In A Word | Ghana

By Luana M. Graves Sellars

African Name – Nana Nyarkoa

Well, it’s August 15th and I’m back in the states after 4 weeks of being away and semi-awake. Ghana is 4 hours ahead of the east coast and Kenya is an additional 3 hours ahead, so suffice it to say, my days are totally upside down!!! I sincerely apologize for the delay in sending this out this month, but I think that my Wi-Fi thinks that it is still entitled to a vacation, as it took 4 days to upload pictures, when it usually takes me a couple of hours to complete the entire newsletter!

I don’t know how long it’s going to take to right myself but, the trip and it’s experiences were well worth the grogginess that I’m sure will hang around for awhile. The trip was indescribably perfect! Well, that is after the global outage was my day 1, which cancelled my flight and gave me a 45 minute to rebook and go through security, in all places, JFK airport!

Regardless, I was grateful to get on the plane as they finished boarding, even though my original direct 10-hour flight turned into a 22-hour flight that connected through Nairobi, which was were I was going for the second half of my trip. 

The trip was divided into two parts: first Ghana, a personal, ancestorial, spiritual and professional journey of discovery of the paths and experiences of my roots.  

Ghana  

Ghana Day 1

My first stop in Accra, Ghana was part of a tour group that was on a collective ancestorial journey. Thirty of us from various backgrounds came together to see and experience our Motherland. I am not a believer in coincidences, and the group couldn’t have been a better combination of blended personalities and similar beliefs, which only enhanced my experiences, and I don’t think that I am speaking out of turn to assume the same for everyone else.   

The first thing that is very obvious here is that Akan tribal pride is everywhere you turn. Adrinka symbols are on clothes, walls architecture When it comes to the Adrinka symbols, my favorite has been the Sankofa, because it represents the work that I do. 

Because gold is a major resource here, several people in our group wanted to go to a jewelry store. Of course, I was laser focused on finding a Sankofa charm. And of course, due to its popularity, they didn’t have any.

So, as I looked around, I found one that means life’s twisting journey, which fits me perfectly. The symbol Nkyinkyim is now covers my life and the Sankofa covers my work.                          

Sometimes my Gullah tunnel vision blinds me. Today’s lesson is that all things are multi-dimensional, including me. 

Ghana Day 2 It’s been gray and rainy since I landed in Ghana, but the rain must have cooled down the temperature to a low 80. I was too tired to take in our hotel last night, but a picture with my favorite Akan symbols greeted me in the hallway. Breakfast was a huge buffet with some familiar items, but more of what I consider for dinner, like chicken and green salads. Spicy foods seem to be the norm and last night I had my second taste of jollof rice. Spicy but good. Fried bananas or plantains seems like a staple for breakfast and dinner, so I plan to get my fill! My first Twi words that I learned are greetings. Twi is the most spoken language here among hundreds of others. And like in Gullah-Geechee culture, the elders are the most respected in the community. A typical greeting includes : good morning and I am at your feet. When I heard that, it hit me as such an incredible level of respect on so many ways.  Not that I didn’t know how significant Africa is, but I learned today that the number is as high as 70% of the world’s resources come from Africa. Ghana is very rich in resources, and it produces large gold, diamond and steel, among others. Religious wise, the country is 70% Christian, with the minority being Muslim. Interestingly enough, unlike other places around the world, there are no conflicts between the two communities. Regardless of the differences, both believe in the strength and of maintaining reverence for the ancestors. Ghana’s religious and traditional practices makes it one of the most intact and concentrated indigenous cultures in Africa.  One example of the thinking is just like the Sankofa. In this case, the number 3 is very important in Ghana. The 1 is for the ancestors, the 2 is for the current generation and 3 is for the future generations.  Our first stop was in Pram Pram at the Wall of Ancestors, where we were greeted with hugs by several Sankofa Circle who are women dressed in white who were on the way to the ocean to pray with and for the ancestors and all things. The water or wata has incredible power and is what connects the past and the future. The descendants of the enslaved were ‘born on the wata’.  We drove to Pram Pram, which was about an hour outside of Accra. Yes, poverty is abundant here, but so is entrepreneurship. There were so many roadside stands and vendors selling everything. Most women carried items on their heads, except for the one guy who was peddling brooms at the intersection while balancing them on his head. Today at the Wall was a great lesson on all of the powerful and impactful people from around the Diaspora since the beginning of time. Kings, warriors and leaders from here in Africa to everywhere else were captured in 100 individual murals.  When we think of people like that, most can only remember a handful. Seeing it this way only elicits pride in our people.  The day ended with some shopping with a seamstress who is making two custom jumpsuits for me.  I found a picture on Instagram and she’s going to make it! I can’t wait to see them!! It was a great day. It’s just the beginning, but I definitely am looking forward to tomorrow.  Ghana Day 3 It’s a clear and sunny day. Before arriving, I was expecting Ghana to be extremely hot and around 100 degrees and humid, but it’s winter now and the warm 80s and only slight humidity with a cool breeze in the shade is a very pleasant surprise. The country is incredibly diverse. Ghana has 70 different ethnic groups, and the Ashanti people are in the majority. The mostly spoken common languages are English and Twi. Since I am going to Kenya next, I chose to learn Swahili, which is most commonly spoken in several countries. I chose one over the other because the Twi is definitely more difficult than the Swahili. In 3 days, I haven’t been able to retain one word. I wish that I could, because the people are so kind here and I know that the effort is appreciated.  Traditional practices in education, especially for girls is that they cut off all of their hair, so that it and appearance is not a focus for them during primary years. During our day, we ran into a large school group, wearing uniforms and the majority of the girls had short afros. National Museum Not that I didn’t know, but it’s nice to see evidence of the continent prior to slavery as a very advanced society. There are still kings and kingdoms here. We passed several billboards with messages from different kings. Society recognizes and respects the traditional structure of the monarchy and leaves the ownership and responsibilities of the land to the kings. The government is responsible for policy and all other things. It’s a fascinating balance of power between them.  Kenti fabrics are very significant and have meaning based on the patterns. More on that later. Just like in Gullah-Geechee culture, families live in family compounds. As family members increase due to the amount of children that they have and are called clans. Each clan had a symbol that would represent and identify each clan, which is placed on a staff. Newborn children are not named until 7 or 8 days after the birth because they are given the chance to survive. If they don’t survive, they were only meant to be a temporary spirit. After 7 days they are given a name based on the day of the week that they were born. Clothes were traditionally made from tree bark that was soaked in water and then pounded into a flat and soft texture that’s similar to a thinner burlap material.  Apparently, Ghana is a very car-oriented society of mostly Toyota, Nissan and Kia. Motorcycles are trending and watching them whiz between the cars within inches of our bus is heart stopping. Our last stop of the day was a market where 100s upon 100s of vendors surrounded us and aggressively tried to influence us to visit their stall. Bargaining is the expectation, and it was hard separating the thrill of the shopping hunt with the realization that their persistence was based in the desperation for a sale.   Ghana Day 4 For years I knew about the attempts to form an African Union which would ‘correct’ the economic disadvantages that many countries here have experienced as a result of foreign countries and businesses. Today was all about economic development in Ghana. We spent the day hearing a presentation from the Ghana Investment Promotion Centere which has an established program to assist entrepreneurs with developing partnerships or creating opportunities here. The process is very streamlined and business friendly. Of course, there are some squigglyness that comes along with international commerce. I think that it’s great that the country is actively working towards growing its economic position and welcoming businesses to Ghana. The current financial floor for investment is $200,000. My concerns, which unfortunately I didn’t get to raise are, why is the floor so high, which shuts out a lot of potential entrepreneurs. My other issue is why isn’t there a desire and opportunities for intellectual intelligence and information sharing available to help raise everyone’s financial stability so that the money coming in is benefiting the Ghanaians that really need it???? Ghana Day 5 So, I knew that being in Africa would be a different experience. In America, every day comes with the expectation that I might be the only Black person in a room. Here, in all of the days that I have been here, I can count on two hands the number of white people that I have seen. In America, I feel Black. In Africa, I feel like I belong. My grey eyes get a passing glance, but my skin color, though light, makes me just like everyone else. Yet, clearly a tourist. It should be noted that Ghana is the only country that has extended an invitation to children of the Diaspora. Several years ago they had a Year of Return, where in addition to the invitation, land acquisition was also offered. Many African Americans have and still are coming back and or establishing residency here. Once you find land, building a well-appointed 4- or 5-bedroom house will only cost you around $100,000. Regardless of where you are, houses have various sizes wata tanks that collect rainwater. Houses in all stages of development are sprinkled around the outskirts of Accra. But as with all things, the offer has resulted in some animosity and resentment towards Americans. Today’s one of the days that I really had been looking forward to. On top of an unhappy stomach, I forced myself to join the group and brave the day; and I am so grateful that I was able to. A two hourish drive down paved roads that had potholes that my Dad would call tank traps, then gravel to pavement, brought us to our first stop on start pilgrimage through the Slave Route was to a place off of the highway that is several minutes down a bumpy, uneven clay dirt road. Its in an unmarked and unsuspecting place, that if you didn’t know, it could easily be ignored. To the right, is the ocean and Ada Foah on the Estuary of the Volta River, where the former Fort Ada stood. The fort was used by the Dutch and British as a trading post and one of the last stops before leaving your family and your life behind. To the right, is a powerful place of information about our ancestors, their strength, their resilience and their lives. It’s also a place for restoration and healing. It’s called the Nkyinkyim Museum, which means twist and turns. The name is based on a proverb that says, life’s journey is twisted. The museum commemorates those who were kidnapped and enslaved. Before you get inside, you can’t but notice the three impressive stone structures that line the road to greet you. The first one is based upon Sudonus architecture, which our ancestors used as ladders or steps for inside a building. Along the outside images of several familiar Adrinka symbols are woven into the design. After coming into the grounds, we were told that we couldn’t take any pictures or video. Of course, that was my prime purpose in going, so I was VERY disappointed. However, I was able to take pictures of the sculpture garden that I really came for. My last trip to Montgomery, Alabama and the Legacy Museum and Lynching Monument was the first time that I saw the powerfully impactful work of Kwame Akoto-Bamfo’s internationally recognized work. You might have seen or heard about him, he is the sculptor who makes the heads that represent our ancestors. Very soft spoken and humble, when I complimented him, while standing in his open-air studio, he was quick to introduce me to two other sculptors and share that the work is a team effort.  I didn’t know until chatting with him that even though he was classically trained, he began sculpting when he was 2 years old.  Each head, with faces of men and women and children; of the young and old have expressions they are a snapshot of everything that our ancestors experienced during enslavement; fear, anguish, disgust, shock and surprise. Their looks run the range of likenesses; their looks are the faces of my people.  This isolated and remote place is where our ancestors passed through on their way to the water and an unknown and scary future. Which makes this place, these very grounds sacred. A bamboo arch guides your steps towards the Monument of faces and once we were close, we removed our shoes out of respect and the purity of the space. Countless heads from the neck up dot the landscape. Clusters encircled baobab trees and others were laid exposed to the harsh elements of the sun. Resilience and defiance was represented by groupings of those who were humiliated and forced to wear iron torture contraptions around their necks; some with bells and some in chains. This is a quiet place where time flashed back to the past and reverence was deserved. Leaving this place left our group surrounded in the silence of our own thoughts. As we looped back towards the entrance, we came upon a wall full of images of our people; their past, present and our future. From the wall, we came back under the bamboo arch that was now lined with stone statues of fertility, which reminds us to always look towards the future generations and the infinite possibilities that it brings.  Ghana Day 6 Today was all about nature and the natural beauty of Ghana. Of course, it’s not perfect here, but everyone is friendly and hospitable. It’s interesting to see the blend of tribes and languages, which seamlessly come together within the culture. Conversations switch between Twi and English flawlessly. The infrastructure/services here are poor. I can’t remember how many people I passed that are sleeping on the street. Many children, some by themselves are laying on sidewalks. One little child looked sprawled out like he fainted. Several of us saw him and wondered about his condition. The adults walking down the street seemed to see it as normal, which I just can’t understand. Our bus and my group stand out and are sometimes swarmed by women and children looking for a handout. The separation between the haves and the have nots is very significant. We went into the mountains driving north towards the border with Nigeria, which is about an hour flight away.  Our first stop was to the government center that is responsible for overseeing and the approval of natural products and herbal medicine. There is a very specific focus on the plants that grow naturally and the medicinal properties that they contain. As we toured the grounds, we saw indigenous plants and learned about the various uses for all kinds of ailments. In addition to testing and developing products, the center also is a medical clinic that diagnoses, treats and prescribes herbal medicine. The center works in concert with Ghana’s FDA for drugs. As sketchy as natural medicines can be in the US, it was great to see the diligence of their scientists and labs. From there we went to a Botanical Garden that was created in 1890 by the British.  The gardens aren’t the kind of floral expanses that we are used to in the states, this was designed after gardens in Britain. One might think that walking around just looking at tree varieties is interesting but seeing the difference between male and female nutmeg trees and learning about how they need each other to produce and multiply was fascinating. I actually found two trees that were my favorites. One had a base that was indented deep enough to protect you from a storm. The other was the structure made from a parasite that completely killed of the host tree over a period of 30 years. The frame of the parasite left the interior where the tree was hollow. It was very cool to stand inside it and see all of the way to the top. Look for the video on the Lowcountry Gullah Facebook page.  Ghana Day 7 Gas is cheap here, averaging $13 cedis ($15.16 dollars to 1) which converts to less than a dollar a gallon. We’re driving 4 hours west of Accra through an area that is a former Liberian refugee camp on our way to Takoradi. There are so many vendors here that it’s hard to imagine how anyone can make any money. Elmina was the first place where slaves were held. Then on to Cape Coast, where one of the slave dungeons is. It became the center of education in Ghana because the children of raped enslaved people where given the opportunity to go to school. It’s Sunday in Takoradi, Ghana. In a mostly Christian country, you can definitely tell what day it is. People are walking around in their Sunday best and carrying their Bible with them. One church that we passed had several people praying outside the building, not even waiting to go in. As many vendors that usually are selling every day, some are out and open for business, but 95% of them are not. The few that are, sell mostly food items. The Ghanaians are a very kind and gracious people. Every encounter has been a good one and it’s very obvious that they want to make sure that you feel at home.  I’ve noticed that there’s a layer of dust everywhere. The trees and shrubs along the roads are covered by it. The winds coming out of the Saharan Desert are significant enough to blow dust across the Atlantic Ocean, so it’s not a surprise to realize that countries in its path would be covered by it. Even though it’s in the air, believe it or not, the air quality here it still very good.  It’s only fitting that today was not only Sunday, and that we were all asked to wear all white. It’s also the day that we are on our way to a traditional naming ceremony, where the local Omanhen and Paramount Chief of the Essiado of the Traditional Area of Sekondi Ghana. King Nana Kobina Nteksia VI will be welcoming us home to the Motherland and granting us traditional African tribal names. Before we even got off of the bus, we were greeted individually by women dancing and surrounded by the rich sounds of drums as we waited for the arrival of the King, his family and who was surrounded by his interpreters and elders.  Drums have a greater meaning than just good music; the sound of a drum is more than a sound, it’s also a language that can be understood by some. The tones, the volume and pitch unite in a harmony that speaks directly to your soul.Enslavers knew this, which is why drums became outlawed in South Carolina and other places. The ceremony took place in front of the King’s palace. As we waited, one of the dancers came and took me by the hand to join in the dance. How could I not?? Of course, it was a crash course in learning the steps, but I think that I found my African rhythm. Upon the entry of the King, everyone stands, out of respect as he is always representing the ancestors. Draped in a red fabric, he sat down in the center with his feet raised by a leather covered pillow.  It is customary that no one could speak directly to the King, unless you are spoken to.  His interpreter is the only one of the elders who could be spoken to and able to relay the message. Regardless of what you want to do, permission must be granted. Once the ceremony began, the interpreter spoke and then it was time to hear from the King as he welcomed us home. His message was one of telling us that we were never forgotten and that in all African countries, regardless of where we descended from, all of them are our home and they are grateful for our return. The ceremony began with instructions. One by one, we were called forward to sit on one of two chairs that were designated for the men or women. After our Christian name was called, we were told our new name. I was about the 7th out of the group of 30. When I was called, I suddenly became nervous for some reason. My work and my ancestorial journey has brought me so far and being connected by a name that was from one of the ancestors suddenly became more than very real. As I went up to the front, I sat in front of a table. The interpreter fed me three drops of water, which I needed to identify as such each time. The first two were to be spit out. The last one was to be swallowed. Water is the giver of life. The movement is a constant flow, which twists and turns but continuously moves forward. After the water, three drops of alcohol (Schnapps) were then fed to me. This represented the difficulties of life and our need and ability to recognize and overcome them. After the liquids, we were fed two different kinds of shredded yams three times, one white and one orange. The yams represents the sustainability that the earth produces. Like the liquid, we spit out the first two and ate the last one. Once that was completed, our faces were washed by brown water that contained herbs that cleansed us of our past and connected us to the land. When it was all completed, we were given a boiled egg to eat. The ceremony and it’s symbolism seemed very simplistic but was very powerful. My African name is Nana Nyarkoa. Nana means one deserving of respect and honor. Nyarkoa was the name of a highly respected ancestor.It’s going to take a lot of practice to get the pronunciation of my name correct, but I will get there. The bigger issue is how I plan to use it. Afterwards, several people mentioned that they needed time to process the importance and impact of the entire experience. Mid ceremony a group of Elders and leaders from another kingdom came to bring gifts to the King out of respect for the passing of the king’s mother, who was 104.The King told us that normally he would wear white for such a significant occasion, but instead of wearing traditional black he wore red, which is the other color of mourning. He added a white scarf to honor us. The pomp, ceremony, incredible respect and regardless of being in his presence was incredibly fascinating. It was something that I had never experienced before. During the British occupation, the Kings were reduced in title to chiefs because of the queen could not have any competing level of respect. SMDH. After all of us received our new names, we were then invited into the palace for lunch. The King, of course ate upstairs and away from us, but a few of the elected officials in our group were invited to join him. Day 7 was an incredible and amazing day that I will be processing for years to come.  On of the great events that occurred during our stay was the Ghanaian Emancipation Day Celebration. It was a very well attended event that brought the Vice President of Ghana and several cabinet members, especially those in tourism. The local King, who is pictured above, also came with his entourage. What was really very fascinating was seeing all of the high government officials line up to greet him out of respect for his position and for allowing the event to be held within his kingdom.  The Slave Dungeon at Elmina The Door of No Return, The Cell where the enslaved were put without food or light. Whatever they did as a punishment, they were left there just to die. The long hall to the women’s holding space.  The Manso Ancestorial River where the enslaved received their last bath prior to being sold or placed on ships.  The picture above right is of the floors of the dungeon’s, which are caked with the urine and excrement from centuries of enslaved people who were housed there.  The picture above left is of the very narrow door of No Return. I have heard that it was small to ensure that the size of the person fitting through it would be an indicator as to the equivalence to the size of the space provided on the slave ships.  The pictures below are of the Ancestral River and the place where the enslaved took their last baths prior to sale or a slave ship. Ghana Day 8 It’s a hazy and cloudy day. I was hoping for sunshine, but I now realize that I was spending the day in a place of death, suffering and devastation. Spices were considered like gold because you couldn’t preserve meats. Our first stop was in the men’s tunnel. It was so dark that most became blind or had impaired sight as a result of how long they were kept in the dark. Looking at the brick floors, you can see that there’s a layer of what looks like it has a dirt layer over it, however, they are covered with several hundreds of years of DNA, feces and urine from our ancestors. Some people who have come here have said that the smell of urine still is present. My allergies makes my nose smell resistant on a good day. Considering how difficult seeing and being in this space is, I don’t think that I could have handled experiencing the odor too. The areas were cramped and with just our group of 30, I could not stand in the space for long, as I felt claustrophobic, which was something that I had not experienced before.   I couldn’t breathe. I am overwhelmed and feel the pain and suffering from the souls who were held here. The women’s side was more open, however, the cells were more open so that they could surround a courtyard, which had a balcony on top. This might sound better and more humane, until you understand that the courtyard was where the women were placed on display for sale and or the balcony was were their enslavers stood above them deciding which woman would be raped on that day.   Our final stop was the long and dark tunnel that ended with an opening that one needed to bend down to get through. The tunnel opened into a small and cramped room that had a second door; the door of no return. It was the door from which the enslaved were to experience a new kind of cruelty, where they were shoved into the belly of slave ships that they would eventually spend months upon, to an unknown destination and future.

The picture above center is of the very narrow door of No Return. I have heard that it was small to ensure that the size of the person fitting through it would be an indicator as to the equivalence to the size of the space provided on the slave ships. 

The pictures below are of the Ancestral River and the place where the enslaved took their last baths prior to sale or a slave ship. 

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