The Nzema museum at Apollonia

Museums provide the base where objects of arts and science are collected and cared for. More essentially, they make them available for public viewing. That is why museums are key points of visits for tourists. People visit not only to sight-see (oh, there’s always a lot to see!) but to understand the body of knowledge concerning humanity. 

And when you have a museum that showcases a specific ethnic group, that’s definitely special. It is for this reason that I jumped at the opportunity when I got the invitation to tour Fort Apollonia. Located at Beyin in the Jomoro District of the Western Region, this resource centre is one of a kind in Ghana.

The name in full is: Museum of Nzema Culture and History. Here, one gets intimate with a rich Ghanaian heritage as expressed through Nzema traditions. Nowhere else will you find an exclusive interpretation of a sub-group of people, along with their cultural and natural-resources.

The Nzema area runs along the Gulf of Guinea. It is composed of three administrative units, namely: Jomoro District with its capital at Half Assini (Awiani), Ellembelle District with its capital being Nkroful, and Nzema East District with its chief town centred at Axim.
Happily for the tourist, Beyin is found at the centre of a cluster which provides a range of interesting attractions. The place is lined with some of the most amazing beaches on Ghana’s coast. Did I tell you about turtle spotting? These creatures are here in the hundreds.

Beyin town itself is 90 km west of Takoradi. An hour and a little more, and one is at Nzulenzo, the village on stilts. Also, not too far away, is Nkroful the home village of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana. Incidentally (sorry), the museum is appropriately dedicated to the Osagyefo.

The museum is located inside Fort Apollonia. This fort has a history of its own: it was built by the British in 1768 and it turned out to be the very last stronghold to be built by the English in the Gold Coast. Fort Apollonia has been used as a slave-post. The abolition of the slave trade diminished the economic importance of the fort, and hence it was abandoned in 1819.

At a point the British transferred ownership to the Dutch in 1868. The Dutch in turn, named it after their king Willem III and held it until 1872, when it reverted to the British. Before it assumed its current status Fort Apollonia served as a rest-house. In 2010 the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs brought the cash, the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board provided the directions and -- voila!

As to how the fort got the name Apollonia, that is another point of interest. In colonial jargon of bygone years, Apollonia was the reference to Nzema area. The story goes that the Portuguese explorer who first caught sight of the place did so on St. Apollonia’s Day (my Catholic Calendar tells me that would be February 9th).

Now the tour: The entire fortified structure is white-washed and inviting. Behind the fort, however, I found the hanging electric wires an eyesore. They distort a gorgeous photo opportunity.

An ‘akwaaba’ inscription above the doorway invites you in. Every room of the restored place is dedicated to the museum. If you ask me, there is nothing like this in Ghana. It is about the lifestyles, heritage and livelihood processes. It is also about ancestral connections. There is emphasis on communal living and, not surprisingly, there are spiritual dimensions. It is a total exhibition about a people.

From room to room I saw artistic expressions that have probably transcended generations. In some of the exhibits I see an Nzema chief in regalia. Then there is a traditional healer. On another wall I come face to face with the vivid image of an herbalist. Also showing are paintings of artisans, fishermen and hunters.

Images of festive scenes are complemented by those of chiefs in procession. But I also saw everyday images of orange-peeling, fufu-pounding, fish-net dragging, akpeteshie distilling and women braiding hair.

In this expedition to Nzemaworld, the senses are not left alone. Drums are silent yet you feel the vibrations from them. The range of arts and crafts production actively engages the observer. Exhibits on local cuisine, for instance, tease you seriously. Did I hear you say ‘‘akyeke na paya’’?

There is a special oblong basket around these parts that is used to trap fish. This item forms part of the several symbols of the local heritage. Speaking of symbols, among the exhibits are royal staffs and emblems of the various clans.

Textual displays also instruct the visitor about the items on display. Thus, under one roof, one gets to learn from past generations as well as the present.

The museum here is also about the natural environment of the Nzema area. This really makes sense as the place is rich in biodiversity. Beyin is part of the Amansuri Wetlands (the same water-body on which Nzulenzu community is settled) and the Tano basin and the Ankasa forest in the hinterlands are not too far. Add River Ankobra and the various lagoons and swamps and you will realise that the area is an ecological paradise.

Fort Apollonia Museum accounts for this natural heritage eloquently. Indeed, the centre is also called The Eco Museum. The idea is to promote awareness within the community about its ecological importance. It is also to conserve natural resources through a working network with the local people.

I would not end such a tour without looking for the language section. If there is one thing that intrigues me it is the language of the Nzema people. Here is a group that is Akan yet has consonant clusters that are akin to other linguistic forms. Want an example? Abusuapanyin (head of family) is Abusuakpanyili. How very stimulating!

Luck was on my side in my search: I found a section on Nzema Language and Talking drums. This is how it reads: ‘‘From a musical perspective, the most interesting aspect of this language is its melodic form of speech. In fact, Nzema is a tonal language, which means that each word is pronounced with its own specific melody...Such a language is easily turned into a whistled speech, which children do as a game.’’ How about that?

I also learnt that in the Nzema area the verb ‘‘to beat’’ is used to mean both the playing of drums and (hold your breath) the statement of a proverb. So in Nzemaland we beat a proverb. Such rich stuff all stashed in one museum.

Are you planning to give someone the treat of a trip? Please try a museum near you. At this point I can only beat a retreat. Before then I say, from my heart to the folks at Fort Apollonia and to you, dear reader ‘‘alie akyea mo!’’

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Kofi Akpabli is a communication specialist and a consultant at TREC, a tourism and culture research group.

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