Trials and Tribulations

We’ve had some tremendous rain storms this week, even though the rainy season is ostensibly four to six weeks off. The huge downpours are accompanied by enormous peals of the loudest, lowest and longest thunder I’ve ever heard. The rain clears away the thick coating of fine red dust that sits on every surface around our bungalow (the wind removes a lot of dust inside but also contributes new dust) and smothers the garbage and grass fires that line every major thoroughfare. Unfortunately, it also turns our long dirt driveway into mud, which makes for slow and slippery going on the Vespa.

It’s been a rough few weeks in the utilities domain. The power has gone off multiple times every day – last Saturday it was out for over 12 hours. We lose both the fan in the living room and the A/C in the bedroom when that happens. Not a major problem unless it happens at night – it’s impossible to sleep in the heat, especially if there is also no water for a shower or two. The combo of no power and no water hits us regularly. I lost an entire class period this week when the power went off right before my morning class. I improvised for about an hour using the white board (in near total darkness with the temperature rising) to a packed room of students but couldn’t show any of the animations that were the real point of the class meeting. We’ve also lost our Internet connection several times– as I write, a major cable break in the Accra Region has left us without a connection for 36 hours and counting. (We just got service back after four days.)

We have regular visits in the house from lizards, roaches, centipedes, ants, moths, beetles, flies, and spiders, none of which I mind (though I’m getting rather tired of the lizards dropping on my head when I open our front door). But I saw a rather bad-ass looking scorpion (or close relation) crawl across the area where I keep my wallet and keys yesterday and that gave me a bit of a start.

Lover’s Day
On Lover’s Day (Feb. 14), we went to a dinner/dance at one of the local hotels that we enjoyed immensely. The ads had said the event would begin at 4, but when we called to confirm that we did not need advance tickets, we were told that it actually started at 5. We arrived at 5 to a very quiet, covered outdoor patio with a few couples distributed sparsely around the area. At about 5:30, it was announced that the show would start at 6.

About 6:30, the MC (a local radio personality) started working the crowd with communal games such as Know Your Partner. Couples were chosen at random to play by guessing their partner’s bra and/or (no kidding) male organ size. Everyone (including Sue) was invited to give testimonials about how they met, what love meant to them, and other suitable topics, and the entire feeling was one of a large family reunion. Several preachers spoke – one at great length (he was also a radio person) – about the divine power of love and related issues, and every 15 minutes we were assured that “the food (was) just about ready.”

A five-piece band played during the breaks from the games and preaching, but the music wasn’t very good. The musicians were in great need of feedback as to the virtues of playing in the same key, adjusting their volume relative to the other band members (especially the singer), performing in a unified (read: single) musical style, and more. But the crowd seemed to enjoy every minute of it.

Around 9 pm, we were lead, table by table, to the buffet line, and our plates were piled high with kelewele (fried plantains), fried chicken, fried rice, fried fish, and fried potatoes (shades of New Orleans!). A new band (or maybe it was the same guys, but this time they sounded much more polished) started up and the radio preacher came up to our table and invited Sue to have the first dance with him. We were sitting with two young couples, one of whom had been married only weeks before, and with a third couple who had two young kids. Their approx. 3-year old daughter had huge beautiful eyes that she kept, unblinking and fixed, on Sue the whole night. At 10:30 we, along with many of the then hundreds of people, left the show, even though the headliners, The Daughters of Purity, were just getting into high gear. We were offered a ride home by several people we had not even met, but we’d arranged for a taxi to bring us back.

Common Customs
We love the Ghanaian uses of the English language. My driver comes everyday to “pick me” for our ride out to the orphanage and told me a story about someone he drove around “yesternight.” The kids all ask me to “snap” their pictures when I bring my camera and any acquaintances we meet younger than we are call us “Mommy” and “Daddy.” The national newspaper reported that Vodafone, the largest Internet provider in the country, had “… delivered to its customers a disconnection (sic) service.” It said that according to a spokesman, “The service (sic!!) will last until the problem can be fixed.” Sue told me that a student in her department had officially withdrawn from the University; the cause listed on her form was “medical reasons due to the effect of witches.”

No one says “goodbye” when departing. Instead, we say “Ye bashia” – “we will meet again,” to which the common answer is (translated) “If G-d wills it.” When meeting someone, either for the first time or even a good friend, you never get right down to business. A slew of greetings – how are you, how is your wife, how is the family – is expected. Everyone is always “networking,” and when there is no more paper in the copier nor baked chicken at our favorite chop shop, we are told that the paper (or chicken) “is finished.”

We had read that there is no Twi word for privacy, and that has definitely been our experience. We are awoken most every morning by something; one day it is loud drumming starting at 6 am, another day it is a chorus of voices praying in unison, and today at daybreak, a large group of boys came shuffling/jogging down the street in front of our house carrying a banner and singing in call and response fashion. Nature herself also alerts us to the cycles of the day by way of a rooster, howling dogs, calling birds, or (and sometimes in combination with the others) grunts and groans of unknown origin (bull frogs, maybe??). The crack-of-dawn-timed changing of our security guard is also an occasion for much laughter and cajoling.

In the News
The big story in Ghana continues to be the rift between the NDC, the current party in power, and the NPP, which ran the country for 14 years prior to 2008. Jerry Rawlings, twice the country’s leader by way of coups and twice freely elected, is with the NDC and in some opinions is the power behind the throne (not to be confused with the real throne, which is the seat of power of the Asantahene, the most-high [King] of all Ashante Chiefs). Rawlings’ home burned down this week, and an NPP member and radio personality suggested that Rawlings himself was responsible because he wanted a new house. The NPP man was arrested for making the comment, which lead to a boycott of the government by some NPP parliament members. The NPP man was then ordered released by NDC authorities; the “scandal” and the limits of democracy itself are at the center of every TV and radio show and all the papers. What strikes me is that this discussion is even going on – it is amazing to see a “young” country experience democratic principles and allow opinions and counter opinions to be expressed in public. I think there is some embarrassment about the initial arrest itself, but the fallout has been a remarkable display of freedom of speech, which I find tremendously encouraging.

The Nigerian parliament has finally decided that their president’s (Yar A’dou) mysterious absence from the country for three months is no longer acceptable, and they voted to transfer power to the Veep, a move that received the approval of the Nigerian Supreme Court. The VP has the great name of “Goodluck Johnny” and wears an ultra-cool Monk-style black hat (circa 1950.)

At least from the few speeches of his I have heard, he seems to acknowledge that the country is a mess. We’ll see where that leads (China has just signed deals to extract many additional millions of barrels of oil – read “China Safari,” a recent book on the subject, for a real scare).

On Campus
The head of one of the largest administrative departments in the university surprised us recently when answering his office phone, a blazing red, spiked high heel shoe. We had been trying for about three weeks to get the remainder of Sue’s salary for January – a large chunk was mistakenly deducted for Ghanaian retirement. On another day I went to the post office to send a small package to a film festival. There were four women sitting behind bank-teller style windows. One window had a line of about 25 students, while there was absolutely no one at the other three; the three unoccupied women sat quite still and seemed content to have nothing do. I also stopped at a small office to buy some credits for my mobile phone. The office consisted of a single standard-sized desk at which two men sat. I asked for the coupons that contain the proper numbers I needed and handed my money to the guy on the left. He gave me a receipt and told me to give it to the guy on the right, who then handed me the coupons. (Kafka again.) I think there are some lessons in efficiency that would be useful here, but then again, I guess it’s better that two guys are getting a salary instead of just one.

Sue relayed a story of how after it was discovered during the daily tea break (10 – 11 am) that she had no faculty mailbox, several of her colleagues immediately went to work with paper, pen, scissors and glue to fashion her one. She said this was the strongest indication yet that she was truly part of the Biology “family.” Her Department chair gave an eloquent and impassioned speech to the Bio students at a recent “town hall”-style meeting in which he exhorted them to stay focused, do their best, and make the “Biology family” proud. Sue was very impressed.

Sue’s class (Chordate Development and Evolution) did a Darwin-style collection and classification project this week, and I went to the lab session to photograph the lizards the students had caught.

Sue gave a prize to the group that caught the biggest critter (32 cm!) and the kids were all very proud of their efforts. (The lizards were released unharmed, though they were knocked out for a few hours while being measured and snapped.)

My students have stepped up their efforts and preparation following some strong words from their respective HoDs (Heads of Department). It’s been a challenge to provide them with all the demo software, articles and files I need them to use, but I’ve now got a system of distribution that involves having the “class captain” make copies of and distribute a DVD containing the materials. I’ve given up on the idea of a multi-user computer lab where students would be scheduled to work. Between the power outages, rampant viruses on the computers I was allotted for the purpose, and limited access to the intended facility, I found that the plan was not going to work; they all use their own laptops at this point.

My classes (Drumming and Performing Arts Traditions of Africa) continue to go well, but videos and other A/V materials are not often used. My profs must also assume the power will go out while they’re showing a film. After a couple weeks of lectures, we’ve started to work on the drums in drumming class, and I had no idea that you can produce so many tones on a single drum. All the traditions we are studying consist of a fixed number of rhythmic patterns that are played in combination or alternation by the members of the drum ensemble. We use adowa drums, which are tensioned using pegs that extrude from the sides.


All the drums used by the class (of 25) were made by students in the drumming program on campus.

At the home
Things at the children’s home are going well, though there is not much change in the routine. The kids prepared some group dances for me to video tape and also did a round of individualized “crazy” dances that were lots of fun (I made and brought them a DVD, which they loved). A few of the boys borrowed some drums from the local church (woman do not play drums) for accompaniment and all the performances were actually quite good. (I’ll post some video if they don’t mind.)

Last Saturday we took the kids on a field trip to Bonwire, the weaving capital of Ghana. One of the older girls brought a small purse that she proudly wore over her shoulder the entire trip. It occurred to me that this was probably her only earthly possession and that many of the kids had nothing at all to call their own; sort of heart-breaking, when you think about it. I’m considering buying them all something substantial on our return trip.
-DHM

Grace and Hope

(Media update: I posted some videos of the New Year’s Eve event on Vimeo. Worth a look:

http://www.vimeo.com/8637884
http://www.vimeo.com/8648069
http://www.vimeo.com/9066958 )

I’ve seen the light and my path is clear. The Grace and Hope orphanage is the reason I’ve come to Ghana. The home is a small, private facility on the outskirts of Kumasi situated well off the road, across a field, down a hill, through some tall grass and around a 2 – 3 acre courtyard. It’s owned by a KNUST professor whose father started it some years back. It does not get nor does it seek public funding – the prof. is the main supporter. There are 14 kids aged 5 – 15, a matron, and a “senior older brother” (16 or 17) who helps the kids with their homework and does most of the heavy lifting.

There’s no electrical service at the site and a gas-run generator supplies power when needed. The kids walk to school, just a few hundred yards down a path from the site, and seem very happy and secure.

I do different activities with the children each visit (2 to 6 pm, 3 x per week). Last week I took about 100 still photographs of them, turned them into a slideshow with some Ghanaian pop music (Ofori Amponsah – highly recommended!) in the background, and burned it onto a DVD. I then brought the disc and a DVD player to the orphanage but there was no gas for the generator – so we waited a bit until some was acquired. When I showed them the 10-minute video, they were enormously delighted. Each new face appearing on the screen prompted a massive roar of recognition with shouting of the child’s name. Next week I’ll bring the video camera and make a movie of them singing, which they often do spontaneously. No doubt that DVD will also delight.

Some of the kids are behind in their reading skills, so I try to practice reading on every visit. We also do other group activities, such as one where I brought a book of Kente weaving images and asked them all to make drawings of their favorite patterns. I’m hoping we can arrange a field trip to Bonwire, the national Kente weaving capital, which is just a 60-minute ride from the home.

Like all Ghanaians we have met, the children are huge soccer fans, so the arrival of a new “football” that I got in Kumasi received thunderous applause. One of the older boys cut an opening in an old deflated rubber soccer ball they had and placed the new one inside it. He told me this would insure that the new ball “stayed fresh” for a while to come. Sometimes while the older kids are playing, 5-year old Fortuna (Mawu) sits on my lap and just rubs my skin. I wonder if she thinks that if she rubs hard enough, the paint will come off. ;-)

The trip to the home takes about 30 minutes, and I have befriended a cab driver who is my daily escort. “Mr. Emmanuel” is helping me with my Twi and has a habit of letting other drivers know what he thinks of their skills. The ride is an old Kia (late 80s/early 90s?) and so far, it has been up to the task.

So much more I could report, but the pix speak for themselves:
http://www5.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=1016147028/a=2091206028_2091206028/
(If you need a password to log in, maybe create a bogus account.)

Media
I enjoy reading the Daily Graphic, a national newspaper out of Accra. Each issue combines major national issues with very local events and reports. There’s an extensive Letters to the Editor section – one writer writes regularly to provide details on correct English grammar, and the editorial on the same page is very socially conscience, for example, alerting citizens to the benefits of buying locally and exhorting the recently elected (new party) government to keep its promises in funding school uniforms and supplies. One recent article detailed the destruction of several thousand bogus Samsung flat screen TVs, complete with a picture of a completely blank brown box with an arrow pointing to it that said “Fake” and another picture of a fully logoed Samsung box, extensively decorated with an arrow that said “Real.” Wonder where the plastic “Sony” logo on our DVD player (which just fell off) was actually made (China, no doubt).

While following Ghana’s activities in the recent Africa Cup of Nations tournament on local television, I noted a number of public service announcements in the form of colorful cartoons. In addition to the expected advice about the benefits of hand-washing and using mosquito nets, another explained why a family should refrain from selling their children. Speaking of TV, along with the DVD player, we purchased a number of DVDs, each of which has between 10 and 12 complete movies on it; they sell for $1.50 and are made, like nearly everything else that is cheap and of poor quality, in China. We were watching a film called 2012 when I noticed a strange round object at the bottom of the TV screen. A minute later, we watched as someone from the audience got up and left their seats – the DVD we were watching was obviously made by someone sitting in a movie theatre with a video camera.

Some of the movies are in English but have new “English” subtitles intended for Ghanaian audiences. The “translations” can be hilarious or at the least, curious: “Oh, God” was translated as “Oh, Days,” “Yes, Sir” became “Yes, Executive,” and “You won’t get to heaven that way” appeared in the captions as “You won’t arrive in Western Paradise with your actions.” (I thought that was a Muslim thing??)

In the classroom
Sue started teaching last week – her class consists of 67 undergraduate Bio majors and she gives one two-hour lecture per week and supervises a 3-hour lab on another day. So far, so good. She gets along well with her TA, and has given the students a project that involves collecting and classifying the lizards found everywhere on campus. She’s also making new buddies from among the Science faculty and continues to Skype with her lab at UMass a few times each week.

I gave my first lecture in my Digital Media Production class on Monday and ran into some serious cultural differences. After I showed an entirely abstract 5-minute animation, the students asked me how they should “understand” the film; one of the profs clarified by saying that the students needed to know the “significance” of the colors that were used, and that they wanted some background on the artist. They also asked what the artist “expected” them to think about the film. I tried to make the point that the work was completely open to personal interpretation, but that was a tough one to sell. I’ll be looking for more common ground as the semester continues. I teach a second section to students from the Communication Design department on Fridays.

I’m taking a class on drumming that is split into two 2-hour sections. On Tuesday we have drum theory, which is mostly cultural context, history and classification. The Thursday section is on practice – meets for the first time today (last week Ghana was in a soccer match at class time so we did not meet). On Wednesday, I’m in a Performing Arts Traditions of Africa class that I believe will focus on West Africa in general (hope so) and Ghana in particular. I am also meeting privately with a textile technician who is introducing me to Kente traditions of strip weaving and will have regular sessions with a prof. in that same area to cover the research side of the story.

At Home
The bungalow is shaping up nicely and we make a bi-weekly trip to the largish supermarket in Adom plus near-daily stops at fruit and vegetable stands both on campus and on the way to the orphanage. Sue and a guard discovered that we have a major pineapple “farm” in our backyard, with seven rows of about 10 plants each (there are multiple pineapples per plant). We’ll have a ton of fruit on our hands in a month or so when the rains come; from what I hear, they will all ripen at nearly the same time. We’ve also discovered garden eggs (eggplant), red chilies, and a very large mango tree (;-)). We harvested our first bunch of bananas this week, about 40 of them, and tasted the cocoa nuts that fell from our tree (the taste is not easy to describe, but it was refreshing).

We learned that the Food Science Department runs a farm close to the house and we bought a very fresh chicken that Sue cooked up. If we get the nerve, we’ll buy a live one and do the deed ourselves; live chickens are available from roadside stands on the main road to Adom and of course everywhere in the Central Market.

Happily, the only visitors we’ve had in the bungalow are lizards, centipedes and of course the ubiquitous ants. (One of our neighbor’s chickens did come to the back door to have a look around, but he was not invited in.) Mosquitoes come with the rains next month, and we’ll double check that the mosquito nets we sleep under are intact.

If you haven’t done so already, have a look at the pictures of the kids from the home. Can’t explain how much pleasure they bring.

--DHM