Cross Cultural Collaborative

Textile workshop in Ghana

2012-01-28T04:54:00.001-08:00

July 8 - 21 ,2012

Memories of Africa Textile Workshop

sponsored by Cross Cultural Collaborative

This is an opportunity to work with indigenous African artists at our cultural center in Ghana.

Learn African textile techniques, visit traditional textile villages, go to large outdoor markets, galleries, museums and much more.

Please go to:

http://www.culturalcollaborative.org/textile2012.pdf

for details. If there are any questions : aba@culturalcollaborative.org

would you like to come to Ghana in February?

2011-11-14T18:39:00.000-08:00

we are organizing a trip to Ghana for February 2012

we are flexible & want your visit to include things that are of interest to you - you can follow our recommendations or let us customize something just for you

the cost is US$400.00 a week for airport pickup - a room at our guest house across the street from the ocean - breakfast/ dinner & opportunities to interact with our Ghanaian neighbors

cost of guides & transportation to visit outdoor markets, traditional villages, galleries and sites of historical interest is determined by means of travel - taxi:van:tro-tro & number of participants

minimum stay is any 2 weeks in February (or longer if you'd like)

signup deadline is January 1, 2012

contact aba@culturalcollaborative.org for questions- more details or payment options

check out our website: http://www.culturalcollaborative.org

summer in Ghana-culturalcollaborative.org

2011-10-03T12:53:00.000-07:00

As we landed in Accra Aretha Franklin was singing, "I'm going to stay here 'til I rest my soul." I'm not sure that applied to us as our summers may be soulful, but rarely restful.

There is a certain rhythm to life in Ghana, both literally and metaphorically and once you get into step, you fit right in. It's a slow dance.."no hurry in life"..no straight lines. To follow the beat it's best to circle around, do a few back steps and slide right in. Some visitors get the hang of it and some, to the amusement of locals, do not. At Aba House we do our best to keep everyone dancing.

This summer the Aba House kids taught visitors how to make paper from sugar cane leaves and how to do bookbinding.

We taught Louise tie and dye and batik and sent her off to Ntonso for an adinkra lesson.

Alastair and Katie accepted invitations to attend weddings and then settled down to teach computer skills and book arts.

Alastairs wife Caroline had been a volunteer a few years ago and did a memorable performance of Hamlet with the Aba House kids. Caroline died last year and Alastair came to continue her support of one of our kids schooling.

Our returned Peace Corps visitors met the American ambassador and partied with fellow RPC members in celebration of the Peace Corps 50th anniversary.

For three months people came to visit, interact and eat Talk True's vegetarian meals. His ginger tea made everyone happy. That recipe will be in the cookbook that we're putting together.

We left Ghana on Kwame Nkrumahs' birthday, now an official holiday.

Plans are in progress for 2012.

Charlie is coming back with a group of university art students and Michael is returning with his high school students. Both groups will do volunteer work with our kids and enjoy a tour in Ghana.

As always, we will offer workshops that introduce people to African culture, opportunities to volunteer, work with Ghanaian teachers and artists and visit traditional villages.

Let us know what you want to do and we can arrange it !

May 2012 be your year to dance with us at Aba House.

Here's an article about us from a local newspaper: www.baystatebanner.com/local17-2011-08-18

Greenie's blog

2011-06-21T05:36:00.000-07:00

Greenie is a teacher from Chicago,USA who was with us in Ghana last summer and she is coming back.

She kept a much more detailed blog than we did, so I am listing it here in case you'd like to get an idea of what a summer is like at Aba House.

http://kidconnections.wordpress.com

summer at Aba House

2011-05-23T07:14:00.001-07:00

The world didn't come to an end (as predicted) on May 21, so we are going ahead with our summer plans.

Summer programs at Aba House are in session from July 11 -Sept. 21.

This is the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps which started in Ghana. There is a big party planned in Accra at the end of August and we are hosting some RPCV's. If you're looking for someplace to stay, consider our guest house across the street from the ocean.

We are no longer with EARHTLINK , so don't use any of our emails that end in earthlink.net.

aba@culturalcollaborative.org will reach us.

Recently we participated in a book launch party with BOOKS OF HOPE. A wonderful organization in Boston that works with children who have come from Haiti. The children write and publish books of poetry and prose... very empowering. Our long term goal is to have them collaborate with our kids in Ghana. www.booksofhope-ma.org

When different cultures connect, it's a win win situation for everyone.

If you're interested in hearing about our other collaborations, workshops and programs you can sign up for our mailing list at http://www.culturalcollaborative.org

Etsy shop

2011-03-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

We are selling adinkra stamps in our new Etsy shop.

Please check it out. The shop name is

African Inspiration.

A few more shots

2011-03-02T06:08:00.001-08:00

Our thanks to everyone who came to the show!

RECYCLE GHANA

2011-02-25T10:38:00.001-08:00

Here are a few images from the kids gallery show in Philadelphia.

The Aba House kids ROCK!

PANAFEST

2011-02-11T05:39:00.000-08:00

July 31-August 8, 2011

We are taking reservations for this special tour.
Contact aba@culturalcollaborative.org for details.

..A JOURNEY HOME
THE PAN AFRICAN HISTORICAL THEATER FESTIVAL-PANAFEST

The Pan African Historical Theatre Festival (PANAFEST) celebrates the traditions and cultures of Africa in GHANA and is an event held every two years for Africans and people of African descent.

The idea of PANAFEST is to promote and enhance unity-Pan Africanism,as well as development of the continent of Africa.Activities that mark the event are performances and work in the areas of theatre,drama,music and poetry among others. It features conferences on African arts,history and African relationship with the rest of the world.

Many see the event as a pilgrimage to the motherland,a gathering of Africans to celebrate illustrious Pan Africanists like Dr William Burghardt Du Bois,George Padmore,Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah and others.It coincides with a pre-emancipation day candle light vigil to commemorate Ghana's commitment to the total liberation of sons and daughters of African descent.

The climax is a colorful durbar of chiefs and people and tour of various places of interest and a walk through the slave routes,monuments and sites.

YOU ARE INVITED

2011-01-22T06:55:00.000-08:00

RECYCLE GHANA

Holy Family University Gallery

9801 Frankford Ave.

Philadelphia , PA

USA

I will be at the opening on Feb. 22 6-8 p.m. and would enjoy meeting you.

The work in this show was created by children in Ghana who come to Aba House where they learn that there are no limits to creativity. The children make paper from sugarcane leaves and then books, calendars,cards and other products from the paper.

All proceeds from sales are used to pay school related expenses.

We are looking for a bookbinder

2011-01-17T06:02:00.000-08:00

Would you like to volunteer to teach our kids how to do coptic binding?

We are looking for a bookbinder to come to Ghana in July or August.

"Our kids" make paper from sugarcane leaves and then blank journals which we sell to raise money for their school expenses.

Stay at our cultural center across the street from the ocean, teach, and have many opportunities to interact with local artists.

If interested please contact me at aba@culturalcollaborative.org

We've got a cure for everything

2010-12-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

On a light note we wish you a peaceful end to 2010 and a wonderful journey into the new year.

Pictured is a sign on one of our neighbors shops.

What better reason to come visit than a cure for menstral and eye problems all at the same time.

Ghana is waiting for you

2010-12-10T08:20:00.000-08:00

Snow in London-cold in Boston-time to think about Ghana.

We are waiting to greet you.

Want to come to Aba House next summer?

We have an exciting pottery workshop where you can work with the housepainters from northern Ghana, or learn African textile techniques from Ghanaian artisans.

Our neighborhood children would love to have you share your skills with them...and they can teach you a few of theirs too.

We can take you on a tour or you can just relax at our guest house across the street from the ocean.

We have something for everyone, so let's talk! aba@culturalcollaborative.org

back to Ghana 45 years later

2010-11-28T13:40:00.000-08:00

This post is a bit long,but some of you might find it interesting. It is a diary entry by someone who was in the Peace Corps in Ghana 45 years ago.

Monday Aug 23. I meet Dorothy at JFK who I have not seen in 45 years. This is the 39th wedding anniversary for Dorothy and her husband Dave. What an great way to celebrate as we start our excellent adventure back to Ghana.

Tue, Wed Aug 24, 25 Accra

Tuesday The Accra airport is totally changed. No surprise, after all 45 years have passed. We are met by our diver, Ellis, who Dorothy has hired. Immigration is easy and Ellis takes us to our hotel, the Penta, in the Osu district of Accra. Dorothy and Elaine had warned me about the traffic, but seeing is believing. The roads that I remember as 2 lanes are now 4, there are street lights, (rare in '63), pedestrian overpasses, and driving is a constant game of chicken. The streets are filled with peoples, walking up and down between traffic lanes selling everything imaginable, such as phone cards, food, handkerchiefs, etc. And there are huge billboards every where advertising everything imaginable. No road beautification programs as yet.

Some landmarks that I remembered are gone. In particular, I remember a traffic circle, with three spires that we knew as the Ghana, Guinea, Mali circle. In the cold war days of 63 - 65 when America and the Soviet Union were vying for influence in developing countries, we used to joke that if you stood in the East, the spires leaned to the right, and if you stood in the West, the spires leaned to the left. This I finally learned has been renamed the Danquah circle and has a statue of J.B. Danquah. the Ghanaian Jurist who was jailed by the Nkrumah government in early 64 and died in Nswam prison later that year. I remember, Danquah personally as he lived just off on Kwame Nkrumah circle very near to where I lived with two other volunteers back in '63. He used to stand on his upper porch and wave to the people below.

After hotel check in, Ellis takes us to a phone store where I learn that my unlocked phone that I used in Italy will not work in Ghana and I must purchase a new one. (still wondering about the truth of that one). At any rate, a new phone and 10 Ghana Cedis (GC) of phone time will only cost 40 GC. About $US. 30.00. Ten Cedis of phone time, get you a lot in Ghana. It all I spend 30 GC for phone time during the entire trip. This allowed me to call the US manyl times for at least a 30 min each time as well as numerous calls to Dorothy, Ellis and others in Ghana. General Impression of Accra: it is a much bigger city, much more prosperous, crowded and bursting with vitality and life

Dorothy and Dave's two children, Emmett and Margaret arrive in the early afternoon. Jet lags forces an early dinner and early to bed. I sleep well this night, but there is a rooster that lives below my window, who decides to start crowing around 3 a.m. I thought roosters were suppose to wait till dawn to start their racket! The mattresses available in Ghana today deserve a few comments. They are a type of Temperpedic knock-off and are a firm but very comfortable memory foam. I found this type of mattress at almost every place I stayed. I saw many signs in the Accra area for Ghana Foam for sale. I must conclude that they are now made in Ghana and are quite affordable.

Wed

Breakfast at the Penta was a reunion in many ways. Dorothy's former student, Agnes Bissah and her 25 year old daughter Abigail reunited with Dorothy. Elaine Folkers (also Ghana PC) reunited with both Dorothy and myself. By an amazing coincidence, Elaine was in Ghana at the same time and our trips overlapped by a few days. The thee of us, Dorothy, Elaine and I were frequent travel companions in our PC days. Elaine and I traveled together for 5 months in Africa in '65 after separation from the PC. Elaine and I have kept up with each other over the years, but E and D had not seen each other in 38 years. What a wonderful reunion! After breakfast, (by now we are 8 people plus Ellis the driver) we set off for Bonsu, 2 hours north of Accra to have lunch at the home of Agnes' other daughter Matilde and see the Ghana Plant Genetics Research Institute where Matilda and her husband work.

The distance is not far, but it is a hard trip. The road is under re-construction and it is, quite simply in horrible condition. The roads around Accra are undergoing major reconstruction and driving is slow, crowded and the roads are not good, mostly laterite soil in many places. You have to travel in the tropics to appreciate laterite soil. Laterite, high in iron oxide, it is a red clay composed of fine particles that bake as hard as a brick. In many parts the road is an open field free for all where cars and trucks race at top speed. The accident rate is high and we get lots of adrenaline rushes as Ellis competes for lane dominance with the other drivers. Much of the time he wins and we get to Bonsu in record time.

There, Dorothy's friends have prepared a feast. What generosity from people who have so little. I have gifts for the two sisters, the cross stitch towels I frequently make as gifts. Dorothy has gifts for 9 month old baby girl Adjowa (this is the Akan name for a girl born on Monday) and the two sisters Matilda and Abigail. After lunch we visit the Bonsu Arboretum and Ghana Plant Genetics Institute, where Matilda and her husband work.

Th, Fri - Aug 26, 27 - Elmina

Thursday All 10 of us, The Sopers (4), the Bissahs (4), the driver leave for Cape Coast and Elmina. The road is much better than the one to Bonsu and we are in Cape Coast in time for lunch at a seaside hotel and check in to the Coconut Grove Beach Resort by late afternoon. This is quite a nice place to stay. One can not swim in the ocean here (too many rocks) but the beach is beautiful.

Friday, we made the trip to St George's Castle in Elmina. This is not the slave fort that President Obama toured last year (that was Cape Coast) when he went to Ghana but it is similar. FYI, the last three presidents, Obama, Bush, and Clinton have visited Ghana, an indication of the importance the US places on this fairly small, but stable African country. I had never visited Elmina when I was in the Peace Corps; I suspect it was not developed for tourism back then. This is invariably a grim visit as so many Africans were shipped to slavery to the US and other places from these old forts. You can stand in the rooms where literally hundreds of captured men and women were held in places with NO sanitation. The mortality rate was enormous. In one room, not a big one, over 400 women were held. The room has been left untouched and you can still smell the excrement, menses and urine despite the fact that no one has been held in the room for 200 years. Many of the women were raped by their captors. They had little choice in their fate. Submit or be killed. The "Door of No Return" is also visible and you can pass through it. A very sobering reminder of a dark period of history.

Sat - Tue, Aug 28 through Aug 31 - Nguna (near Accra)

Saturday, The Sopers head for Asenkengra while Matilda, baby Adjowa and I return to Accra. We take an STS bus. Very comfortable, air conditioned and plenty of leg room even for this 6 foot tall frame. Much more comfortable that most of the buses I have ridden in either the US or Europe. STS buses are now widely used in Ghana. They are a major upgrade over the transportation we PC types used back in the 60's. Back then we traveled in Peugeot vans that were nicknamed flying coffins (no joke).

For the next 4 days I am staying at a place called Aba house in Nguna, a coastal town east of Accra. You can find out more about Aba house here: http://www.culturalcollaborative.org/culturalcenter.htm

This turned out to be an excellent place to stay. It is operated by an American woman from Brookline, Ma, Ellie Shimelman. Ellie lives just 2 blocks away from where I lived when in Grad school. Small world. She has been going to Ghana several times a year since 1978. She is a one woman Peace Corps herself, operating a nonprofit and directing the proceeds into purchasing school supplies for the local children. Ellie arranges for a driver for me for the next three days, Sunday - Tuesday. Ellie is a fountain of knowledge about Ghana as it is currently, but she is impressed to learn that I once sailed and swam in Tema harbor (can't get near the place today due to security) and once met Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana (he posed for a brief photo with our PC group at the end of our tour).

Sunday- Today I search for some of my old haunts in Accra. I lived in two places in Accra while in the PC. One house was quite close to Nkrumah circle and the other was in Kotobabi near the first PC hostel. To my complete delight, I am able to locate one of these houses. Unoccupied and changed architecturally but still there. We also stopped at Labadi beach - an old haunt for Accra beach lovers. Labadi is still there and more active than ever. Still traders selling souvenirs, men riding horses along the beach offering (selling) rides to young children, still the place to be on a Sunday afternoon.

Monday - Today I visit my old school. Thanks to Matilda Bissah, I have been in touch with the current headmistress (first female head of this school in the 60+ years of its existence). Lady Queen, the head mistress have corresponded via, snail mail, e-mail and even the telephone over the last 3 months so my visit is expected and planned for. Although school is not in session, a number of the teachers are on campus. I taught at West Africa Secondary School (WASS) which was then located in Accra proper. It has since relocated north of Accra to Legon where the University of Ghana is located. . A wonderful visit. There are no longer any PC teachers or even expatriate teachers at my old school. I suspect this is fairly common and is a sign that Ghana now produces enough graduates teachers that this kind of aid is no longer needed. One of the signs of Peace Corps success is that you work your way out of a job. There are still PC teachers in Ghana but mostly in rural areas. There are no volunteers in Accra, that was not the case when I was there 45 years ago.

Tuesday

This day I visit the Volta River Dam at Aksombo, which was under construction back in the 60's. The Volta River Lake is the largest man made lake in the world covering 28% of the land area of Ghana. It generates power for Ghana and many of the neighboring countries. It is also a source of fresh water and food from the fishing industry. The dam is one of the most successful foreign aid projects ever accomplished in Ghana. The trip is about 2 hours, the road is good and there is not much traffic. On the way home we saw three baboons by the side of the road! On the roads around Tema and up to the dam I saw many places selling large over stuffed furniture. The furniture is on display in the open, No such thing as a furniture store here. It is on site, lots of small businesses. This is just another sign of greater prosperity. I never noticed furniture on display and for sale back in my PC days.

Wed - Sat Sept 1 - Sept 4 - Kumasi

Wednesday I rejoin the Sopers in Kumsai, the second largest city in Ghana and the heart of the Ashanti nation. The bus park in Accra is a mad house, crowded and frantic. After lots of shouting by the men in the park directing my taxi, I am finally settled on the most comfortable bus I have ever been on in my life. If the bus had been a plane, it would have been the first class section. Plenty of leg room, (even for me), reclining seats with leg rests, air conditioned, a huge flat screen tv, and dark curtains to keep out the hot sun. I could not have had a more comfortable trip. The bus does not leave until it is full so we have a long wait which allows me to watch one Ghanaian soap opera and two Nigerian made movies. The soap opera was very amusing as the villainess of the story was named Saundra! The movie was interesting to me as it was basically a morality play tuned to Ghanaian audiences. Once we leave, an itinerant preacher begins a sermon at the top of his lungs that lasts for over an hour. Amazing, I would have lost my voice. At some point we are all asked to make a charitable donation for the poor and I become the focus of the entire bus!. I offer a one Cedi note and the young lady next to me tells me to blow on the bill and make a wish. I do so and take a tip from Mr Spock on Star Trek and wish everyone on the bus to "Live long and prosper". At some point I fell asleep and the preacher left, thank goodness.

Thursday, Friday are spend sight seeing in Kumasi. This is the heart of Ashanti and there is much to see in the area. Just a bit of what we did. A visit to Kiumasi Fort (involvement of Ghanian armed forces in WW 2 and UN peace keeping operations in Africa), Okomfo Acoche Hospital and sword (even Cassium Clay couldn't move it) The National Cultural Center (many artisans at work), Kente weaving and a village that makes Adinkra( Ashanti symbols with spiritual meaning.

Sat

We return to Accra as the younger Soper's retkurn the US tonight. Abigail also departs as she has to prepare to go back to work, one last visit with Matilda and baby Adjowa. .

Sun, Mon Sept 5 and 6 - Accra

Sun

We are now down to 3 people (Dorothy, Dave and I) Sunday and Monday we are sight seers in Accra visiting the Cultural Center, the Artists alliance, and once more Labadi beach. That evening we meet with An associate of Aba House, Ben Adipah (a minister of education who has developed the arts program for the Ghanaian educational system). Ben is very generous. He has a gift for Dorothy and also offers us with a choice of hand made glass beads. Ben a Krobo, a people who live in eastern Ghana. Historically the Krobo's and the Ashanti's have been less than friends. Because of the huge size of the Ashanti people, the history of the Krobo people is often overlooked. Ben spends some time telling us about his people and the role that Krobo hand made beads have played in traditional society. Somewhere in the conversation Ben realizes that we were PCV's and Ben mentions one of his favorite teachers who was also PC. This teacher was a member of our PC group and I knew him well. Of course all this time, I am under the impression that Ben is somewhat elderly. Good comeuppance for me to realize that he could have been one of my students! ;-)

Monday our final day Madam Agee, the wife of the chief of Dorothy's village (Asankrangwa) is in Accra and invites us to lunch at her home. What an interesting lady. Her husband, the chief (more like a mayor) was one of the Ghanaian leaders to request that the US send Peace Corps Volunteers to their town back in 1961, when the Peace Corps first began. Madam Agree described in very moving words the need he felt for his people to experience more than their small village. "He wanted to open their eyes to the world". Her husband proudly displays letters from both Sargent Shriver and President Kennedy in the palace in Asankrangwa. Madam Agee told many stories of the PC that have worked in her village over the years. She is has been to the US and is a very articulate and moving advocate for her people.

Tue Sept 7 Back to the US and to reality. I managed to break a toe on the last day but the trip was so wonderful, more than I had hoped for. Unlike so many sub Saharan African nations, Ghana has prospered. There are still problems with infrastructure, public health conditions could stand improvement and the people are poor. But Ghana is at peace with its neighbors, is politically stable and has a healthy entrepreneurial business community. Lots of reasons for optimism.

I am seriously contemplating another trip next year. Aba house runs several trips a year in Ghana and surrounding countries. I want to see the north of Ghana. http://www.culturalcollaborative.org/culturalcenter.htm

I found a new toy

2010-11-13T03:47:00.000-08:00

Google Earth is addictive. You can download it for free.

Go to FLY TO: and type in Nungua,Ghana and the map takes you right there.

Then in the list click on ABA HOUSE.

African Memories: Textile Workshop

2010-11-01T04:54:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of an asafo flag. Around Cape Coast (in Ghana) villages used to go to war against each other and someone would be at the head of the group "dancing the flag" and encouraging the men as they went into battle.

Each summer we offer a workshop at Aba House that teaches African textile techniques in the context of their history.

Here are the details for summer 2011.

Learn from Ghanaian artisans: asafo-batik-tie & dye-adinkra-kente...visit galleries-museums-outdoor markets and traditional villages

August 2 - 15 at Aba House in Ghana

$2400.00 includes: airport pickup-accommodations-breakfast-dinner-transportation in Ghana- workshop materials and participation

First deposit of $ 1200.00 due by April 5, 2011 & balance due by June 5,2011

Send a deposit by Jan. 1, 2011 & we will give you a $200.00 discount

get a friend to sign up & you'll both get 2 extra free days at Aba House

If you'd like to apply, let us know at aba@culturalcollaborative.org and we'll send an application.

This is a picture of a coffin

2010-09-19T06:32:00.000-07:00

In Ghana people are often more important in death than in life. When you die you become an ancestor and are still a part of the family, often being consulted. That means that to make you, the deceased happy, the family will have elaborate funerals.
In our neighborhood of Teshie/Nungua there are several workshops that make coffins in the shape of fish. cars, coke bottles..almost anything that might reflect the life of the occupant.
Because we are on the coast. fish and boats are popular, but a favorite of everyone is a white Mercedes.
The fish pictured here is from the workshop of Eric Adjetey Anang. You can see his website at www.ghanacoffin.com
Right now it is only in French, but it's still worth looking at for the wonderful pictures.

summer workshop

2010-09-15T05:43:00.000-07:00

The village of Sumburigu is near Bolga in northern Ghana. In July three woman from the village packed their bags with important things like crushed stones, dowadowa leaves and coal tar and took a very long bus ride to Accra where Belinda, the daughter of one of them, joined them to travel to Aba House. Belinda was important because she was the interpreter from fra fra to english.

The women were essential because they were coming to paint our wall. Anyone can paint a wall, but not the way they do it On the first day the wall was chiseled and then plastered with a mixture of sand and cold tar. Traditionally cow dung is used, but cold tar served the purpose.

At the end of the fourth day we had a spectacular wall full of symbols relating to life in northern Ghana.

I asked the women to sign the wall (how western of me) and they each left a handprint (how African of them).

The womens names are Adintoge, Asinsoboro and Adompoka.

The workshop was truly in keeping with our mission of cross cultural understanding and next summer....... another wall.

The women had never seen the ocean and when we took them onto the deck for a view, they wanted to know how the boats stay on top of the water. Good question. Then they went to the water to dip their feet in the surf and they collected a botle of ocean water to take home.

Summer in Nungua

2010-07-05T06:57:00.000-07:00

We're on our way to Ghana for the summer.

Ghanaians are so upbeat. They are already planning for the World Cup in 2014. The other day a Ghanaian told me that when he was growing up they would use cabbages as soccer balls. The kids had no idea that you were supposed to eat them.

That's all changed now and cabbage stew is a favorite served over yam.

To continue the metaphor, we have a lot on our plate. Dates with Ghanaian and visiting potters, textile enthusiasts, teachers and the Nungua kids.

We'll also be getting ready for the kids 2nd gallery show. This one will be in Philadelphia.

Our first book has gone to press....just a short one and the second longer book is being researched.

More when we come back. We hope you have a great summer.

Remember to be creative!

ALL EYES ARE ON SOUTH AFRICA

2010-06-13T06:54:00.000-07:00

Of course it's all about the World Cup, but there are other reasons to watch South Africa.
The Ndebele woman are wonderful artists and are known for painting designs on their houses.
Go to youtube.com and find Esther Mahlangu. Guess she finished painting her house and has gone on to other things.
Watching her new project should make you smile.

A is for Aba House

2010-05-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

Betty Ellert stayed at Aba House with some friends a few years ago.
And now she has written a childrens book titled ABC'S FROM GHANA,WITH LOVE
It was published by www.dementimilestonepublishing.com

We are A and O....WOW!

Artful Animals

2010-05-05T05:57:00.000-07:00

The Museum of African Art in Washington, DC has a wonderful online exhibit called Artful Animals.
http://africa.si.edu

When we were in Burikina Faso , one of our guides was very excited to show us the sacred mudfish, but he wasn't really able to explain their significance, After seeing the the exhibit I know why they are so important. Even important enought to be on the money in Burkina Faso.

A great tool for teaching about African culture, the exhibit is also fascinating reading for adults.
Make sure you take the time to look at all of the animals.

some Ghanaian cultural snipits

2010-05-02T05:45:00.000-07:00

at http://www.diasporicafrica.blogspot.com there are some interesting cultural stories.
Under the Akan there's a paper about dream interpretations where most of what you dream (according to the Akan) means just the opposite.
For example, if you dream that you will find gold, it means that you will always be poor.

There is another paper about a young girls induction into a shrine. If you're curious about African ceremonies, this will interest you.

Written by an African scholar, the blog also offers books for sale, but just browsing through the
stories is free.

Kenya

2010-04-16T13:10:00.000-07:00

We are working with our friend Pius Yugi to introduce travelers to beautiful Kenya.

Kenya offers The Great Rift Valley - white rinos - tea plantations - ancient rock art - Lake Victoria - the village where President Obama's father was born -the famous Maasi and so much more.

Let us know if you're interested and we'll organize a tour especially for you.

Kuwa na siku njeme
Have a nice day

We did the Ouagadougou

2010-04-12T08:16:00.000-07:00

Since our last blog way back in Jan., we have been traveling.

In early Feb. we had an agreeable group of tourists and we went through northern Ghana and into Burkina Faso.

Pictured are painted houses from Tiebele, a village right over the Ghana border in Burkina Faso. Otherwise, a typical African village, Tiebele is an artists dream. The mud houses are painted by the village women who, rightly so, take great pride in their work.

If you'd like to see more photos of the houses, we posted some on Cross Cultural Collaborative Flickr page.

Our final destination was the capital of Burkina, Ouagadougou. There's something about the way it sounds that just makes you want to go there. It reminded me a little of a wild west movie, but it also has a wonderful museum and is the home of a famous film festival. Guess you can say that it has something to appeal to everyone.

We did meet a few camels strolling down the street, but there are mostly bicycles and motorbikes and very few cars.

If Timbuktu sounds appealing, consider joining our next tour in Jan. 2011.

2010-01-18T06:50:00.000-08:00

Shoveling snow in Boston and packing for Ghana.

What a contrast.

From Ghana we go to Burkina Faso.

Read all about it when we get back.

We have been updating the VOICES page at http://www.culturalcollaborative.org

It's still missing alot of Aba House alumni, but if you'd like to see who's been to Aba House, the VOICES page is the place to look.

And if you'd like to be an Aba House alumni, let us know.

Our next programs will take place in July and August. Check the WORKSHOP page at http://www.culturalcollaborative.org. If you don't see what you want, contact us. We can put together a program for you.

aba@culturalcollaborative.org

work with traditional African potters

2009-12-21T06:36:00.000-08:00

We are very excited about this workshop.
We will be bringing some potter/housepainters from northern Ghana to Aba House (southern Ghana) to paint a wall in their uniquely decorative style.

Workshop participants will have the opportunity to work with the woman .

The workshop will also include visits to Vume, a pottery village made famous by Michael Cardew, and visits to contemporary pottery workshop.

contact aba@culturalcollaborative.org for an application.

Another witch story

2009-11-26T07:35:00.000-08:00

On this day when Americans eat turkey, I am reminded of the expression "to eat crow"...perhaps because I don't eat birds of any kind.

To eat crow means that you made a mistake and have to acknowledge it humbly.

When a crow dies it shrivels up and even insects won't eat it. And in Ghana where people eat cat, dog,and large rodents they don't eat crow because they believe that crows are witches in disguise.

I do know for a fact that Ghanaian crows are large, extremely noisy and easy to spot because they look like they are wearing white T shirts.

Happy Thanksgiving.

from 37 to Medina

2009-11-07T12:22:00.000-08:00

-----http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGTA2i0nPIM&feature=youtube_gdata

After the previous post, I owe you something less serious.
If you've been to Africa you'll find this very funny.

BTW: an Obroni is a white person. The driver is saying that the mate is good for business and when he doesn't show up for work the passengers are unhappy.

Pastors in Nigeria denounce children as witches

2009-11-05T09:39:00.000-08:00

This headline is over a story in the Boston Globe that tells about a father who poured acid down his sons throat after the pastor accused the boy of being a witch.

The boy is dead.

It's not just in Nigeria. In Africa if you don't like someone just accuse them of being a witch. That pretty much finishes them. They may not die, but they are shunned and that can be just as bad. When I asked why one of my neighbors in Ghana was a witch, the proof was that she didn't cry when her husband died.
This is the husband who mistreated her and disappeared, leaving her with 10 children to support.

In the States halloween was celebrated last week. There were lots of little witches wandering around and everyone said they were so cute. Even a dog was dressed in a pointed hat. Can you imagine what an African would say about that?

There were houses decorated with witches and ghosts. Ghosts? My, my...we don't even talk about ghosts in Africa.

In Salem, not far from Boston, witches were burned at the stake. There was a frenzy in the community and many "witches" were put to death. The story goes that slaves told stories to children and the children started to see witches.

My fascination is with cultural differences, and this one is a doozy. It might even be funny if so many corpses hadn't piled up.

The Boston Globe article goes on to say that in the past month alone, 3 Nigerian children accused of witchcraft have been killed and another 3 were set on fire.

All this in the name of religion.

Obama in Ghana

2009-10-10T07:23:00.000-07:00

President Obama visited Ghana in July. Ghanaians like to celebrate anything, but they were definately happy that he chose their country.
Above is a picture of commemorative cloth that was made for his visit. I have some for sale. If interested contact aba@culturalcollaborative.org.
If he every wants to be President of Ghana, I think he's got it!

Obama in Ghana

2009-10-10T07:22:00.000-07:00

sokope

2009-07-01T13:27:00.000-07:00

Sokope was a resident at Aba House. Everyone loved him more than I did.

He was dirty, flea ridden and a major thief. I was playing scrabble in the yard and he ate my E. He also ate the usual like bananas. One day I gave him some brown bread. He looked at it and then threw it away. Guess it was too healthy for him.

Tourists would hold him and he'd play cute and then pounce...trying to rip their jewelry off.

He was usually tied to a tree in the yard and would wrap himself around and around until he had no space to move or he would jump into the branches and end up hanging himself. I felt sorry for him and was not unhappy when he escaped once in awhile. But he was always captured and brought back.

Eventually he wasn't living with us any more and when I asked, I was told that "he went back to his village". That could mean what it says or it could mean that he died. Ghanaians have a way with words.

And that's the story of our monkey, Sokope.

Reading between the lines

2009-06-27T08:31:00.000-07:00

I was flipping through one of the women’s magazines and was struck by the content of some of the articles.

What a window on American culture...well, a segment of American culture.
Even with my body in America, my mind is usually in Africa, so I really chuckled at how an African woman would react to the survey about whether the father-in-law should be consulted for his blessing by the future son in law. Most American women said, “No way. It’s none of his business.”

And the article about how to improve your posture. They suggest walking with something (like a book) on your head. Or maybe just grow up as an African woman and carry everything on your head. (no, that wasn’t their suggestion).

And then the article about whether children should sleep in the same bed/room with the parents. You’d have to pick an African women up off of the floor she’d be laughing so hard when she read the American answers. Give the child his own room...ha,ha. Child abuse..ho,ho...let the child decide..OMG, what will these Americans think of next......

This is what time it is in Ghana

2009-06-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

Village Food

2009-06-23T07:12:00.001-07:00

This refers to food planted and eaten on the farm.

A farmer brings a pot, salt and fire to the farm and when the harvest is ready, he can eat.

My favorite is maize (corn) and groundnuts (peanuts.) Add water and salt and bring to a boil.

Simple, but really delicious.

Ghana Among The Top 8

2009-06-18T12:10:00.000-07:00

What does Ghana have in common with Venezuela?

Well, both countries recently made the list of the top eight countries for taking bribes. Not a list to aspire to, but they made it nonetheless.

Read this article to find out the the good company that they are in.

Of interest to potters

2009-06-06T05:45:00.000-07:00

We work hard to make all of our workshops unique.

This time we've outdone ourselves because we are offering a rare opportunity to interact with Ghanaian housepainters without traveling to the north.

Aba House will host a workshop July 11-24, 2010 that is of particular interest to potters, visual artists and teachers of African culture.

Women from northern Ghana will paint a wall at Aba House and workshop participants can join in.

Other activities include working with contemporary potters in Accra, traditional potters in Vume ( a village made famous by Michael Cardew) , building a paper kiln, visiting galleries and museums and more...more...more.

To apply contact aba@culturalcollaborative.org

summer in Ghana

2009-05-21T07:02:00.000-07:00

Cross Cultural Collaborative offers many exciting opportunities for people who want to spend their summers in Ghana.

You can volunteer to work with children in a fishing village, take workshops to learn indigenous skills, go on a tour or just relax at our cultural center across the street from the ocean.

Because we are a small, self funded non-profit we ask people to pay for room and board and lessons,etc. The cost is low and the rewards are memorable.

There is a wonderful site where you might find funding. This is a comprehensive, pretty amazing source for funding opportunities and also residencies...in case you don't want one in Ghana!

change comes oh so slowly

2009-05-15T12:21:00.000-07:00

There is a book entitled " Africa-Dispatches From A Fragile Continent" written by Blaine Harden.

It's a fascinating glimpse into African culture ,covering many countries on the continent, but because I work in Ghana, I am suggesting Chapter 2: Eye of the family.

Although written in 1990 and referring to the '80's what is striking is the timeliness of the story.
Unfortunately, not much has changed. He talks about the burdens encountered by a Ghanaian who has to support his extended family...sometimes not even a blood relative, but maybe the daughter of your mothers next door neighbor. It's skewing of the economy and the collapse of so many businesses. If you hire a relative to work for you based on his relation to you instead of his skills, you will not be in business very long.

He talks about the belief in juju (magic) which doesn't help either. And there's jealousy- deceit- guilt...

Almost every visitor to Ghana remarks on how happy and friendly the Ghanaians are. Well, it's not unlike life in the rest of the world where there is a public face and the face you show your family.

Interesting film

2009-03-31T05:04:00.000-07:00

I happened across a film called " T Shirt Travels " which you can view free on snagfilms.com.
Although about Zambia, it really represents most of Africa and is compelling on many different levels.

It starts with the question. "What happens to second hand clothes that are donated to organizations like the Salvation Army ? " For one thing a significant number of them travel through many hands and end up being sold on the streets of Africa. And as the film unfolds, many other questions come to mind.

The largest export business in the US, according to the film , is second hand clothes. They have many local names in Africa. In Ghana the term translates into dead white mans clothes. Africans can't imagine giving them away unless the owner is dead and doesn't need them anymore. In Accra there's a long line of second hand mens suits for sale. I am told that they are bought to bury people in. I guess what comes around, goes around.

Although this sounds like it might be a humorous film, it is really very sad. There are no more textile mills in Zambia. And this film raises the question of colonial mentality and the perception thst donating their clothes, to the westerner, is a good thing, but to many Africans it's just another example of throwing them the discards.

Volunteering

2009-02-24T10:29:00.000-08:00

Why would someone want to volunteer to work in a developing country? It's not for the money. To volunteer usually means to work for free and often involves paying for the opportunity.

Perhaps it would be to experience another culture, not as a tourist, but as an accepted member of the community. The volunteer is able to intereact with locals on a very personal level.

Your reason for volunteering is very important because it can mean the difference between a good experience and an unhappy one.

Some of our volunteers at Aba House are fantastic and with some I am reminded of the saying, "You get what you pay for."

One might think that there is a correlation between age, experience and maturity in the making of a good volunteer, but that's not necessarily true. Some young people blossom when given the chance to help and some older people can't handle the adjustment to new curcumstances.

Above all, a sense of humor helps. There are times when I think that the only reason that Ghanaians let visitors in is to have someone to laugh at. An outsider is fair game, especially with children. We've had volunteers eager to practice their new vocabularies...only to find that the children didn't teach them to say what they thought they were saying!

I would also suggest that you have a serious conversation with yourself about your comfort level. Can you live without hot water for a few weeks, and how about electricity? Can you, heavens forbid, wash your clothes by hand? Does it really matter if the humidity curls your hair? If you want a foreign country to be just like home, then maybe you should have stayed at home.

As a volunteer you probably expect to be a teacher. If you approach the experience the right way, you will also be taught. It's a very liberating feeling to meet new people and to see things through their eyes. There's something about working in another enviroment that makes people introspective. This is a good time to evaluate what you want to do with the rest of your life.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "No man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."

And if you're a good volunteer, this will be true.

VIDEOS

2009-02-19T06:38:00.001-08:00

If you'd like to see how we make paper at Aba House:

http://www.youtube.com/abahousekids

If you'd like to be in the picture, come volunteer. We are interested in all of your skills that can be taught to our kids.

We have some donated computers..would you like to come do a workshop on how to use them for self publishing? aba@culturalcollaborative.org

Want to see some more videos? On the VIDEO page at http://www.culturalcollaborative.org see how to make glass beads, print adinkra cloth and drum without drums. It just takes imagination.

check out some other blogs

2009-02-08T10:58:00.000-08:00

http://artezanolinks.blogspot.com

amazingly full of content about textiles, culture , plus much more

with a link to her fiber focus blog which is also full of interesting information

http://globalwomenscrafts.blogspot.com

Karen has a big heart which is obvious when you read her blog

Lucky us, she is volunteerting to work with the Aba House kids

http://janeingramallenart.blogspot.com

Jane is a well know paper maker who travels the world making paper from indigenous plants. This blog is about the show she is organizing called ONE WORLD-MANY PAPER featuring paper artists from over 40 countries and Ghana is represented by the Aba House kids

and the rendition of Aba House which you see above is by Evans, one of our regulars. It will become part of a wall hanging which is being co-ordinated by our volunteer Leslie.

Aba House

2009-02-07T13:23:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of Aba House. What you don't see is the ocean across the street, the goats in the back and our neighbor Mr. Hummer. I call him Mr. Hummer because he has one parked in his yard right next to us.

Talk about cross cultural....here we are in our mud house which is based on indgenous African architecture teaching visitors about traditional culture and there he is. Well, he lets us use his swimming pool, so we'll leave it at that.

Aba House has 8 guest rooms with attached bathrooms. The rest of the house was designed with open areas for exhibitions, classes, workshops and outside, which is where we do most of our creating has alot more space.

In the photo you see sugar cane growing and that is what we use to make our paper. Most people, when they hear that, smell the paper. No it doesn't smell sweet, but it's sweet to look at!

And do you see the crocodile? He and several that you can't see protect us and were made by a young local artist who, wonderously, has never seen a real one.

James is self taught and when asked where he gets his inspiration, he says "I saw it in a dream."

If you come to Aba House, you will meet James, the crocodiles and I'll even introduce you to Mr. Hummer.

African textile workshop

2009-02-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, in Ewe villages of Ghana, women would save a small piece of each piece of cloth that they bought and add it to a patchwork. For those with alot of cloth this was a public display of wealth.

The culture of African cloth is so fascinating that we offer a workshop each summer where participants can learn textile techniques from African artisans, visit museum and galleries, cloth markets and villages.

African textile workshop in Ghana

August 2- 15, 2009

Workshops and accommodations are at Aba House, a building based on indigenous African architecture located in a fishing village across the street from the ocean. Attending will give the unique opportunity of interacting with Ghanaians on a personal level.

You can download a brochure at http://www.culturalcollaborative.org

or contact aba@culturalcollaborative.org

The new year

2009-01-26T06:36:00.000-08:00

In typical African fashion we are bit late with our first blog of the new year. It's our goal to get one out each month.....I am in awe of people who manage to write one everyday!
Ghana has a new president, John Atta Mills, and America has a new president, Barack Obama. Last year when President Bush came to Ghana, I asked a Ghanaian why he thought that he had come and the Ghanaian said, "I think that he's selling mosquito nets." Let's hope that when President Obama visits the expectations are higher.

The Aba House kids are participating in One World-Many Papers, an exhibit being assembled in Tawain and traveling around the world until the end of 2010. It will open at the Distillary Gallery in Boston, MA USA on April 3,2009.
The exhibit is a map of the world made up of handmade paper from 42 countries. The Aba House kids were asks to represent Ghana and are the only children in the exhibit. As always, we are very proud of them.

Aba will participate in a conference, also to be held in Boston, entitled "International Opportunities in the Arts" to take place April 3-5,2009.

We have put together a teachers kit ( grades 1-3) that contains everything needed to teach a unit on Ghana. The feedback from teachers using them has been positive. Among other things the kit contains a DVD of various craftspeople working in Ghana and a DVD of Ghanaian music. If interested, contact us and we'll send more information.

For a fun diversion go to http://www.adinkragame.com/ and pass the cursor over the symbols.
And if you want to buy adinkra stamps, we'd be happy to sell them to you.

As always, we will be working with the Aba House children this coming summer and have several volunteers to teach papermaking, bookbinding and other creative skills. We are looking for a volunteer to teach computer skills. Aba House has 6 donated computers and many, many children who'd like to learn how to use them. Know any geeks who'd like to summer in an African fishing village?

And we'll end with a poem by GOETHE:

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genious, power and magic in it.
Begin it now.

aba@culturalcollaborative.org

Gallery opening

2008-11-07T08:32:00.000-08:00

The Aba House kids had a show of their work at the Phoenix Gallery in NYC.
We have posted a few photos of the opening at http://picasaweb.google.com/abatours
We'd like to thank everyone who joined us for the opening.

If you couldn't attend, but would like to make a purchase, please go to http://culturalcollaborative.ecarter.com

All proceeds from sales are used to pay school related expenses for the Aba House kids in Ghana.

Recycle Ghana

2008-10-12T07:55:00.000-07:00

We are happy to announce RECYCLE GHANA at the Phoenix Gallery in New York City.

The Aba House children worked all summer to prepare for this exhibition. Although they will not be there in person, they will be there in spirit.
On view will be examples of paper made from sugar cane leaves, adinkra stamping,books, cards, holiday ornaments and much more.
All profits from sales are used to pay school related expenses.

I will be at the opening on Nov. 1 from 6-8 p.m. and would happy to meet you, so if you're in the NYC area, please stop by.

Phoenix Gallery
210 11th Ave. at 25th St.
NYC

Oct. 29-Nov.22, 2008

Summer newsletter 2008

2008-09-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

As I write this President Kufour is receiving a 21 gun salute in Washington, DC. Last Feb. his friend George Bush visited Ghana. I was in Ghana then and am in the States now. I wonder if they're timing thier visits with mine.

Aba House is quiet now. In July we had a full house of tourists, teachers, artists and assorted visitors. One of our visitors was a BBC reporter who was impressed with our program. Another visitor, a teacher, wrote a blog: surdnaghana.blogspot.com

In August our volunteer from Australia returned and we got down to some serious book and papermaking. We also had a volunteer from Swarthmore College help for a few weeks.
The Aba House kids came everyday, a few very early to sweep the yard. Dividing into groups, more or less by age, they made tons of paper, blank books, calendars, diaries and greeting cards.
The kids are always enthusiastic, but the incentive this time was preparing for their first NYC show. They are very proud of themselves and rightly so.
The show will be at the Phoenix Gallery in November, 2008. We are working on an invitation and will be sending it soon. If you're in the NY area, please come and say hello.

One of our volunteers will be selling our books in Hawaii next month at the Friends of Dard Hunter Conference.

We have been invited to participate in a world wide paper map to be assembled in Taiwan. There are 30 countries represented. Guess which one we represent....I'll write more about this project in a followup post.

We had a very generous donation of 3 computers, so in our next session we'll do some creative writing and illustrating.

There are times when I scratch my mind, as a Ghanaian once said to me, about customs in Ghana. There really is no rhyme or reason to some of them. Now a Ghanaian has writen a book that doesn't necessarily explain them, but it makes for amusing reading. The book is "The Imported Ghanaian" and her blog is http://tigb.blogspot.com

We are working on our plans for 2009, so be in touch if you want to come to Ghana. We are also considering a trip to FESPAC, a film festival in Burkina Faso at the end of Feb. Interested?

We like to hear from people and are always open to collaborations.

I'll close for now with my favorite quote: Trust in God, but tie your camel well.

Aba

Bolgatanga

2008-07-03T03:45:00.000-07:00

Bolgatanga is in Northern Ghana very close to the border with Burkina Faso.
The beautiful melon shaped baskets seen all over are called Bolga baskets and ,you guessed it, are made in Bolgatanga.

We are selling a DVD of the baskets being made in a womans cooperative. The DVD also shows music and dance from Bolga. This is the area that is known for the unique designs painted on mud houses and the woman work surrounded by these inspiring motifs.

The cost of the DVD is $18.00 ( this includes shipping in the USA) and can be ordered from aba@culturalcollaborative.org
Proceeds from sales are given to the basketmakers.

You can read about the women at www.africancraft.com on the "craftsmen page". Look for Sherigu Atie-Taaba Woman's Association

Fundraising

2008-07-02T08:28:00.000-07:00

Not always the most fun part of the job, it's necessary. We did have fun and great success at one of our fundraisers. Go to www.rainydaymagazine.com and find the archives for May 25.

On a Friday in June , the shop called Ten Thousand Villages in Brookline, MA made us their non-profit de jour and donated 15% of sales to us during a 4 hour period in the afternoon.

We have also had in kind donations of a camera, 2 computers, a printer and household items.
We might just get everything to Ghana because our volunteers are each taking a suitcase for us.

We've also had a solar cooker donated and will use it this summer to cook the sugarcane leaves for the bookmaking. Reports on that will be in our next newsletter.

Buying shoes

2008-06-30T08:43:00.000-07:00

We had some money left over from a donation and asked the kids how we should spend it. They all wanted shoes. Buying shoes in Ghana, like everything else there, is a challenging experience.
But in the end, everyone was happy. One of the 7 year olds skipped out of the yard with his new shoes and said, "I'm going to sleep with them under my pillow."

more about beads

2008-06-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

There is definately an interest in Krobo beads.

The June 2008 issue of BEADSTYLE MAGAZINE has a project that is done with recycled glass buttons - by the way, they mention Cross Cultural Collaborative.

And if you want to see a picture of Cedi, the beadmaker, and a brief bio, go to:
www.bullseyeglass.com/glassforlife

And if you get the urge to buy Krobo beads or buttons, we can sell them to you!

A teacher's kit for Ghana

2008-05-26T06:13:00.000-07:00

This kit has been put together by Marcy Prager, a second grade teacher in Brookline, MA and Ellie Schimelman, an artist, teacher and the director of Cross Cultural Collaborative.

It is appropriate for grades 1, 2, and 3 and helps teachers focus on on the importance of Ghanaian culture.

It contains a powerpoint presentation and movies that are learning tools about Ghana, plus many Ghanaian "artifacts".

Price is $210.00 (includes shipping in the US)

contact: marcyprager@mac.com

2008-05-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

COME WITH US TO GHANA

APRIL 17 - MAY 1,2009

Limited to 12 participants, this tour is for bead enthusiasts and people interested in African drum and dance. There will be opportunities to observe and participate in traditional drum and dance and there will be a unique opportunity to attend the DIPO*

Airfare from Boston, MA is included in the price . We will meet at Logan airport on April 17 and fly to Ghana together. If it's more convenient for you to fly from someplace else, we can work something out.

We will stay in a fishing village at Aba House across the street from the ocean. Activities will include a visit to Pa Joe's workshop where amazing coffins are made in the shape of fish, cars, planes, pineapples....the list goes on. Pa Joe is featured in the book "Going into Darkness."
There will be adinkra, tie and dye and batik workshops for those interested and also drum and dance workshops and performances.

A trip into Accra to a large outdoor market to buy cloth and then to the seamstress or The Annointed One (our tailor) to have an outfit made. You'll find that you dance better when dressed for the part.
There will also be visits to the National Museum, Nkrumah Mausoleum and galleries.

We will drive to Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region to visit important sites and then to surrounding crafts villages to see demonstrations of wood carving, Kente weaving and adinkra stamping...and of course there will be time to buy from the artisans. No middle men here.

* The high point of this tour will be in Odumse Krobo. The Krobo are famous for their recycled glass beads and we will go to the bead market and then to Cedi's** workshop to see how the beads are made and then......(drum roll) we attend the DIPO ceremony. This is a coming of age ceremony for Krobo girls who are draped in the family beads. Very few outsiders have the privilege of observing this ceremony.

** Cedi is represented in almost every book that mentions Krobo beads. You can read a bit about him at bullseyeglass,com/glassforlife
where he is featured in one of their ads.

Before leaving Ghana we will meet a 95 year old Krobo woman who can tell us about the history of the beads and we will meet with the Chief of Nungua (the fishing village where we stay). Both of these people are fascinating and talking to them gives us an insight into Ghanaian culture.

In Ghana , sometimes the sponstaneous occassions are the best. Maybe we'll happen upon a traditional funeral where the drumming and dancing are mesmerizing or we'll be there when the fishermen pull in their catch.

COST: $ 2699.00 (based on 12 participants)

INCLUDES: airfare from Boston, MA - airport transfer in Ghana - accommodations based on double occupancy - some meals - one bottled water a day - van - driver - guide - fuel - entrance fees - workshops fees
NOT INCLUDED: all lunches - 4 dinners and 3 breakfasts - tips

DUE ON OR BEFORE SEPT. 30 : $1900.00 BALANCE DUE: ON OR BEFORE MARCH 1

When deposit is recieved information will be sent about how to prepare for your trip. In the meantime if you have any questions please contact: aba@culturalcollaborative,org

This tour is being offered by Cross Cultural Collaborative, Inc, which has been introducing people to Ghanaian culture for over 20 years.

*************WE PROMISE THAT THIS WILL BE A MEMORABLE JOURNEY ***********

Ghana beads

2008-04-23T12:44:00.000-07:00

Odumase is the name for a large tree with spreadout branches where founders of Ghanaian cities liked to establish themselves. It would become a central gathering place and provide shade.
Odumase Krobo is a town in the Central Region known for its glass beads. Mention Krobo beads to a collector and they get excited!

The beads are traditionally made by men, although there are a few women beadmakers, and they are collected by women. Krobo women are very serious about their beads. They believe that if they sell one from their collection, they will experience bad luck. The beads are passed down to their daughters.

All of the beads have names. There is a large round bead called a BODOM- my dog was named bodom. In Twi, bodom means bark as in woof-woof and this bead "barks".It calls attention to itself.

The beads are made from powdered glass and look deceptively easy to make, but to be considered a master one must apprentice for at least three years.

Ghana is known for its festivals. The Krobo have two. In early Oct. they make a pilgrinage to the top of Krobo mountain. The Krobo lived on the mountain until the conquering British made them come down so they could be more easily monitored.
And in April/May the Krobo celebrate Dipo, a female coming of age ceremony. Young girls are draped in beads from the family collection or sometimes they are rented.

Cross Cultural Collaborative arranges anything that you want to do in Ghana and one of our most popular offerings centers around Krobo beads.

We can take you to Odumase Krobo
We can take you to the beadmarket
We can arrange visits and/or lessons at beadmakers workshops
We can take you to Dipo
Do you know who the most famous Krobo beadmaker is? We can introduce you to him

Not ready to go to Ghana yet? OK

Go to the VIDEO page at http://www.culturalcollaborative.org/ and look at some clips of beadmaking

Go to http://www.africancraft.com/
under CRAFTSPEOPLE look for Nomada Ebinezer Djaba
under SHOPS go to ABA'S SHOP and buy some beads
while you're still on the site, read the GHANA entry under country profiles to find out more about this crafts-centric country

any questions? aba@culturalcollaborative.org

P.S. "Janeen St. Louis" what's your email address?

PAPERMAKING VOLUNTEER

2008-04-17T05:29:00.000-07:00

Kathy Kwosika was our volunteer papermaker in Feb./March and this is a comment from her:

5 WEEKS IN GHANA: Aba House has been a fantastic experience of life in Ghana/Nungua-style.
Aba has created a wonderful vision and a creative center that connects Ghanaians with people from all around the world. During my 5 week stay I worked with local children as well as with Aba, Ruth, Leslie and Talk True. Together we made lots of beautiful paper, primarily from the leaves of the sugarcane plant, which was growing right in the front yard!

I also learned about adinkra stamp printing from David, a visiting adinkra artist. We watched the children print out papers using the warm, thick traditional brown/black ink and the ancient symbols carved into pieces of calabash.

Our papers were then used by some of the children to make beautiful handmade books. Sales of these books support the purchase of shoes and school supplies for the children who worked on this project at Aba House. Shoe shopping was an amazing experience for these Western eyes to behold, but the children beamed with pride when their shoes were finally selected.

Another fiber experience will take place this coming rainy season when Talk True plants the kenaf seeds brought to us by Kwesi Segu early in my stay at Aba House. I'm anxious to hear how this fiber works for Aba House papermaking once these plants are harvested.

Cheers to the ongoing creativity and dedication of all who live and work at Aba House!

Feb./March Newsletter

2008-04-16T10:26:00.000-07:00

I'm often asked why I go to Ghana or why, given all the challenges, I continue to go. Perhaps I'm stubborn or perhaps I like to beat the odds. There were plenty of odds this trip.
I delayed our program until the African Cup was almost over as I knew our yard would be empty during the matches. I did arrive in time to see Ghana take third place. Football ( soccer) fever had penetrated and Aba House kids practiced and practiced. I must say some of them are pretty good.

Some of our senior secondary kids had to study for exams. Then, because school was in session, we had some kids in the morning and some in the afternoon. Every two weeks they switch schedules, so we would wait each morning to see who appeared.

President Bush arrived, not at Aba House, but pretty close at a hotel down the street. The traffic on an already congested road came to a standstill. The joke among the Ghanaians was that instead of the elephant going to the bush...the Bush came to the elephant. (the mascot of the ruling party in Ghana is an elephant)

We are located in the village of Nungua. The name Nungua is a corruption of the local words for sweet or fresh water. So here we were in Nungua where our greatest challenge was... no running water. I wonder what the local word for ironic is. Last year we had no electricity. This year we had electricity, but no water. At a trade fair I met someone who is on the water commission. Turns out he's our neighbor. He promised to come see what he could do for us. Anyone who's been to Ghana knows the end of that story....

Making paper involves lots of water. While we were sitting there trying to figure it out, someone said, "we're right next to the ocean." hmmm.... down to the ocean to rinse our pulp. Back at Aba House just a little fresh water to rinse out the salt. Al Gore would have been proud of us!

Did I mention the heat? Most days 95 degrees with equal humidity. The chickens were digging holes and lying in them to cool off. Three of our neighbors goats disappeared from view..next day he had a barbeque. In deference to all of the vegetarians at Aba House he dispatched the goats in the middle of the night. Guess he thought that we couldn't count. Last animal story: something got into our yard late at night and had a chicken dinner two nights in a row. Unfortunately the rooster survived.

We need caustic soda, so off to Accra to Makola market. Nobody knows where the caustic soda is until we found a man who led us here and there and finally into a dank, dark cavern. Maybe it was a shop. It was too dark to tell the difference. Down some corridors, past bodies on the floor and into a corner where, miraculously, a woman sold us caustic soda...maybe. Maybe it was lye. Whatever it was, it worked, and we got down to some serious papermaking.

After much experimenting, we have chosen sugarcane leaves to make our paper. The paper is sturdy, a nice yellowish/brown, easy to cook and it grows at Aba House. Since nothing goes to waste in Ghana, I was not surprised to find that the leaves, when cooked, are taken to reduce fever- alcohol is made from the plant - women use the waste from the plant as fuel to smoke fish - the plant itself tastes good and sweet. Even snakes gravitate to sugar cane. And I recently came across paper plates made from sugar cane waste.

Sgar cane is not indigenous to Ghana. It probably originated in India and went West to become the main plantation crop of the West Indies.

Now we are bringing it to the States in the form of books made by the Aba House kids. We sell the books and use the proceeds to buy the kids school supplies, uniforms, shoes, etc.
How sweet is that!

The kids also had watercolor lessons from a local artist - computer time to write creative stories and opportunities to create drawings for our new line of greeting cards.
They are looking forward to the summer and new volunteers to work with them.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN US THIS SUMMER CONTACT ABA.
aba@culturalcollaborative.org