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On the coast- Shama
by Adrienne Clay - adrienneclay@yahoo.com : Traveling in Africa- Ghana
SHAMA, GHANA
Shama is a little coastal town about half an hour west of Cape Coast. We stopped there for about three days in between Cape Coast and our trip inland to busy busy Kumasi. When we asked the bus driver to let us off at Shama junction, everyone laughed. I mean, EVERYone on the bus, LAUGHED!....so in a way we were a little....curious, but not deterred. I have not yet figured out the laughter, but Shama was wonderful.

From the minute we got off the bus, it was clear that not many obrunis come through there (Obruni, or just bruni, literally means "white" but is also used to mean "foreigner." It kinda becomes your default name, especially when in the small towns and villages. Everywhere you go, "Bruni! You are welcome! Bruni! How are you?!")

CELEBRITIES IN THE VILLAGE
Anyhow, we stayed in the (only) Shama Hotel, and news spread quickly that we were there. We soon had a small parade of kids and other folks out to greet us. We couldn't walk down the street without stopping to talk to someone every few yards. It is extraordinary how open everyone is. Though they speak Fanti Twi in Shama, it is similar to the Asante Twi I know, and it always brought a tremendous response from the locals when I could engage them in a native language. Ti Ti ball (ping pong) is really big in Shama, and Chris made a huge hit playing with the kids at the makeshift tables all over the village. You could hardly see the table for the sea of spectators gathered around. I played a little Kasa (fooz ball) myself, and scored a goal, I'm happy to report).

NAME CHANGES
We were kind of adopted by a guy our age named Joseph and his adorable little brother John. It's funny to see the village respond, as Chris and I walk around introducing ourselves as Akos and Kwabena. (Akosua, the Asante name for a Sunday-born girl, was given to me by one of the families I lived with before; Kwabena is the name for a Tuesday-born boy). Anyhow, Akos and Kwabena bruni keep meeting "Steve" and "Barbara," as the Ghanaians usually give us their "school" or "christian" names. Rather funny, really.

On our second day we went with Joseph and John to find one of the local boatsmen to ferry us across the river to the next village (the river Pra flows into the ocean at Shama). This is a major fishing area, and every village has many many huge sea-worthy canoes--each hollowed out of a single tree and painted in glorious colors, covered with all kinds of phrases, flags, and symbols--and then some smaller canoes they take in calmer waters. We got in a smaller one for a 20 minute or so trip up and across the river. Everything is covered in palm groves and thick, marshy, tropical flowers. It is soooo moist and everything smells-- not bad per se, just like mushy, organic STUFF.

We arrived at the next village as the villagers were pulling in the fishing nets.Scores of people were out on the beach, grabbing hold of one of the various ropes and hauling, all to the rhythm of some bells that 2 men were playing as everyone sang. Sang and pulled, and moved in unison like a dance. It was really amazing to see. We helped pull for a while, and sat on the beach to watch and listen. All in all it took well over an hour, and when the huge net finally came ashore full of fish there was an instant market on the beach.
Women selling mangoes, bananas, bread and other things, and the men selling the fish right out of the nets. After eating the yummiest mangoes ever and walking for a ways on the beach, we headed back for the canoe to Shama. Joseph had bought a big bag full of shrimp and all kinds of fish and invited us to dinner at his place. He cooked up a big, hot & spicy fish stew outside over a fire which we ate with Kenkey, a sour-ish corn mash. It was delicious. Unfortunately they don't bother to shell the shrimp or de-bone the little fishes, so it was pretty crunchy too!

LOCAL SPORTING EVENTS
Another Shama highlight was seeing 2 soccer games on the town's (mostly dirt) field. Occasionally the game had to be paused to chase the goats off the field, but other than that it was spectacular. The first game especially, which was between Shama and another village. With slick uniforms and truly amazing playing ability, the town got into it like it was the World Cup. The next day we saw a match between 2 Shama teams that was more low-key. Still amazing however, as many of the players were barefoot and still could really work the ball & run the field.

We had dinner with Joseph and John again the next night. Just porridge and bread this time (but we preferred that to crunchy fish-bone stew!)

Yesterday we arrived in Kumasi. This crazy city is a bit of a shock after such tranquil days on the coast. We are (a little) less of a spectacle here, however, which is nice. After a while all the attention in the village and the hoards of children who come to see & talk to you gets a little exhausting. It is loud and polluted here though, so in about 2 days we'll head north to Yeji and maybe Tamale before catching a boat down Volta Lake to the eastern region and finishing our loop back to Accra.

We've gotten word of a reggae concert in Accra which we may try to make if it fits in. It's pretty wonderful to be strolling in the village and hear Burning Spear or Peter Tosh coming out of the windows or the buses. aahhhh.....


With Joseph, little John, and their friend. Last night in Shama