Akwaaba! This greeting means welcome in Twi one of the more than 500 dialects spoken in Ghana. Though the official language of Ghana is English, like many ex-colonies, Ghanaians are multi-lingual. They speak the official language and are taught 5 or more indigenous languages in schools. According to our guide Mensa, news is broadcast in one of the 5 languages every day!
Here is the official description of todays activities. All I can say is that everyone appears to be broke.
Oh! First I have to make note of the most disapponting breakfast to date. The buffet breakfast (which had two servers) consisted of sliced pineapple (one slice per person unless you were insistent); a piece of watermelon (unless you were insistent); one boiled egg (no matter how insistent you were); two slices of toast; beans (like pork and beans without the pork); and cooked cabbage. This is neither the breakfast of champions nor comforting for mature digetive systems!
The description:
"Depart to visit a few Ashanti craft villages to observe craftmen at work and to purchase souvenir gift items. At Ahwiaa, the woodcarvers village specializing in item such a the Ashanti stool, fertility doll and walking sticks"
It was here that Barbara was crowned Queen of Bartering and Valerie was crowned Queen of the Negotiators! Great deals were made for fertility and praying female figures.
The kente cloth @ Bonwire was fabulous. The craftsmanship on the single-double and triple weave was excellent. Each craftsman was willing to make a deal.
Along the road Mensah had Sam, our driver, to stop so the we could observe the threadding and weaving process. I got a nice piece of white Andinka cloth with black print. Paula triumphed woth a richly woven yellow, green and pink kente.
Didi asked for something with pink in it and was pleasantly surprised when one craftsman brought out a card of pink and green kente bracelet with AKA woven into it. She got lots of pink and green stuff :-).
Sent from my HTC Tilt™ 2, a Windows® phone from AT&T
