The Scramble for Ghana: Christmas in the midst of Politicking

Christmas in Ghana came and went. Feliz Navidad seemed to be played in heavy rotation on a lot of radio stations this year and the Accra mall is definitely redefining the Ghanaian Christmas experience with mass consumerism and heavy traffic. On Christmas eve, I arrived at the mall early in the morning to avoid traffic and to do some last-minute shopping. Sadly, half of Accra had the same idea and the traffic was not a pleasant sight! The Harmattan has also arrived adding an eerie, gothic smog to the Accra landscape and covering everything with dust.

My Christmas day was well-spent. I arrived for mass on time at 10am but I soon realised that I had mixed up the time and was *sigh* one hour late. In the end, I had to find a suitable standing spot in the Church car-park along with other late-comers/time mixer-uppers. Christmas lunch with family was deep-fried and delicious. Ice-cream and cupcake rendered me catatonic and I settled into Christmas television only to be hit by the reality that we are indeed reaching the crescendo of the political high season and that the run-off election slated for December 28th is still very much "too close to call".

Source: www.ghanaweb.com
As I attempted to find some merry feel-good Christmas movie on the television, the two political parties in contention for the run-off ran alternating television ads that made my head hurt. At first it was entertaining and interesting to watch but lately political ads have lost their sparkle. Outside, Ice-cream vans in the neighbourhood have been replaced by vehicles patrolling the area playing campaign songs for the two parties.

Suddenly, for some reason, the fact that the race is too close has got me worried. Will the losers accept the results? Will the winners rub it in their opponents face? Will Ghana still remain calm and peaceful? Anticipation has now become nail-biting.

It has meant that for two nights in a row I have been up all night watching news from Al-Jazzera, Deutsche Welle (English), BBC and CNN.
It is amazing how different news source report the same news and how you can critically assess these differences at 3am. I was sad to hear about the passings of Eartha Kitt and Harold Pinter. Ironically, I was just reading about Eartha Kitt still going strong at 81 in the December edition of Ebony magazine. I did not follow much of her musical career but loved her in Boomerang..as Lady Eloise ("Maarrr-cusss!")
Harold Pinter I will never forget for his unforgettable turn as Sir Thomas Bertram in the 1999 version of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park.
Many years ago when I was 10 years old, I borrowed Harold Pinter's play The Caretaker at the Manzini Library in Swaziland . This book was clearly not supposed to be in the children's section and left me a little confused but was enjoyable though.
Anyway, I'm off to pack a light travel bag for our journey into the interior to cast my vote. Unfortunately, all the movies I have watched about Saigon, Phnom Penh, Kigali, Beirut etc. etc. are filling me with apprehension at the moment. I am clinging to the belief that Ghanaians are way too mature for political unrest. Clinging.

Of Nollywood Premieres, Lounges and Chantilly Cream

I had a rare fun-filled weekend. On my previous post I rambled on about the spending time with Southern African Ghanaian (SAG) friends and indeed it came to pass. My friend S. is quite the Nigerian film (i.e. Nollywood) fan and convinced me to go to the much advertised premiere of the film State of the Heart starring the veteran Nollywood actors Richard Mofe-Damijo and Stella Damasus. The premiere was set to start at 7pm on Friday night and S. was worried that we were extremely late when we left my house at 6:40pm. Alas, she had forgotten this premiere was in Ghana and not Switzerland! We got to the National Theatre just after 7pm and were bemused to find a half-empty auditorium and a hollywood (as opposed to Nollywoood) film showing up on the screen. For the next hour and half we were subjected to a violent R-rated film without a single explanation from the event organisers. Eventually, the R-rated film went off and we were treated to Heroes Season 2, episode 1. Were these people for real?
At exactly 8:45pm, a popular radio DJ/ TV host Wolf took the stage. I actually felt really bad for the Wolf-man. The audience were understandably irate and baying for blood so gave him a hard time . He introduced some young hip-life artistes who lip-synched so beautifully to one of their tracks. Suddenly, the crowd erupted with cheers as Richard Mofe-Damijo, Stella Damasus and Segun Arinze made their extremely late grand entrance. Some photo-ops ensued and the angry crowd were at last appeased as we settled into the film. State of the Heart was a tad insipid, a tad predictable but I must say the acting was pretty good . After the film there were more photo-ops and apparently an after-party at Boomerang night-club. S. and I hurried away to look for a relaxing lounge to have a drink. Alas, I had left the directions to Twist at home so we made our way to Monsoon in Osu. The vibe was cool but the music was a little too loud for conversation. After we left Monsoon we contemplated a little dancing at Tantra before admitting the truth: it was 2am and we were darn tired! The next day S. and I met up with N. and her brother Y; my SAG childhood friends from Botswana. I had not seen Y. since 1996 and that was in Cape Town South Africa. We had some drinks at Frankie's Salad Lounge in Osu. This was my first time at "The Lounge" but had read about it from a posting by a fellow Ghana blogger Yngvild. The atmosphere was divinely mellow and we had a refreshingly intellectual conversation. It was probably one of the deepest conversations I have had in months! Fresh perspectives always make you realise how much you have become absorbed into any system.
Alas* S. departed for the US on Sunday morning leaving me a little sad. A pick-me-up came by the evening time which was well-spent knocking back glasses of wine with the big sis, big bruv, the sis-in-law and the newbie nephew Junior. Well, Junior abstained from the wine-drinking. The venue was the African Regent hotel with its "afropolitan" appeal and great atmosphere. Their apple pie and chantilly cream (fancy way of saying apple pie and vanilla ice-cream) is sinfully delicious.

In the end I did not see the cool "cousins". Apparently they found themselves at Rhapsody's on Friday night. Hopefully they dodged the cover! Alas, all good things must come to an end as family and friends leave the fair shores of Ghana until the next holiday season...*sigh* Happy Holidays everyone!

Invasion of the Cross-Cultural Ghanaians

Christmas is always a fascinating time of the year in Ghana. Mainly because a lot of the Ghanaian people resident outside of our fair nation tend to come down to spend time with friends and family.
There are the Londoners, New Yorkers, Canadians all of whom are Ghanaian. Occassionally there are the German burghers, Italian burghers, Amsterdam burghers...all illustrious countrymen and women living in that fabled place called "abroad". You can always tell the Ghanaians coming in from "abroad" at this time of the year. As the plane touches down at Kotoka International Airport, they emerge usually clad in a winter jacket and can be often heard lamenting about the shocking levels of heat being emitted by the Ghanaian motherland.
However, there is a small but undocumented breed of Ghanaians who are often overlooked; they are the Southern African Ghanaians (SAGs). SAGs are individuals who have spent most of their lives outside of Ghana living specifically in various countries in Southern Africa. You would be surprised at how many SAGs there are out there. Some grew up in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, some in Namibia, others were born in Lesotho or even Swaziland. This group remains widely unknown in Ghana because they tend to either live in Southern African or migrate to the US or Europe completely bypassing Ghana! These are my peoples! Well, this particular end of the year I'm excited because suddenly, it seems we' re invading Ghana en masse.

It all started with my big sis. announcing last week that she would be coming into Accra from South Africa for some high-brow work meetings. On her flight, she found she was travelling with Uncle B and two of his sons. Uncle B. was my late Dad's really good friend from the days when bell-bottoms and platform shoes were a la mode. My big sis, big bruv and I all grew up together in Southern Africa with Uncle B's kids who we dubbed "our cousins in Lesotho". Unfortunately, I had not seen them since afros were still in fashion back in 1988. Although Uncle B.'s sons are well into their 30s, this was actually their first visit to Ghana! So last night was the surreal reunion. Uncle B. and my mum shared embarrassing childhood tales about who used to cry the most. In the meantime, I admired my cousins' heavily tattooed bodies and their fascinating "Suuth Eferican" accents. One of the cousins had some Adinkra symbols (similar to the picture above) tattooed into his forearm. At some point the big sis declared that there was not much to do in the fair city of Accra. Of course, at that point I slipped into defender of my city mode and alas, the dreadful onus is now on me to prove just how hip Accra is....*Yikes*

I'm currently racking my brain and compiling a list of cool places to hang out at that may impress these Johannesburg-esque hip types...*Alas* the list is looking pretty sparse: Honeysuckle, Monsoon, Aphrodisiac, Bywells, Tribes, Rhapsody's, ...oh dear I could not possibly take'em to Accra Mall could I?!

The SAG invasion continues; my buddy S. is also in town from the US. She is Ghanaian but grew up in Sierra Leone and we lived very close to each other in Swaziland for some years. We often lament that our Southern African language skills should really not be this appalling..How come my big sis could win any argument in Zulu or Setswana when I can barely remember how to say hello....*sigh*. S. has the most Ghanaian credibility. After all, she went to school and university here.

Just when I was realising that we could really start a small army of SAG invaders. My friend N. calls to say she is in town! She grew up in the US and Botswana and we both went to college very close to each other in Western Massachusetts. Her big brother Y. is another Christmas returnee based in South Africa. So forget Christmas Election blues, my peoples are here! Now, back to entertainment ideas....anyone got any? Even one? Half an idea would do!

Survivor Gabon: Culinary Delights Part 2

What a crazy past couple of weeks it has been. Between the Ghana elections, post-election excitement and work, blogging has been on the back-burner. Anyway, I saw on google news yesterday that the American Television show Survivor Gabon had come to a close. I must admit that I'm quite the reality TV freak and love the whole Survivor concept. They basically stick a bunch of strangers into some remote area somewhere without basic essentials and to 'survive' they have to do various feats, form alliances, back-stab while living off wild animals and berries. Alas, there can only be 1 "survivor" and this year it was a 57 year old physics teacher. Each Survivor season starts off with contestants looking pretty good but by the end they have been transformed into hungry cave-people...it is all quite Lord of Flies' esque.

Anyway, I had the surreal experience of being in Gabon from June to August this year while they were filming Survivor in some remote part of the country. Gabon is indeed a beautiful and fascinating place. Unspoiled beaches, thick lush equatorial forest and an *interesting* approach to hospitality. I spent most of the time at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in the small town of Lambarene.The most interesting part of the Gabonese adventure was the delicious cuisine. I learnt very quickly that one had to be a "surivivor" to navigate through the dining out experience. For one of our fancy official dinners we had lovely aromatic meal available. I asked what it was and was told it was "crocodile". *Yummy* ...alas, I politely declined. Some weeks later, after a hard day of work, we headed to a quaint restaurant on the banks of the Ogoue river. The menu was narrated by a waitress but luckily, we went with someone who spoke better French than the rest of us!

MENU

• Carpe: Bony fresh water fish similar to tilapia
• Antilope: Antelope but unfortunately I stopped eating meat in Dec '03 so that would have had to be a pass
  
• Crocodile: Croc again?
  
• Singe: Monkey...Say whaa????? A primate? I don't think so!
  
• Python: #$#%#$ For a moment I thought you said "snake"....oh... you did! Oops... @#$@#
  

I had my own rule of thumb for dining out in semi-rural Gabon; when in doubt, stick with carpe. In fact, I think I ate so much carpe that I could have sworn I was starting to sprout fins!







*Alas* in the end, I was not the sole survivor in the bushmeat avoidance club; I gave into the python and I must say it was really delicious.

African Python + My Dish of Cooked Python, rice and fried Cassava

“On the way coming” and other perplexing phrases from The Ginglish (Ghanaian-English) Dictionary

For the freshly arrived returnee, never-lived-in-Ghana Ghanaian or foreigner, communicating in Ghanaian English (Ginglish) can be quite challenging. One is suddenly confronted by a plethora of words, expressions and phrases understood only by Ghanaians. Some of these can leave you perplexed, worried and completely befuddled since the meanings are not always implicit. In her newspaper column and book The Imported Ghanaian , Alba Sumprim explored Ghanaisms with humour and cleared the fog for many of us. Anyway, here are a few Ginglish expressions I encounter on a daily basis:

• “On the way coming” [meaning]: I am as far away from where you are as humanely possible but will lie and say I have already set off to meet you. So let's say you have to meet Jack at the Accra Mall at 8am on a Saturday morning. When you call his mobile at 8:15am, He could tell you he is “on the way coming” which in reality means Jack is lying comfortably in bed at home with 1 hour to leave and a 2 hour ride in heavy traffic up ahead. Jack will show up at 11:15am and blame it all on the traffic.
  

• “Filla” [meaning]: gossip, news, rumour
  

• “Chop” [meaning]: To eat, enjoy, have. One can chop food or even money.
  

• “Chale”/”Charlie”: probably the most common hip Ghanaian expression but which does not really have any meaning….it is like adding “Dude.” To the start of your expressions.

• You are invited” [meaning]: I’m pretending to be courteous by extending an invitation for you to join me as I eat my food but if you come anywhere near me and food, I will skin you alive.

• “You, if anything, I’ll call” [meaning]: Stop harassing me with your calls! You are about to make me avoid you like the plague. Watch me never call you again.
  

• “You go come” [meaning]: I’m about to give you the biggest run-around of your life. Call me tomorrow and I will tell you to call me the next day. Call me the next day and I will tell you to call the next (next) day. This will go on and on and on until you get tired.

• “How far?” [meaning]: How much progress has been made on that thing I keep incessantly pestering you about?
  

• “Don’t bring yourself” [meaning]: Mind your own business

• “Don’t mind him/her [meaning]: Whatever him/her says ignore it
  

• “Try for me” [meaning]:I want you to do the impossible ….for me. Move mountains, turn water into wine and bend over backwards….just for me.
  

• “Consider me” [meaning]: similar to try for me. I want you to do the impossible ….for me. Move mountains, turn water into wine and bend over backwards….just for me.

• “That Abena she is another!”: this is one phrase that leaves me begging for more…Another what?! All I have been able to establish is that it is not meant in a positive light

• “She/he is someway” : Just like being another, this phrase leaves you on cliff-hanger…which way? It basically means I don’t understand She/he's behavior!
  

• “Vocabs” [meaning]: The English language repertoire that an individual has. Or can also mean ability to speak English.

• “Slang”: Don’t be fooled, this word is not referring to local jargons, patois, pidgin or creole, [meaning] To speak with some sort of a foreign accent which could be a locally acquired or a genuine foreign accent. Yes, when I first made my Ghana debut all those years ago, I was told incessantly that I had “slangs”.
  

Chale, I gradually got used to Ginglish and once everyone could understand my slangs I started chopping Ghana life and enjoying all the filla. Anyway fair readers, if you have other Ginglish expressions, Ghanaisms or feel my definitions are some way, please feel free to comment!

Ghana Election 2008: 10 days and counting

Election time is here again in Ghana! The importance of this election simply cannot be ignored. Politics is one thing that generates heated discussions in the fair republic of Ghana and I had written a very opininated blog posting about my take on election 2008. It was basically a lexicon of colourful characters and buzz-words associated with this election and politics in Ghana for the un-initiated.. *Alas* I have decided against the original posting since it was overtly political and likely to malign. So anyway, here are just a few buzz-words associated with Ghana election 2008....post editing:

• Ghana [definition] : A small Republic in West Africa that heralds itself as being the first black African country to be independent and thus its citizenry believe that they invented African politics. This country is made up of 20 million political commentators who sometimes double as 20 million football coaches. If you don't believe our coaching skills, ask the former Ghana national football coach of yore Ratomir Dujković. Heated political discussions can take place anywhere, in buses, bank queues, hair salons or even in public toilets. I heard on the Beeb that political discussions have been banned on Ghanaian buses because they distract drivers...mmm..
  
  

• Too close to call [definition] : how the BBC and every political pundit on this planet is describing the 2008 Ghanaian election. The real race for the 50% + 1 electoral votes is between the two front-running parties the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP). The real question this time around is how much damage a 3rd party force the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) will do to these two leading parties.

• Floating voter [definition]: people who apparently have not decided who to vote for (say whaa????). These individuals may swing election 2008 and so are being hotly pursued by all parties.
  
  

• Run-off [definition]: If no party is able to secure 50% + 1 votes, than the elections will have to be re-run at the end of December with the 2 leading parties from the first round. Such was the case in Election 2000. Some parties are dreading this while others are depending on it. One man's meat....

• Campaign T-Shirt [definition]: superior cotton t-shirt handed out to the masses at rallies solely during election time. NOTE: the number of t-shirts you see do not always reflect support for a particular party; it is all about the afore-mentionned SUPERIOR cotton!
  
  

• Ghanaian Radio [definition]: a plethora of stations where there is more talking than music. Some radio DJs/hosts let invited guests and callers spew half-truths, make allegations without proof and basically lie on air. *Alas* Ghanaian radio stations have mass appeal and can be heard in mini-bus taxis, offices, shops etc. The best action is usually between opposition gurus in one corner pitted against incumbent dons. This morning I heard wild wrangling on one station all about the price of public toilets in 2008 compared to 2000. If by any chance you are not interested in Ghanaian political discussions between 6am and 10am than I recommend you either leave the country or tune into the BBC, VOA or 4 or so other stations committed to music. If you are interested in political banter and bickering, there is an array of 20 other spicy stations to choose from.

• Ghana Television [definition]: Best political entertainment available.Lately, television has been the medium of choice for amusing mud-slinging between the two front-running parties. In the year 2000, I was struck by the glossy ads on TV launched by the then-opposition NPP depicting the plight of the common man on the street suffering under the evil NDC regime. 8 years down the line, I am struck by the glossy TV ads launched by the now-in-opposition NDC depicting the plight of the common man on the street suffering under the evil NPP regime. The more things change, the more things remain the same. I'm also told that the most entertaining TV to tune into is breakfast television. Two weeks ago, a member of the opposition had an on-screen show-down with a former member of the same party who is now a member of incumbent party. These two individuals traded saucy insults that would have made Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross blush. I would have skipped work, sat down with some popcorn and enjoyed the show!
  
  

• Ghanaian Newspapers [definition]: A collection of publications for daily reading that are not always fit for public consumption. When I first moved to Ghana, I used to buy about 6 different newspapers daily to get a wide range of views covering the vast political landscape. After a while this became a 'costive' [this word is actually IN USE in Ghana] and completely futile endeavour. I soon realised that many newspapers do not always take a factual approach to that thing called news and were basically a reflection of the political views of editors/owners. Some amusing cartoons in some though.
  
  

Election Billboards ...unlike MTN, these are everywhere you go



Wishing all Ghanaians a peaceful election. Be sure to use your voting power and use it wisely. Remember that it takes 50% + 1 vote. That 1 vote could be yours.



One of my favorite songs. The Rocky Dawuni classic from 1998 "In Ghana".

Bonding with James in Accra

This weekend, the widely anticipated 'Haitian Sensation' concert in Accra passed me by but I did take the opportunity to check out the new Silverbird Cinema at the Accra Mall. I was excited by the prospect of having the whole wide screen cinema experience complete with digital surround sound right here in Ghana. The last time I went to the cinema in Accra was during a family vacation back in '94 or '95. The mum, the big bruv and I went to see a B-movie out of Hollywood (or someone's basement) with some unknown D-list actors at the Rex or Roxy Cinema. Sadly, with the rise of the home box office
entertainment industry, all these cinemas died an unnatural death and were converted into churches. So the chance to see a new Hollywood blockbuster release that was not bootleg, was thrilling. So Quantum of Solace it was. My family has had a long-standing relationship with Mr. Bond. My dad was a major Bond fan-atic and apparently the big bruv cried the whole family out a movie theatre before I was born. They had gone to see Live and Let Die or the Man with the Golden Gun. I grew up in love with 007 (especially Sean Connery) and loved Roger Moore's humor-filled take on Mr. Bond. So on Sunday afternoon I made my way to the Accra Mall opting for the low-traffic 4:15pm show. Low traffic it certainly was...I coughed up the GHC 10.00 ($8.50)...*yikes* and a bag of popcorn.
The lobby was like any Odeon, AMC, Loews in the Northern hemisphere...complete with the concession stand. There were several other rooms showing other movies but our theater was impressive. Wide screen, lovely surround sound and fabulous seats. The movie started and we were transported with Bond on his adventure.
The drawbacks of the cinematic experience were the things going on in the room. There was a kid who decided to run up and down the stairs towards the end of the movie out of boredom and
the ushers were getting rather chatty just outside.
I also wished they had shown that "please-turn-off-your-mobile phone-and-stop-talking" advert before the movie since cell phone ringing was a popular distraction along with incessant chatter. A man in the row behind me let his phone ring and let us all hear his 2 minute conversation. Clearly brotherman had never heard of movie etiquette.
Ah yes, what about Quantum of Solace itself, I have come round to appreciate Daniel Craig as James Bond but this film was a little thin on the ground when it came to the plot...too many untied loose ends and more questions than answers. This Bond seems more brute than suave and the baddies were not like they used to make 'em.
The overall verdict: Okay Movie, great wide screen and digital surround sound , over-priced tickets and a serious need for clientele movie etiquette education.

To Wyclef or not to Wyclef: the 026 Zain Experience right here in Accra

It is offical: Wyclef Jean is performing in Accra courtesy of Zain; a new mobile phone company in Ghana clearly trying to make a grand entrance. At first I was a skeptic and a firm believer that this concert was not going to take place. After all, wasn't Michael Jackson set to perform a few years back? 'Ol Michael was a no-show but I hear he was beamed by satellite link right into the Accra Internationl Conference Centre...hence the skepticism.
Don't get me wrong. We do get big names down here in GH...After all Fat Joe and Sean Kingston performed earlier this year. Whoa! Sean Kingston, (I almost forgot) was another no-show. Apparently his mummy said he should not take yellow fever shots. I read somewhere that Master Kingston is being sued in a New York court by the concert organizers...is that true? I know Fat Joe was definately around since my boss boss sat near him on Delta Airlines back to the US or told us "Big Joe" was with him on the flight.
Ah yes, I do recall the big bruv quite enjoyed the Wayne Wonder + Kevin Lyttle concert some years back. Although he did admit that once Mr. Wonder started on a Forever Young cover, it was time to head for the door....A clear case of 2 hits between 2 artistes.
Anyway, I digress back to Wyclef.....I have been a fan of Wyclef, Lauryn Hill, Pras, the Fugees, Refugee Allstars etc. since The Score. It was actually in the first line-up of CDs I orderd in that too-good-to-be true Columbia house deal that many US college students fall prey to..."Buy 12 CDs for $0.99" I spent my entire time in college paying off the 12 CDs which ended up costing anything but $0.99!

Aside from the music, Wyclef is an icon in other ways. Right from the beginning, he has been a mouthpiece for the long-suffering Haitian immigrant in the US. Being Haitian was not always popular. When I was in college, one of my good friends who was Jamaican described her shock and horror when a Haitian woman asked her innocently if she was Haitian. "H--e---ll no!!!!" was her curt response. Wyclef and the 'Fugees made being Haitian cool. I remember seeing a news item on tv about Haitian-Americans kids in Boston who felt proud of their heritage for the very first time in their lives all because of the Fugees. My man Wyclef is also very active in humanitarian efforts in Haiti.

His first solo album the The Carnival is still a favorite in my collection. It was also obtained through the afore-mentionned longstanding bittersweet relationship with Columbia House. I still remain convinced
that everything Wyclef touches turns to gold. He has an uncanny ability to collaborate with the most unlikely people to produce masterpieces. He remastering Guantanamera with the late Cuban great Celia Cruz and that was a hit.
Or how about producing Carlos Santana and the Product G&B on Maria, Maria and then there is the unforgettable Hips Don't Lie with Shakira. I almost forgot the socially conscious Diallo with Youssou N'Dour. His latest album shows he is still has that popular appeal.
See how I can ramble and praise sing all about Wyclef...
Anyway, back to him and the 026 experience. Even though Wyclef has been my idol for a while....*alas* I'm having doubts about whether I should attend the concert because:

• Hustling with the whole Accra in an open air stadium in a mosquito-endemic country just does not seem too appealing
  
• Staying up beyond 3am is a struggle coz you know that Wyclef will only grace the stage after hours and hours of local artistes...
  
• Overtly corporate sponsored events just do not sit well with me...does this mean I have to have to have to get a 026 mobile line?
  

Apparently, it is not only Wyclef who is coming; there is Eve and Mario. Now, the only think I really know about Eve is that 'okay' TV series and it is not like she is coming for the acting. Mario?? Is that like Mario Winans who sang that song I Don't Wanna Know? That song that someone I REALLY would like to forget used to play in his car? Well, as I contemplate to go or not to go, I really would like to see evidence that Wyclef is in Ghana which may help me along with my decision. You never know, The 026 experience may mean beaming him out via satellite....did someone say Michael? Mmm...

What Black Men Think

I heard about this fascinating documentary What Black Men Think on the Voice of America randomly this past weekend. It basically tackles myths and stereotypes that revolve around the "Black Man" in America. The discussion of the documentary started with a startling statistic; 69% of African-American children born today are born out of wedlock. The man behind the documentary Janks Morton believes that the mis-representations of black men have left them marginalized which in turn has wreaked havoc on black relationships. The strain on black relationships has supposedly led to the fragmentation of "the black family" and community as a whole. I have not had a chance to watch the documentary but I find it thought-provoking. I wonder if it explores how Black men perpetuate the negative stereotypes in the media especially through gangster rap. I would also be eager to see if it looks at the role of the crack cocaine epidemic on the fragmentation of black communities which is examined in Crack in America and of course also in my fave The Wire. Why would I be so interested in this documentary? Aside from the fact that recently I have realised I have no clue what black men think..but that is another topic for another posting! The documentary reminds me of one of my favorite books White on Black: Images of Africa and Blacks in Western Popular Culture by a Dutch author Jan Pieterse. This book tackles visual representations of black people through the ages in western pop culture. So you have harmless blacks from the middle ages being servants to Saint Nicholas through to colonial images of savage Ashanti warriors leaving fair maidens (with strangely western features) tied to trees on the coast as human sacrifices. What?! Someone needed to tell these people that the Asantes were miles away from any coastline! But these were the fabricated images that were used to justify colonialism. Oh and the book also has the modern sexualized representations of blacks in western culture. When I say "modern" I mean contemporary for the mid 90s when the book came out! Anyway, excellent book but unlike the documentary does not really explore the impact of these myths and stereotypes on the African psyche or what Africans/Blacks think about these representations. But look at me casting judgment before seeing the film! On another note, maybe the election of America's first Black/African American president may lead to more positive representation of the Black man. Yes indeed. All roads lead to good 'ol President Obama!

Tales from 'The Field': No time for Procrastination

For the past 4 days I was away from my precious blog in what we call at work “the Field”. Hopefully this does not conjure up images of:

• Idyllic dancing amongst daisies
• Working the land with a cutlass
• Being a government operative working on an espionage case

*Alas* I was out and about doing high-brow medical research in a fishing area plagued by bilharzia. For me, field work basically means wandering through communities in the hot sun looking dusty and dishevelled, asking people for the oddest things like samples of their bodily fluids and usually in a language you do not speak. The field is always fun aside from non-stop work from 7am to 10pm and irregular eating patterns.
Kpong Power Station Statues...Ilustrious Workers

So, this past week I was the reluctant leader of a team of 10 right into the Volta River Authority heartland . The scenery was breathtaking, the locals extremely warm and our team, the biggest political debators on the continent. Well, I suppose this would be expected during political high season and an upcoming election that is supposedly too close to call. At some point there was way too much talky talky and not enough worky worky going on.

On our last night in the field we had a late evening breezy walk around 9pm with a torch-light and a megaphone distributing containers for samples. We went from house to house meeting perplexed people in their pyjamas. If I was them I would have had us rail-roaded outta town!

Pot Producing area.. Erm, clearly not the type you may be thinking

The community we stayed in was nice enough to put the 3 female members of our team in a guest house where we had electricity and running water. Of course our tranquility was disturbed by another house-guest in the person of a so-called “Evangelist”. I don’t mean to be critical of this man but judging by the level of music he was subjecting our ear-drums to, he must have been hard of hearing or not from this planet. He also had a fine collection of empty liquor bottles in the kitchen making him unlike any evangelist I had come across.

Mr. Evangelist was not a working man but was being fed and housed by the good-natured town people. He seemed to spend his days entertaining droves of people with the aforementioned unearthly loud music as well as Nigerian movies….winning combination for my ear-drums. Each night around 10pm, he went out to hold his evangelizing sessions and returned around 2am with a member of his flock presumably for a one-on-one session. Mmmm now here is someone who clearly needs to be railroaded out of town!

Tan and Tired: Resting in an enchanted forest