 |
| Women by road |
We are back on board on our way Cape Town having refueled in Las Palmas and made landfall in Tema, Ghana. And as I begin to write this we are just crossing the equator and the Captain came on the loudspeakers to say there might be a bump from King Neptune when we reach 0 degrees latitude. Ah, there it is!
There is an initiation into a special club for those who have crossed the equator by sea that pays tribute to Neptune by a plunge into the water and the kissing of a fish. Many on board are members---they’re called Shellbacks.
There is an initiation into a special club for those who have crossed the equator by sea that pays tribute to Neptune by a plunge into the water and the kissing of a fish. Many on board are members---they’re called Shellbacks.
What a fascinating time discovering Ghana.
The first time I have truly been immersed in a third world country although they maintain they’ve jumped up to second world, it was a shock in the beginning. We had been prepared for the visit with historical, political, social, and geographic presentations but the real shock of the third world was immediate as we docked in Tema, a deep sea container port developed by Nkrumah in the 60‘s.
It is massive and just outside the entry point to the harbor a large number of trawler and freighters endlessly await entry. At first sight, it looks like a large group of destroyers readying for some attack. In reality many are freighters waiting for cargo and others are trawlers preparing fish they’ve caught to take home to Japan and other countries. Ghana has sold off its fishing rights and the waters are depleting fast.
Once inside the harbor and just as monumental, are thousands of containers stacked in rows 4 to 6 high parked in the area around the dock just waiting to be shipped off around the world.
The first time I have truly been immersed in a third world country although they maintain they’ve jumped up to second world, it was a shock in the beginning. We had been prepared for the visit with historical, political, social, and geographic presentations but the real shock of the third world was immediate as we docked in Tema, a deep sea container port developed by Nkrumah in the 60‘s.
It is massive and just outside the entry point to the harbor a large number of trawler and freighters endlessly await entry. At first sight, it looks like a large group of destroyers readying for some attack. In reality many are freighters waiting for cargo and others are trawlers preparing fish they’ve caught to take home to Japan and other countries. Ghana has sold off its fishing rights and the waters are depleting fast.
Once inside the harbor and just as monumental, are thousands of containers stacked in rows 4 to 6 high parked in the area around the dock just waiting to be shipped off around the world.
 |
| Coming into the container port ---Tema, Ghana |
Under high security again this port and the other one in Morocco must be places where UVA is confident we will be safe for the week long stay. However, this port was even more closed off --- like a naval base with security points and armed guards--- and we could not walk to the outside gate as we did in Morocco because the containers were constantly being moved by massive fork lift trucks and other heavy equipment.
The reality of globalization is evidenced in the massive container activity in this port alone. This is something we will witness everywhere. Wow!
The reality of globalization is evidenced in the massive container activity in this port alone. This is something we will witness everywhere. Wow!
 |
| Breakfast, lunch and dinner available amid gridlock |
After docking, shuttle buses met us at prearranged times to take us to Accra. What should only be a twenty minute ride to the downtown area, with traffic that seems to be constant, it takes well over an hour and a half. I have never seen so many cars in grid lock and its the same all over the country. While individuals make an average of $750 dollars a year, many have used cars and it seems like too many people have them.
Unlike Morocco where you see motor bikes and regular bikes, the mode of travel in Ghana is primarily auto as there are no trains and poor bus service.
Burgeoning populations are Ghana’s major problem and we saw uncontrolled growth in all the urban centers. Groups of very poor migrate to the city continuously from rural areas in hopes of a better life. As a result, Tema, first envisioned as a well planned commercial community connecting a deep sea port to Accra, the capital, is instead a teaming suburb of slums for the very, very poor. This is a major problem all over Sub-Saharan Africa.
Issues of globalization vs. environmental sustainability were before us at every new look as was the poverty.
At once struck by the horrific poverty and stories of the slave trade, we were encouraged by the forgiveness, resilience, happiness, and hope of these beautiful, colorful people. Ghana's great hope for a good life in the future will require enormous infrastructure development and technological change to manage a growing population and create the possibility for return on her rich resources.
What seem like gigantic hurdles are issues of social justice, the environment and how to survive enormous growth and urbanization .... and, clearly, these issues are beyond immediate solution.
What seem like gigantic hurdles are issues of social justice, the environment and how to survive enormous growth and urbanization .... and, clearly, these issues are beyond immediate solution.
Leader of the first African nation to declare independence, Kwame Nkrumah began the Pan African Movement and even today is held in the highest reverence. While on a peace making mission to China, his work for Ghana and African independence was cut short by a coup less than ten years after his election as Ghana’s first president. In the midst of the cold war, Nkrumah’s socialistic views worried the American CIA and they felt it was safer to have Ghana's powerful spokesman out of the limelight. In spite of his exile in the Seychelles for many years, Nkrumah has remained the Ghanian people's greatest hero. And despite his exile, Ghana’s stable democratic political system first begun by Nkrumah is now in its third iteration of presidency. The ongoing democratic government is now the country’s greatest hope.
Ghana’s religious and cultural climate is as fascinating as its political history. Evangelical Christianity, the Mormons and Tribalism have seemingly come together to create a current everyday context for the sacred that is thoroughly modern and totally Ghanian. Everyone seems so hopeful and as many are now Christian, perhaps they are banking on reaching that mystical very Christian promised land. We saw hundreds of road signs and churches as evidence that Jesus is Savior.I imagine the doctrine of the Mormon Church can most easily adapt to this new definition of the sacred because here in sub Saharan Africa polygamy has long been the established way of life. We learned about strong tribal influences in Ghana today and about voodoism in the North where witches are now banned and punished for making judgments and performing crimes of vaginal mutilation.
The mystery and magic of Ghanian culture is also disturbed by stories and evidence in the slave dungeons along the coast. As center of the slave trade, it was first the Ashanti Tribal leaders who delivered captured rivals to the Dutch and English who subsequently made a commodity of these black warriors and sent them off to the Americas to work in agriculture.
The tragedy of the slave trade was visually reinforced by visits to the horrific slave dungeons.
It is interesting that the Quakers were the first to call the slave trade immoral in the mid 1700's in Europe.
Ghana’s beautiful textiles are an artistic and cultural highlight and the cities and countryside are enriched by the brilliant color and pattern of the country's famous kente cloths and batiks.
Certain textile designs served - and serve even today- as symbols of power and prestige. There are designs just woven for the tribal leaders--a king’s and queen’s cloth.
We visited the Ashanti artist’s studios where craftsmen make this colorful cloth and the workrooms where they pound bark and other substances to make the dyes.
It was exciting to see this aspect of the culture-- far from the bustle of the city , a valued craft and culture that is hundreds of years old.
Color Meaning in Kente Cloth
black—maturation, intensified spiritual energy
blue—peacefulness, harmony and love
Certain textile designs served - and serve even today- as symbols of power and prestige. There are designs just woven for the tribal leaders--a king’s and queen’s cloth.
We visited the Ashanti artist’s studios where craftsmen make this colorful cloth and the workrooms where they pound bark and other substances to make the dyes.
It was exciting to see this aspect of the culture-- far from the bustle of the city , a valued craft and culture that is hundreds of years old.
Color Meaning in Kente Cloth
black—maturation, intensified spiritual energy
blue—peacefulness, harmony and love
green—vegetation, planting, harvesting, growth, spiritual renewal
gold—royalty, wealth, high status, glory, spiritual purity
grey—healing and cleansing rituals; associated with ash
maroon—the color of mother earth; associated with healing
pink—assoc. with the female essence of life; a mild, gentle aspect of red
purple—assoc. with feminine aspects of life; usually worn by women
red—political and spiritual moods; bloodshed; sacrificial rites and death.
silver—serenity, purity, joy; assoc. with the moon
white—purification, sanctification rites and festive occasions
yellow—preciousness, royalty, wealth, fertility
gold—royalty, wealth, high status, glory, spiritual purity
grey—healing and cleansing rituals; associated with ash
maroon—the color of mother earth; associated with healing
pink—assoc. with the female essence of life; a mild, gentle aspect of red
purple—assoc. with feminine aspects of life; usually worn by women
red—political and spiritual moods; bloodshed; sacrificial rites and death.
silver—serenity, purity, joy; assoc. with the moon
white—purification, sanctification rites and festive occasions
yellow—preciousness, royalty, wealth, fertility
Promoting the textile industry, several Minnesotans have started a business called Global Mammas. Based in Accra, they work with Ghanian women to create beautiful designs for clothing and accessories at fair trade prices using these prized textiles.
Since micro finance doesn’t seem to work as well in Africa, this business was financed by the American women who are now running it and it has developed successfully. They have established a store in Minneapolis and others in American cities.
Since micro finance doesn’t seem to work as well in Africa, this business was financed by the American women who are now running it and it has developed successfully. They have established a store in Minneapolis and others in American cities.
Increasingly, economists and financial leaders are calling for the empowerment of women as one way to increase the economic growth rates in Africa but helping people is harder than it looks.
Aid seems to work best when it is focused on health, education and microfinance. And when this aid is focused on women and girls, there is evidence-- statistically and anecdotally-- that it is most effective.
A former SAS student, Adam Braun, has been on ship educating us about how to create an effective NGO. His organization, Pencils of Promise, is a brilliant example of how to make aid enormously effective by increasing boy’s and girl’s opportunities for a good education.
Aid seems to work best when it is focused on health, education and microfinance. And when this aid is focused on women and girls, there is evidence-- statistically and anecdotally-- that it is most effective.
A former SAS student, Adam Braun, has been on ship educating us about how to create an effective NGO. His organization, Pencils of Promise, is a brilliant example of how to make aid enormously effective by increasing boy’s and girl’s opportunities for a good education.
The ship is rocking and rolling as we head south toward Cape Town. We are far from the coast as the worry of pirates is forcing us to be extra careful. In any case, the rough, cool waters of the Cape of Good Hope seem to be blowing at us and the seas are up. I will try to get to you again after CapeTown.
