shop. Well, I'm sure. It makes me hesitant to cite that particular source again, but just because he's a little bizarre isn't reason enough to discredit his research and years of learning. I accepted long ago that most history majors are a little left of center, right Dad? :)
2- There were seven carved wooden fairly realistic statues throughout the palace. I about had a heart attack when i walked into the first room with them displayed- they weren't as creepy as Madame Toussaud's wax figures, but they're a close second. They depict each king that resided in the palace and the Queen Mother that ruled with them. The 7th figure represented Yaa Asentewa, the Queen Mother responsible for starting a war against the British when they demanded, after capturing and exiling the king, that they be brought the Golden Stool, a very sacred Ashanti artifact. The story goes that Yaa Asentewa's response was, "Tomorrow ghost widows will receive husbands," meaning that they were going to war, men would die, and women without husbands in the afterlife would marry them. Our guide told one of the blond haired, blue eyed Dutch tourists on the tour with us that she looked like a younger Yaa Asentewa. Cue guide's laugh and my need to walk from the room. He also told Nordia that she reminded him of a Queen Mother that he knows, and perhaps one of her ancestors was a Queen Mother. I tried to treat our new royalty accordingly.
3) The guide told us the secret to making sure that another woman wouldn't steal our husbands, other than being a good cook and keeping a clean house, was to change our hairstyle every three months. Then our husbands will think that they are with a new woman every three months and they won't be tempted to stray. Now, why didn't I think of that? Call me old fashioned, but I had always planned on marrying a man that was committed to me because he was in love with me- talk about plans flying out the window! Ladies, spread the word! I've discovered the fool-proof secret to a long and happy marriage!
When the tour ended our group continued our Tourist excursions in Bonwire, the birthplace of Kente cloth. Beautiful cloths lined the walls of a large, open workshop, the center of which was criss-crossed by the long looms that Kente is woven on. Each design means something different, and I got to sit down and try my hand at weaving, but I felt the familiar disappointment associated with when one first attempts a new skill only to find that, alas, God has not blessed one with the innate and magical ability to inexplicably and artistically produce Kente cloth (see also: hip hop dancing, slam poetry, soccer, and that brief stint in my high school Chess Club). Sigh. Onwards and upwards.
I wish I could say my trip to Bonwire was all colorful, meaning steeped Kente and weaving lessons, but it wasn't. Those pesky members of that secret society of Tourist Pesterers that seem to be present at almost every major and minor tourist attraction on the globe have found their way to Ghana as well. The members of my group spent about a half an hour positively surrounded by Kente/souvenir/postcard sellers, fighting our way to quiet corners where we could study our Kente options in peace. I managed to escape with only one of my purchases stemming from guilt and pressure, and so felt pretty good about the whole thing. Everyone was relieved to get back on the bus, and thus ended our adventures for the first day.
Day Two- 4 am trek to Wa
This day consisted of rolling out of bed, grabbing our bags, and loading the bus by 4am. We were heading to Wa, a 7 hour trip north, and we needed to beat traffic out of Mumasi. The rest of the day consisted of sleeping, eating, and card games. Next!
Day Three- Visit to Gwollu
It was about a 3 hour drive north, 2/3rds of which was on unpaved road, to get to Gwollu.
This is all I have time to type at the moment, but I promise to finish the Northern trip soon... er, after I spend the next week in Benin. Sorry for taking so long, but I hope this holds you over!
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