I’ve been neglecting this Tumblr since I lost my camera in Ghana over 7 months ago.  My retumblirement is officially over; I’m getting back in the game, starting with this picture I took in northern Tanzania last spring break.  It’s a photo of a 15 year old Massai Tanzanian wearing the traditional dress for his coming of age ceremony —Massai teens are circumcised at 15 years old and then, after months of bedrest, venture out into the Serengeti Plains with limited supplies and a spear to survive in small groups for 6 months.  Once they’ve returned to their village, they are considered men.  Traditionally, they had to slaughter a lion before returning home, but the Government deaded that tradition in the name of eco-tourism.  I’m strongly considering sending my future children to take part in this tradition —sans teenage circumcision and after their Bar/Bat Mitzvah, of course.

Ghanaian Funeral, Part 2

As night fell on the memorial service, the music and dancing began, fueled by a DJ on each block and a full band somewhere along the way.  By the end of the night, hundreds of people had come to celebrate; some toasting to a deceased man they had never met.  I never thought 6 hours at a funeral could be this fun.  This was a CELEBRATION of life in every sense of the word.

Last week, I had the opportunity to witness a Ghanaian funeral memorial service. It looked less like a funeral and more like the best 4th of July block party ever. Stacks of PA speakers acted as landmarks for the end of the road and the beginning of the celebration. Canvas tents covered the streets for blocks, shielding the assorted plastic tables and chairs from the Sub-Saharan sun.  There was an abundance of traditional ghanaian food and beer.

As is custom, we met and shook hands with the entire family of the deceased man, who were positioned off of the street in the backyard of an adjacent house.  We met the deceased’s mother, who was wearing all black and was mourning and visibly upset.  It’s always hard for a mother to bury her child, and this is emphasized as an especially grievous event in Ghanaian culture. That said, her mourning sentiments was an exception to the overall celebrative demeanor of the memorial.  

Makola Market in Accra

Some photos from the University of Ghana and Kwame Nkrumah’s final resting place

View of Accra from the University of Ghana.