Thursday, May 29, 2008
A special day at Challu
28th May was a special day and another example of the wonderful experiences we’ve had during our time in Ghana. Following our efforts back in March with a Primary 5 class, were they replied to letters received from the children of St. Elizabeth’s School, in Litherland, we were invited back to Challu School by the Head Teacher Mohammed, to be given a ‘cultural experience’ as way of a thank you.
We made the 30km moto journey on Wednesday morning, arriving in true Ghanaian style – around 30 minutes late! We arrived to find the whole school was in position to greet us and watch us watching the events that were to follow, and also to enjoy the events themselves. After a quick change into our Ghanaian clothes, we greeted members of the PTA and different teachers, were given a bottle of coke (warm of course as there is no electricity in Challu, and so no fridges), then shown to our seats at the head (only) table sited in the natural arena formed by the shade provided by the many Nim trees.
Once seated, the show began. We were treated to drumming, dancing, drama, and more drumming and dancing, all performed by the pupils of Challu accompanied by ladies and gentlemen of the community, who had not gone to their farms for the day as it was a special celebration. We’ve seen dances on many occasions, but we never cease to tire of, or be amazed by, the energy, commitment and enthusiasm shown by the participants. What’s more the dancers and all the people watching absolutely love it. The dance only finishes when everyone is exhausted, which can be as long as 20 – 30 minutes. We’re still looking for someone who can explain the significance of the dances, that’s something that even appears to have escaped the elders. When we discretely enquired of the elders through Mohammed as to the origin of the first dance, he informed us that the elders must consult each other on that one. After around five minutes they concluded that there was no conclusion! Needless to say we didn’t enquire about subsequent dances. All the dances performed do have steps and body movements that need to be followed by all those taking part. One of the very old elders made sure that all the pupils were doing it right, by joining in for most of the dancers. He must have been 80 if he was a day, with a lovely smile, a single large brown tooth in his head, a small white goatee beard, very raggedy cream coloured trousers, well when first made they would have been that colour, with two enormous holes in the posterior!!! Di’s insistent that he did have a pair of brown undies on, but I’m not so sure his modesty was covered. However he certainly did keep the dancers in check and played a small whistle for them to keep time to when he wasn’t dancing himself.
Slotted in between the drumming and dancing was a drama. We had also witnessed similar dramas at events like Independence Day, when everyone laughs heartily at the actions, and we hadn’t got a clue what was going on. Not so this time we followed every action The underlying message to the drama was that it pays to persevere with education (although Mohammed announced to the students that the moral was that they should always obey and respect their elders! I don’t think Chinese propaganda could be that subtle). The actors were stars. Di and I talked about the fact that there is a massive bank of untapped talent in villages all over Ghana, and but sadly most of these children will never move far from their village in their lifetime.
When eventually all the drumming, dancing and acting came to an end, Mohammed addressed the gathering and talked of our friendship and bond with the school. He then, on behalf of the school and the community, presented us with gifts. We both received smocks, Diane’s accompanied with a pair of knickerbockers (I think they used to be called passion killers) and mine with a hat (that resembles something out of Thunderbirds). We duly replaced our existing Ghanaian attire with the new smocks, and the crowd was delighted. Please note, I had to wear my hat but Diane somehow avoided putting her passion killers on!
After Alan ‘Tracey’ responded with a short speech of thanks we were escorted back to Mohammed’s office for some lunch. They did us proud. The table was laid as if it was a romantic dinner for two (plates, mugs, knives, forks and even a bunch of ornamental flowers).Fortunately they quickly provided an extra place for Mohammed and we all enjoyed a plate of pasta with fish stew – somehow they’d ensured Diane had avoided the anticipated and dreaded TZ (commonly referred to by Diane as ‘wallpaper paste’).
We passed the rest of the afternoon sitting under some trees by the teacher’s quarters chatting to Mohammed and his assistant and our friend JJ, whilst some teachers slept and others shelled ground nuts. The set up is actually quite good for the teachers at Challu. They have their own accommodation and therefore some privacy, although they still don’t have running water, toilet facilities or electricity. (Mind you neither does the whole of Challu.)
We were awaiting the finale of our visit – a football match! Our nephew Paul had managed to get a full Liverpool FC strip to pass on to a team over here, so after our last visit to Challu we decided to give it to them. A football match was scheduled so we could see the team perform in the kit! While we were waiting, Mohammed told one of the lads to get the ‘talking drums’ out. Initially we thought that we were going to be entertained again! But talking drums are so called because they talk with them, and the lad used them to tell people in the community to get a move on, the match should have started by now! Incidentally mobile phones don’t work in Challu, so when you’ve got a message that needs passing on… use the drums! Sure enough, people started to arrive and soon we were all on the pitch awaiting the opposition – the community team. Now in a bizarre twist of fate, the community lads turned up in a full AC Milan kit. To briefly explain the significance of this to all non football people, Liverpool has played AC Milan twice in the Champion’s League Final in recent years (winning one and losing one), so here was the opportunity to play out a decider on the lush (bone hard and stony) surface of the Challu pitch. Before it started however, Mohammed made a quick speech in Sissali to explain the significance of the game and then I had the great honour of ‘kicking off’ the game. For the record, to cries of ‘keep your balls on the ground’ from many budding coaches on the touchline, Liverpool huffed and puffed to a 2-1 victory.
The evening was drawing in by the end of the game, so we quickly shook hands with the players and thanked them for their exertions, took a final few snaps of the teachers, and once again thanked Mohammed and everyone who had been involved in putting together the day’s events, before begging permission to leave. We mounted our motos for the ride home arriving back in Tumu shortly after dark, exhausted but buzzing from a magical day.
This is another example of how Ghanaians have truly welcomed us and appreciated all the support we have been able to afford to them, and in no small measure to every one back home. So although Diane and I have made a lot of new life long friends, you too have many friends here in The Upper West Region of Ghana.
28th May was a special day and another example of the wonderful experiences we’ve had during our time in Ghana. Following our efforts back in March with a Primary 5 class, were they replied to letters received from the children of St. Elizabeth’s School, in Litherland, we were invited back to Challu School by the Head Teacher Mohammed, to be given a ‘cultural experience’ as way of a thank you.
We made the 30km moto journey on Wednesday morning, arriving in true Ghanaian style – around 30 minutes late! We arrived to find the whole school was in position to greet us and watch us watching the events that were to follow, and also to enjoy the events themselves. After a quick change into our Ghanaian clothes, we greeted members of the PTA and different teachers, were given a bottle of coke (warm of course as there is no electricity in Challu, and so no fridges), then shown to our seats at the head (only) table sited in the natural arena formed by the shade provided by the many Nim trees.
Once seated, the show began. We were treated to drumming, dancing, drama, and more drumming and dancing, all performed by the pupils of Challu accompanied by ladies and gentlemen of the community, who had not gone to their farms for the day as it was a special celebration. We’ve seen dances on many occasions, but we never cease to tire of, or be amazed by, the energy, commitment and enthusiasm shown by the participants. What’s more the dancers and all the people watching absolutely love it. The dance only finishes when everyone is exhausted, which can be as long as 20 – 30 minutes. We’re still looking for someone who can explain the significance of the dances, that’s something that even appears to have escaped the elders. When we discretely enquired of the elders through Mohammed as to the origin of the first dance, he informed us that the elders must consult each other on that one. After around five minutes they concluded that there was no conclusion! Needless to say we didn’t enquire about subsequent dances. All the dances performed do have steps and body movements that need to be followed by all those taking part. One of the very old elders made sure that all the pupils were doing it right, by joining in for most of the dancers. He must have been 80 if he was a day, with a lovely smile, a single large brown tooth in his head, a small white goatee beard, very raggedy cream coloured trousers, well when first made they would have been that colour, with two enormous holes in the posterior!!! Di’s insistent that he did have a pair of brown undies on, but I’m not so sure his modesty was covered. However he certainly did keep the dancers in check and played a small whistle for them to keep time to when he wasn’t dancing himself.
Slotted in between the drumming and dancing was a drama. We had also witnessed similar dramas at events like Independence Day, when everyone laughs heartily at the actions, and we hadn’t got a clue what was going on. Not so this time we followed every action The underlying message to the drama was that it pays to persevere with education (although Mohammed announced to the students that the moral was that they should always obey and respect their elders! I don’t think Chinese propaganda could be that subtle). The actors were stars. Di and I talked about the fact that there is a massive bank of untapped talent in villages all over Ghana, and but sadly most of these children will never move far from their village in their lifetime.
When eventually all the drumming, dancing and acting came to an end, Mohammed addressed the gathering and talked of our friendship and bond with the school. He then, on behalf of the school and the community, presented us with gifts. We both received smocks, Diane’s accompanied with a pair of knickerbockers (I think they used to be called passion killers) and mine with a hat (that resembles something out of Thunderbirds). We duly replaced our existing Ghanaian attire with the new smocks, and the crowd was delighted. Please note, I had to wear my hat but Diane somehow avoided putting her passion killers on!
After Alan ‘Tracey’ responded with a short speech of thanks we were escorted back to Mohammed’s office for some lunch. They did us proud. The table was laid as if it was a romantic dinner for two (plates, mugs, knives, forks and even a bunch of ornamental flowers).Fortunately they quickly provided an extra place for Mohammed and we all enjoyed a plate of pasta with fish stew – somehow they’d ensured Diane had avoided the anticipated and dreaded TZ (commonly referred to by Diane as ‘wallpaper paste’).
We passed the rest of the afternoon sitting under some trees by the teacher’s quarters chatting to Mohammed and his assistant and our friend JJ, whilst some teachers slept and others shelled ground nuts. The set up is actually quite good for the teachers at Challu. They have their own accommodation and therefore some privacy, although they still don’t have running water, toilet facilities or electricity. (Mind you neither does the whole of Challu.)
We were awaiting the finale of our visit – a football match! Our nephew Paul had managed to get a full Liverpool FC strip to pass on to a team over here, so after our last visit to Challu we decided to give it to them. A football match was scheduled so we could see the team perform in the kit! While we were waiting, Mohammed told one of the lads to get the ‘talking drums’ out. Initially we thought that we were going to be entertained again! But talking drums are so called because they talk with them, and the lad used them to tell people in the community to get a move on, the match should have started by now! Incidentally mobile phones don’t work in Challu, so when you’ve got a message that needs passing on… use the drums! Sure enough, people started to arrive and soon we were all on the pitch awaiting the opposition – the community team. Now in a bizarre twist of fate, the community lads turned up in a full AC Milan kit. To briefly explain the significance of this to all non football people, Liverpool has played AC Milan twice in the Champion’s League Final in recent years (winning one and losing one), so here was the opportunity to play out a decider on the lush (bone hard and stony) surface of the Challu pitch. Before it started however, Mohammed made a quick speech in Sissali to explain the significance of the game and then I had the great honour of ‘kicking off’ the game. For the record, to cries of ‘keep your balls on the ground’ from many budding coaches on the touchline, Liverpool huffed and puffed to a 2-1 victory.
The evening was drawing in by the end of the game, so we quickly shook hands with the players and thanked them for their exertions, took a final few snaps of the teachers, and once again thanked Mohammed and everyone who had been involved in putting together the day’s events, before begging permission to leave. We mounted our motos for the ride home arriving back in Tumu shortly after dark, exhausted but buzzing from a magical day.
This is another example of how Ghanaians have truly welcomed us and appreciated all the support we have been able to afford to them, and in no small measure to every one back home. So although Diane and I have made a lot of new life long friends, you too have many friends here in The Upper West Region of Ghana.
