Open Air Markets

The open air markets of Ghana that I have ventured to thus far into my travels are mainly located in Accra and Kumasi. The markets are Circle, Makola, Madina, Kanesi, and Central Market. Each of the markets are similar but still different in many interesting ways. My time in each of the markets has been an experience unlike any that I have had prior to coming to Ghana.

Circle is actually the Kwame Nkruma Circle, however when catching a tro-tro you simply look for a mate making a circle motion with his hand and saying “circ, circ, circle”. Once dropped off in circle it is important to keep your belongings close to you. Though this market is less known for pick-pockets than other markets in Accra it is the busiest market due to its size. Within circle you can literally find anything you want. If it cannot be found in circle then it probably does not exist in all of Ghana. Some of the items for sale are not necessarily acquired in the most legal fashion but that is how things go when there are so many people trying to sell what they need for money. The sellers in circle are willing to bargain and will settle for a fair price when an above average bargainer pushes them to the price.

Makola is a very interesting market in the fact that it has many different sights and smells not found in the other markets. This market is good to find foods that would not normally be thought of as market food. This would include live snails that are about a foot long, and live crabs. This market also has chickens and fish ready to be sold to anyone that wants them. Makola is also a good place to get traditional African fabric. There are many sellers that have very different fabrics of great quality. Fabric of the quality found in Makola is very good for making shirts, dresses, or anything else one could think of making. The prices are normally set on all fabric since there is an initial set cost that the seller has to pay to get the fabric from the manufacturer. Therefore, about 20-30 cedi for six yards is a good price. Some sellers will only sell in quantities of six yards because that is how much it takes to make a dress. Although you can find sellers that will sell by the yard for about 5 cedi.

Madina is located outside of Accra. In order to get to Madina you would take a tro-tro the opposite direction of Accra from the University of Ghana. This market is smaller than Circle, Makola, and Kanesi. Some students enjoy going here because it is a quiet place to do some grocery shopping and due to the smaller number of sellers one can build relationships with the people from whom they buy. On a side note building relationships with the women of the markets are very beneficial because, not only can you learn many new things about the culture and society of Ghana but you can also be “dashed” more items. Dashing is when a seller will give you more than the usual price while still only charging you the regular price. An example of this is if you ask to have 2 cedi worth of eggs and the seller gives you 3 cedi while only charging you 2 cedi. Normally, dashes only happen between sellers and buyers who know each other.

Kanesi is located passed Circle and is another large market. This market is unfortunately known for its pick-pockets. Therefore, when traveling to this market you should always keep your bags in front of you and your money close. Sellers will look out for you so in the event that you notice someone trying to rob you, make as much noise as you can and yell “thief”. Vigilante justice is found within the markets when dealing with thievery. A moral code of no stealing is almost universally held to within Ghana; therefore, when thievery does happen the women of the markets have been known to beat the perpetrator to death. While there are safety concerns while in Kanesi many Ghanains will help you if you find yourself in trouble.

The markets of Accra and Kumasi are very different but hold many important qualities that will help you understand the culture and society of Ghana. Thus, any individual who travels to Ghana and is looking to understand an integral part of the society should traverse the markets.

The Trip to Kumasi

This past weekend I took a trip to the second largest city in Ghana, Kumasi. Kumasi is located north of the University of Ghana in the Ashanti region. The trip took about six hours through beautiful mountain terrain. The only downside to the bus trip through the mountains is that instead of a regulated speed limit the government of Ghana has decided to regulate the speed of automobiles by laying a gratuitous amount of speed bumps ranging in size from a simple rumble strip all the way to a small hill that requires drivers to come to a complete stop. There was a silver lining about the speed bumps though because it gave many opportunities to capture the beautiful scenery through the Eastern region.

Once in Kumasi we visited the Asantehene Palace and museum. The Asantehene Palace belongs to the king of the Ashanti people. The Ashanti people are a sect of the Akan ethnic group which makes up many of the people in southern Ghana and is about 40 percent of the population. The Ashanti still have a thriving culture that is exemplified in the palace, festivals, and their monarchical structure within Ghana. The Ashanti are very proud of their heritage especially the golden stool. The Golden Stool is the most important part of the Ashanti because it was made using gold, the fingernails, and hair of all the chiefs within the Ashanti people. The making of the Gold Stool represented the unification of all Ashanti people. As long as the stool remained with the Ashanti they were all united. The British did try to take the stool from the Ashanti during the British colonial period; however the Ashanti gave the British a replica of the Golden Stool and kept the real stool until after the war between the Ashanti and British was over. The rituals done over 400 years ago are still performed today by the Ashanti people and they truly are a thriving culture within Ghana.

The next day my group traveled to three craft villages to learn about the art done in the Ashanti region; the villages were the Bonwire, Ntonso, and Ahwiaa. The Bonwire village was known for making Kente cloth, which is only found in the Ashanti region. These weavers would weave all day on large wooden looms. The looms were manually operated and took quite a bit of practice to weave at even a slow rate. I was able to weave part of a single-weave cloth and found out that it takes a great amount of coordination between your hands and feet.

The next village we traveled to was the Ntonso village which is where Ashanti symbols are pressed onto fabric. Within this village we learned how the ink was made from trees imported from the north and then boiled down until only a thick black ink remained. The symbols had many meanings and were very interesting. Symbols representing “accept God”, unity, and strength were prevalent on the fabrics that were being sold in the village.

The final place we stopped was the Ahwiaa village which is better known as the wood-carving village. This village had more shops filled with beautiful African wood-carvings than I had ever seen before. Every shop had its own special wood carving style in their pieces. The owners of the shops were the actual carvers and were very happy to give a fair price for their work. The masks and figurines were fantastic and I was able to get quite a few for fewer than 60 cedi. If there is one place that I would like to go back to for shopping it would be the Ahwiaa village.

Throughout the entire trip to Kumasi I was very happy to be seeing how beautiful the country is because being in the urban environment of it becomes hard to remember that there are many picturesque areas in Ghana. Kumasi is a very unique area that while being an urban area is very different from the Greater Accra area.

Getting Around in Accra

I have been in Ghana about a month at this point and I have taken all forms of transportation that are available within Accra. Therefore I see this as the perfect time to talk about the interesting ways to travel in Ghana. Based on the order of price taxis come first. While taxis allow for less walking from junction to actual destination they come at a steep price. Taxis can range from 4 cedi to over 20 depending on where you want to go and how well you can bargain. Therefore, in order to get a good deal on a cab you have to be willing to play the game. For example a cab going from Osu, an area in Accra, to the University of Ghana, in Legon, "should" cost about 5 cedi. However, cab drivers may start the price at 12 cedi. To be clear THIS IS NOT A GOOD PRICE. The best way to handle this is to say "dabi tisso tisso", which is Twi for "no lower lower". By speaking Twi it shows that you are not a tourist that will pay anything. The cab driver will most likely come up with an excuse about why he wants to charge more but if you are able to stand to the price you know to be correct you will be able to get close if not exact to the price you want. A second thing to remember is to never be afraid to walk away. This means you can physically walk away, which will normally bring down the price as well. The third way to handle taxi drivers is when you are in a group you can laugh at the price when they suggest an absurdly high price. This option should only be used if the price is absurdly high because you do not want to offend the driver. Once a cab has been gotten you should not expect to get to your destination without getting lost a little bit first. However eventually you will get to your destination.

Tro-tros are the second most expensive; however, tro-tros around Accra are around 70 peswaas which equates to about 30 cents. The experience of getting in a tro-tro is something unlike anything in America. Tro-tros are fifteen passanger vans that can be anywhere from fine running condition to almost condemn-able. Most tro-tros only stop at designated junctions or stops, somewhat like a metro bus. The "mate" in the tro-tro will use certain hand signals and call out where the tro-tro is headed when it comes up to the junction. Therefore, it is necessary to know which signs signal which places. The reason it is so necessary is because many people will be vying for the same spots on the tro-tro and there are no lines or order to keep your spot. Thus you will have to push your way in and be aggressive in order to get the tro-tro you want, otherwise you will be waiting a very long time. Once on the tro-tro you will pay the mate and sit in very close quarters with all who are on the tro-tro. For people over 5'7" this will be a rather uncomfortable ride but you will get used to it. The tro-tro is the easiest transportation for the best price.

Lastly, are the buses. They are not much different from metro buses in America so if you have ridden on Detroit's People Mover before then you should be fine with the buses in Accra. The only issue with the buses is that they do not run on any particular schedule so actually getting them is more difficult than a tro-tro. These are the three ways to travel in Accra; all are fun and interesting in their own respects and with practice you can make the most of all your travels before you even get to your destination.

The Fantastic Trip to Cape Coast: Part 2

After going to the slave castle the group went to a "botel" this was quite an experience as well. The accommodations were located on top of a waterway where crocodiles frequented. That night the group of ISEP students, including myself, were treated to a fantastic meal. I had three lobsters, a large side dish of joloff, and three spring rolls for only 19 cedi. The meal and the company was great and we had fun watching the Ghanian soccer team win its Cup of Africa match. The hospitality at the botel was very enjoyable, we were even asked to play the instruments that had been set up on stage so we could have more fun. In the morning we had breakfast and got to see some of the crocodiles that were around the botel.

The next day we traveled to Kakum National Park to walk in the rainforest. This was another fantastic experience. I was able to walk across seven small, but stable rope bridges to look at the canopy of the rain forest. The distance from the ground when on the bridges measured from 7 to 40 meters. This was another experience that was very unique and necessary to any individual traveling to Ghana. Overall, my trip to Cape Coast was unforgettable. I look forward to where I will travel next in Ghana.

The Fantastic Trip to Cape Coast: Part 1

This past weekend the ISEP group went to Cape Coast which is a smaller town a few hours outside of Accra. I say a few hours because depending on traffic it can take from 4-6 hours. The bus ride was nice through, it was very interesting passing the many fruit stands and different scenery that cannot be seen in Accra. When we finally reached Cape Coast we went to the Cape Coast Slave Castle. This had been a castle where many slaves were held before being sold and taken through the middle passage. The amount of history in this place was awe inspiring. Never before had I seen the environment that slaves of the 17th and 18th centuries had to endure. The cells where the slaves were held cannot be properly shown in books or movies. The deplorable conditions that were forced upon the slaves that were once housed in the very spot where we stood was astonishing. The view from the castle was truly beautiful with the waves from the Atlantic crashing against the dark mahogany colored rocks. This was made all the more conflicting because of the atrocities that had been told of during the tour. Overall, the Cape Coast Slave Castle has done a fantastic job preserving the very old structure. The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and was ready to answer any of our questions. This is a place that any individual traveling to Ghana must go. Even for individuals who are not interested in history, it still creates an atmosphere of desire to know what occurred on the grounds only a few centuries ago.

International Travel and Arriving in Ghana

My travels started at the Detroit-Metro Airport. For anyone who has never traveled internationally it can be quite an experience. The reason I know this is because I am one of those people. The first flight I took was from Detroit to Amsterdam. The flight was very long but I really enjoyed the food. Though I did not sleep much I was not very tired by the time that I reached Amsterdam; instead I was very excited. The layover in Amsterdam was about three hours but half of the time was spent boarding the airplane. The lines were not bad and security was easy. The only issue I came across was that I could not use a pay phone to call home, but in the end it turned out to be fine.

The flight from Amsterdam to Accra was about half full so it was very comfortable. The Airplane company equipped all of their seats with television so the passengers could pass the flight by watching some shows, movies, or listening to music. I did all three and it was very helpful in quelling any nerves that I had during the flight.

Upon landing in Accra we boarded a bus on the tarmac which took us to the actual airport. Going through customs was not difficult for me, I simply showed the lady my passport and she sent me on my way. Though I made it through without any problems it is wise to note that some problems do occur but usually if you are attentive you can get through without any trouble. I walked down a long ramp and found that my student guide Awushi was there to greet me. We took a ten minute van ride with Mr. Thomas, our driver, to Legon which is just north of the city of Accra. The van ride was nice and we made it to the International Student Hostel (ISH) without any problems. The fact that I was really in Ghana finally occurred to me after I signed in to the hostel and put my things in my room. Though I missed home I was ready for the experiences Ghana had to offer.

Getting Ready for My Travels to Ghana

My name is Ian Moloney and I am a senior at Central Michigan University. I am majoring in History, Philosophy, and Political Science with a minor in Ethics. I have always wanted to travel outside of the United States to see what life is like in a different part of the globe. Through my studies I have learned many things about other areas; however, it always felt like I needed some firsthand experience. This disposition put me into contact with the Study Abroad office where I learned about the many opportunities offered. The opportunities ranged from studying art in Italy to an internship in Bolivia. All of the options sounded fantastic; however, there were three criteria that I had already set up to find my perfect destination. The first was that I needed to go to a place where I could maintain my usual 15 credit hour workload. Secondly, I found a great joy in helping others; therefore, I needed to find a place where I could truly be of service to other individuals. Thirdly, I needed to find an area that did not cost much more than my usual CMU tuition. With these three factors in mind I found my study abroad location, the University of Ghana.

Ghana is a former French colony with its capital of Accra on the coast it seems like a very beautiful place to call home for the next semester. I am very excited for this trip and I look forward to the new experiences that will be waiting for me the moment I leave the airplane. I have been told to not have any expectations about my time except that I will have a great time. Also, I am reminded that Ghana is much different than America; therefore, I need to “roll with the punches.” Neither of these sentiments should pose a problem because I am only expecting to have an experience that I could not receive in Mount Pleasant. Also, I am fully willing to allow the culture of Ghana to envelop me because I chose this place for a reason, and that reason is to become a part of Ghana. Overall, I am unsure of what exactly to expect, the only thing that I do anticipate is that I am going to have an amazing time abroad.