August 2004

Asana Mohamad • Under African Skies

The best part of this school year is the end of it—no more classes or deadlines for papers and projects. But, the greatest part about this summer is my trip home to visit family in Ghana.

Many Americans are unfamiliar with Ghana, so here are some details: It is a country in West Africa of about 92,100 square miles, making it about as big as Oregon, and a population of 18.8 million people. It is bordered by Togo on the east, Burkina Faso to the north, Cote D’Ivoire on the west, and the Atlantic Ocean on the south. Ghana gained its independence from Britain on March 6, 1957, becoming the first sub-Saharan country to do so. It was also the first West African nation to be connected to the Internet, which happened in 1994. The official language is English, but there are more than 50 local dialects. My family is from the Mumpursi tribe and speaks Mampurlli.

The southern region is the “modern” part of the country, where people drive cars to work; multitask on laptop computers, cell phones, and the Internet; and have access to large department stores, museums, fancy hotels, and huge apartment buildings.

But my family is from the northern region of Ghana. Dad is from the small village of Tambokurugu and Mommy is from Namango. Village life, which is very different from city life, is what I love.

Tambokurugu’s 900 people live in about 40 mud huts with grass or zinc roofs and no front doors. Practically everyone is related to each other, which helps when you have about 20 people living in each house. The village has no electricity (other than that supplied by a small generator), phone, Internet access, running water, or plumbing. Instead of working 9-to-5 jobs, everyone owns a plot of land on which to plant food such as corn, groundnuts, and okra. Life is so laid-back. No one worries about mortgage payments, car and life insurance, the rising gas prices, the war in Iraq, student loans, doing taxes, or 401ks.

I’m looking forward simply to sitting in front of the house catching up with my relatives, playing Ludo, listening to music, and enjoying the fresh, pure air. It will be the rainy season, which is a lot like an Iowa summer: some days it’s hot and muggy; other days it rains like crazy. Summer is when most people plant their crops. I’m glad that I’ve never been in Ghana during the dry season, November to April, when the sun mercilessly bakes the earth, shriveling up the grass and causing bush fires.

At night, Grandma or Daddy often tell us folktales. Sometimes, we bring the TV and VCR outside to the courtyard and watch movies in the cool of the African night, underneath the stars. Other nights when the moon is bright and full, we turn out all the lights and just sit outside, roasting corn and watching for shooting stars. On rainy nights, we turn in early and lie in bed listening to the rain drum a lullaby on the roof.

In Iowa City, I have the luxury of excellent medical care, but Ghana has only a few clinics and hospitals. Common treatable conditions such as asthma can kill people. The most prevalent disease is malaria, which I have gotten every single time I’ve visited, despite taking medication that is supposed to protect against it. If you haven’t had it before or don’t treat it, malaria can be very un-pleasant and potentially lethal. I just have to get through three days of fever, loss of appetite, dizziness, and vomiting.

Despite all these difficulties, I still love going back to my village and my family. For me, Ghana is home.