Tuesday, June 16, 2009

April 29th to May 1st OTC, Accra, Osu, West Leggon

May 1st, 2009, Friday Around Noon:

I'm sitting next to Venus in Osu, Accra.
A coffeeshop called "One More"?
Drinking a cappucino, my 1st real cup of
coffee since Feb. 19. Nescafe, instant
was what I've had here and there.
I've been dreaming about having this.
It cost 4 cedis, about $3.50. Expensive.
I'll probably never come back.
But I walked from Independence Square.
It was hot and it's cool here.

I came in from Nsawam an hour north of Accra
this morning on a tro-tro, 80 pesewas.
I was at the Orthopedic Treatment Center.
Yesterday, I worked with the kids.
Wed. night I got to the OTC Center.
STC Bus 10 cedis from Kumasi, two movies.
Two movies from Nigeria by the same director.
Sharon Stone, name of the character,
woman who tries to play the same game
men play. She has more than one man,
courts three men, ends up planning to
marry all three. They eventually find out.
One says he'll marry her and take her to the
States. She waits at the chapel.
He never show up. She returns to his
house to find all three men drinking and
playing a board game, all with women.
They laugh and greet her. She faints.
Beautiful mountains/hill around
Nkawkaw. Old woman asks the bus to
stop for a bathroom break. She
relieves herself by the bus. Children
also need the bus to stop once.
Fairly smooth driving.
I get dropped off at Adoagyiri,
a couple white men in a pick up
pick me up, missionaries, been
in Ghana for five yrs.
Father and son from Sound Bend, Ind.
Big smiles from the father. I
tell him him I'm up near Kumasi.
He tells me the Ashanti were
the main suppliers of slaves for the
European ships. They were very
aggressive in getting neighboring
tribes, says the Ashanti are a crude, rude
and aggressive people with a big smile.
I modify it by saying they can be intense.
I get kind of anxious to leave, nervous
they'll ask me about my faith.

It's getting dark and I'm having difficulty
finding the place, three kids navigate me
to the OTC Center. I meet Emanuelle, the night
security guar and Sr. Elizabeth. She shows me my
bungalow. This is where the doctor's stay.
The fridge has beers, cokes, sprite,
bread and sausage. She says help yourself.
I feel like I'm at a luxury hotel.
Living room is nicely furnished. I drink
a beer and sleep. In the morning, I cut the
bread from Accra,full of sunflower seeds
and wonderful sausage to put on top,
delicious.

My first class with the students at 8:45am.
I show them how I paint with dirt and charcoal.
It's hot but they get into painting, with some
using dirt and water. Some use crayons
with watercolor, trees, fish, birds, rainbows,
cars, people, cups, hands, flowers, colors,
shapes, splatter technique, charcoal,
lots of water, snakes, hearts, writing into
crayon, colored pencils, pencils, houses, Ghana flags,
moon and stars, Milo, lizards, names,stars, layers,
water, spirals, "Just Got Married", dots, bananas,
mangos, squares, circles, Ghana map, purse,
sponge printing, Tilapia fish, trucks, rulers, poster
paint.

After my classes at 4pm, I hang out with the kids
on the lawn. Some are playing soccer with
a round unripened fruit, some are practicing
walking, some lying down. One boy missing
his leg at the knee, running on his knees
in the grass, the other boys chasing him.
I sit with a few kids. They're curious about
me. I speak Twi with them and they laugh.
They try and teach me a few words, phrases.
I show them how they can catch rocks from
their elbow.
At 5 they go in for bathing and dinner.
I go to my bungalow and read Dutch magazines,
Holland KLM mags. The OTC Center was started
by a Dutch Brother. Then I go where the
children are. One boy waves me into the big
room. I go in and sit down.
A few kids sit with me. We start talking
and they try and teach me more Twi, body parts.
I show them some hand games, The Vulcan hand
signal for "Live Long and Prosper".
I play "Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar"
A spunky girl with little stubs for fingers loves
playing that game with me. What wonderful hands
she has. The other children try and learn the
words. I also show them the hand slap game.
One little girl with a wonderful smile and
big wide open eyes has arrive. Both of her
legs are missing and is carried over.
She seems so happy and sits close to me
enjoying all the games. Then, they play
Oware and show me how to play. The girl
with little stubs for fingers slaps
the stones down aggressively and laughs.
You need four stones in order to take them.
One accuses the other of cheating and they
argue. I end up leaving aroun 8:30pm
and meet the Brother who started it all
outside. He had a stroke a year ago so
it's difficult for him to talk.

Now I'm writing at Osu Food Court,
Vailis Patisserie,witha cheaper cup of coffee,
but tasty as well. It feels like a beach town here,
like any beach town in U.S.,Miami Beach, Venice, CA.
I'm sure someone would disagree. I like
their coffee here and cheaper, 1.30 cedis
and a chocolate chip cookie. I'm treating
myself.

Later, I walk around and end up at Ryan's Pub
which is owned by an Irishman and feels like
an Irish pub with a Scottish T.V. news station.
I guess it's my cultural respite day.

I end up going to visit the Fudzies' in the
evening and staying with them for the weekend.
Mr. Fudzie's nephew is also visiting from
England. He's in the business of selling
solar panels. He's selling them in Ghana.
His friend, Jerry, is visiting as well.
Englishman, family from Anquillar, organizes
events, wants to hold big national race in
Ghana. He was a kick boxer, boxed in the
States, Ohio still has no rules for kicking
in the groin. Also had some success with
singing hiphop, had a video out. Andy Brookes.
His fiance, an actress in London, T.V. shows,
comedian, Little Miss Jocelyn, Esien.

a rooster crows, flowered trees, banku,
Star beer, Judith, metal chairs with little holes,
a mourning dove visits, plum colors, bluish greys,
breezes, granite rock decorate the Fudzie's yard.
A bird cage in the tree, marble tile floors reflects
the sky, the leaves, electical lines, pillars,
childrens' voices, smooth leaves rustling palms,
The three story bldg house across the wayin progress,
cinder blocks, concrete, big rectangular windows,
all grey, green gate.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Kwaakwadubi, April 24-27th, 2009, Adugyama, Ghana

April 24, 2009, Friday
Kraakradubi, Kwa Kwa Doobie, black crows
flying over with white breasts that wrap
around to the back of their necks like a white
t-shirt,a muscleman shirt, a wifebeater.



At the back of the house, Rose is teaching
me back stretches. She wants me to go to
the local masseuse/healer. Said she won't
charge because her mother taught her.
It's Friday morning. Yaw Gyamfi stopped by
carrying a bag. He said he will be heading to
Kumasi for two weeks to his mother's house.
His mother died a little while ago.

Meleama stopped by, said she is going to pray
at the local mosque and then go to the farm.
She looked at my drawings.

The neighbors sell a strong, homemade alcohol
called apetashi. People come and go. The
younger boys are playing soccer. Bea chews
on a Sokuadua stick, flossing her teeth.
The chickens are rustling about in the plaintain
fields. The cocoa and yams are drying. It's
cloudy and breezy today. Nice relief.

Rose gives me a taste of fried beans like a
donut and Nana comes back with fried cassava
and a coconut and gives me a taste.

Sandra, Kofi, Gloria and other little kids
are running with little toothpick-like sticks
and a leaf stuck in the middle.
The leaf spins as they run.

Bofrotu-fry bread, like mini-donuts but bigger
AY Day PA PAAAAHH! Delicious!

Bakyeakragro--fried cassava

April 25, 2009, Saturday:
4:30 am, call to prayer, Azzan?
the Koran over the loudspeaker wakes me up.
Again 20 minutes later. Then at 5:00,
reggae blasts from the neighborhood
spot (bar/saloon.

Call to prayer. Call to Alcohol.
Adugyama, Dwinyama.

I stay in bed til 6:45 am.
Most people are up at sunrise,
between 6 and 6:30, many earlier.
I get ready to shower and see
a group of goats out front.
Two are ramming heads.
They get up on their hind legs,
twist sideways and then butt heads.
I see an udder on one. Other goats
stand around and watch. They are in
a grassy patch.

Now I sit at the side of the house
where laundry and farmwork are done.
Bea is working on corn. Ama is brushing
her teeth. Sandra, Kofi, and Raymond
are cooking with tomato and sardine cans,
making dirt stew. The dog hangs by me
because I pet her a lot. Now Bea is
brushing her teeth and singing,
a gospel song. She shoos away a goat,
shweyy! Then looks in the mirror.

April 26, 2009, Sunday:
The fermented smells of cocoa:
acrid, sweet, dank. A goat
sneaks back away from the hall,
piles of corn cobs waiting to
be shucked. I take a photo of the
front of the house, a grey day, cool.

Three yr. old Kofi's face is covered
with chalk. Sandra put it on. I take
pictures of him and also the dog who has
a razorblade by her paw. Bea has her
hair all wild and I pretend to take
her picture. She runs away. Yaw Bimpe
is in the little plantain field hitting
plastic bags with a sling shot.

A well known song is on the radio. Hi-life.
I've heard it before. Ama and Bea say
they don't know the name.

Phone numbers on scratched, textured,
concrete walls. Chalk marks, Xs, lines,
the letters U2 circled in white.
Little drawings, ancient-like, layered.
Cy is with me and so is Antoni.
My own museum right here in Adugyama.
Cy Twombly and Antoni Tapies, my friends, my
mentors are alive and well in Adugyama.
I stop to take pictures. Bea is cutting
yams, putting them into a pot. Ama is
doing laundry.

Sunday Evening:
The afternoon, watching television with
Sarah sleeping, Kwaku Baah on the floor,
Yaw Bimpe on the bed. Me on the couch.
Bea watching from the hall. Nana walks
in and sits on the couch. We're watching
the Asantahene celebration in Kumasi.

Chief Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, his 10 yr. reign
as the Ashanti leader is being honored.
J.J. Rawlings enters the stadium with his
entourage to pay his respects. The Nigerian
delegation enters, a delegation from Swaziland
with impressive, traditional regalia.
President John Atta Mills,
many Obrunis (white people) lining up
to shake Chief Osei Tutu II's hand,
bedecked in gold, large gold rings, the
golden stool next to him. Other chiefs
with lots of gold, big triangle gold medallian.
The Chiefs' wives, dancers, and drummers,
The television announcer showing respect and
awe. I see Bea smiling, proud. Nana right by
the T.V. Sandra sleeping. Yaw Bimpe falling
asleep.

April 27, 2009, Monday:
This morning while doing laundry,
a goat gets on its hind legs and
sneaks some cassava drying on the
racks. Stephen's brother stops
by and chats. He's studying math
up north and wishes to go into business.
He has three years left. He asks me
what New York is like. He talks about a
brother/priest from here who visited
Texas and they treated him really well,
giving him lots of dinners. The dog
is lying on the path sleeping, resting.
Bea is sifting corn.
Music in the background, chickens,
a bird chirping. My silk sheet, drying,
falls on the ground. I make tea,
Lipton fro Rose, Moringa tea for me.
I pack to go to Nsawam and Accra.
Sandra's throat/jaw is swollen.
Rose puts on "Ghana medicine".
I believe it is dirt, ash, charcoal,
maybe something else. Sandra now
has black and brown spots on her neck.
Tomorrow they're going to the hospital.
A rooster crows, the chickens are clucking
by the gyaade (kitchen). A chicken hangs
out near Bea and me. The sounds of corn
scraping the metal basin as Bea sorts.