An Obroni’s Weekend In Kumasi

Over the weekend, my fellow classmates and I traveled to Kumasi. We went by route, clinging on to what we could as the bus bounced six hours north, away from our apartment in East Legon.

The roads to Kumasi were less bumpy than the route back to Accra, where traffic paired with the dusty potholes in a way that left me with a sense of sea sickness during the nearly eight-hour return trip.

Along the way, we watched the nature pass us by, from bountiful banana trees to swift starlings flying overhead. I was amused by the sheer number of goats that wandered throughout villages, munching on what they could find on the ground. It left me with questions: Are goats seen as pests, repopulating faster than communities can distinguish them? Do people take care of them, or are they left to fend for themselves?

We reached Kumasi in the late afternoon and quickly rerouted to the Manhyia Palace Museum. I learned about the Ashanti region and the long line of kings and queen mothers that have defended the land, which was once larger than present-day Ghana. The Asante are rightfully represented by the Kotoko, resilient and ready to defend.

The idea of a prosperous tribe as large as the Asante was unknown to me; the education I was given in the United States never acknowledged thriving histories in Africa that are centuries old, outliving and withstanding the colonialization that overshadows lacking American perspectives.

After the tour, something incredible happened: the sun came out. I have now been in Accra for four weeks, and I had yet to see blue sky until that point. Accra is constantly blanketed by layers of clouds thanks to the nearby sea. Living in the Pacific Northwest, clouds are not unknown to me, but I was expecting more reason to wear sunscreen. So, I was excited to finally feel the warm rays of sun on my skin, even if it took 251 kilometers to experience it.

It’s worth mentioning that my friends and I went to see The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan, at the one of the only theaters showing the blockbuster film in Ghana. It was a very loud movie, but I highly suggest seeing it if you are in the Kumasi area.

The next day, we went to Bonwire Kente Weaving Centre and learned about the origins of the vibrant cloth—my friends took a stab at weaving for themselves, gripping the loom with uncoordinated toes. It gave me a newfound appreciation for the intricate designs I’ve often admired while living here.

The kente cloth centre was quickly followed by a trip to the Ntonso Adinkra Village, where we printed our preferred adinkra symbols into colorful fabric as a group keepsake. I chose “Ananse Ntentan,” or the Spider’s Web, representing creativity and the complexity of life.

I was told that we would be visiting Kejetia Market, also known as Kumasi Central Market, but nothing could have prepared me for the sensory experience I was about to have. The largest single market in West Africa is a title you can’t fathom until you are hustling through the convolution of clothing, cosmetics, food, and trinkets; it was a never-ending labyrinth that naïve tourists like ourselves had no experience navigating. After a loud, sticky, overstimulating hour, we found our way out of the main building and escaped through the canopy of umbrellas.

To me, what was a once in a lifetime experience to see a new space, is a daily bustle of activity that is part of everyday life for those in Kumasi. My amazement of the 20,000 vendors Central Market has to offer comes from an American perspective where goods and groceries are controlled by corporations, not local items sold by individuals. To contrast, I hope Ghanaians have the chance to visit America and shop at a Costco Wholesale.

Kumasi, being the second largest city in Ghana, was a wonderful place to visit. Honestly, I wish I had stayed longer for more time to explore. I would have liked to ride around on the small pragyas—Alas, I’ll have to whip around on those another day.

By Liz Mitchell

 

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