Day 5: June 17th, 2008

We went to the Kejetia Market. It is one of the largest open-air markets in West Africa with over 25 acres of vendors selling everything from freshly slaughtered chickens to earrings. I thought it would be just as intrusive and overwhelming as Ntonso but it wasn’t. We walked in a line through tight and narrow pathways at times moving to the side whenever we heard “Ago!” which, in this case meant someone is carrying large heavy items and they needed you to move out of the way. You had to also be on your toes and had to always move forward. We had to keep up with each other because there isn’t a way-finding system so if you get lost it’s a wrap. So many people.

We stood out like sore thumbs but so many people liked waving at us and attempting to talk to me in an English/Twi mixed language. I had on a lime green peasant dress that day. I passed many women who told me “Eye pa”, which Damba ( our tour guide) told me meant “very beautiful.”. Also, a lot of men and women comment on my hair. They all say they like it and the women say they want to do it. I knew many women have permed hair in Ghana but I think I’m a little surprised at how few women don’t have natural hair. People keep asking me if I’m from London, before I speak of course, and I’m not sure why. Someone told me many Blacks in London have natural hair. It’s interesting in a place where your Black identity is contested (like Europe of America) Blacks are more likely not to conform to a Eurocentric look and in Africa where their identity is not challenged (because just about everybody is Black) they are more likely to change their look. I don’t think its all about assimilation of conforming to Eurocentric ideals, but it is an interesting correlation.

Before we left for Ghana Dr. Rucker told us that negotiating prices and trading is a big part of the culture (it makes sense Ghana was a huge place for bartering and trading everything from gold to slaves). Therefore I brought some skirts and other clothes from home to trade for fabric. In Kejetia, it was really fun as shopkeepers started coming over to me looking in my bag and negotiating prices for the skirts and showing other shopkeepers. I wanted to trade for fabric since I wanted to get some dresses and skirts made but they kept wanting to give me money. I didn’t know how to say “trade” in Twi so I took the money. Something I had no problem with. I got tons of fabric, got some necklaces, and bracelets. I wanted to take a picture of the market but it felt like there was no resting period. We seemed to be constantly moving. It was great experience.