A Year Later, Chale

High Street abuzz with obrunis and bibinis.

This past weekend the family went for a little street art at the Chale Wote festival in James Town, one of the oldest parts of Accra. The whole family piled in and brought friends with them - apparently Mr. and Mrs. O have the reputation of being somewhat adventurous and pathfinding for the expat set.

Some of the pop-up murals produced during the weekend.

The festival did not disappoint: it is put on for Ghanaians, by Ghanaians and shows not only the rich heritage and culture of the Ga people (Accra's original inhabitants) but also the creativity and forward thinking artistry that exists in the city. Visitors were treated to art installation after art installation on the theme of Death: An Eternal Dream Into Limitless Rebirth. From colourful murals to funeral processions, the festival was a feast for the eyes.

Why yes, that is a wall of sewage on the cliffside.

Also, as a slum, James Town is also a feast for the nose: sanitation is a massive problem in the area and some of the wayward detritus washing up on Ghana's beaches originates from this part of town. Newly-arrived friends were quite taken aback by the smells, but after being in Accra for such a long time, the family is so much at home that they have simply stopped noticing when it gets funky. 

In any case, a short visit to see friends producing artistic Bolga baskets turned into a day exploring the area and taking in the experience. Part of that experience was Little Miss getting regularly mobbed by James Town children (and sometimes adults) who were constantly touching her skin and hair. It is unclear what they expected, but perhaps there could be a Touch The Obruni installation next year? Little Miss, although quite shy, was a good sport and did have fun playing with Ghanaians when not overwhelmed. Kids, of course, can be kids.

Funeral procession of plastic waste.

Little Miss makes a friend.

If any of this rings any bells to readers, this is indeed not the first time that the family has been to this annual festival. In fact, last weekend was their one-year anniversary in Ghana.

In addition to not noticing the smells and minding the mobs of children, Mr. and Mrs. O have noticed that they have indeed been feeling "at home" lately. Things have become routine, but never dull. While the travel has slowed down somewhat, going out at night with friends is a more common occurrence and they are starting to know "the scene" in Accra. Mr. O was particularly excited in the run-up to Chale Wote, knowing some of the artists and anticipating the excitement of the festival. If all goes well, the family might even be around for Chale Wote 2015 - and is already counting the days.

Flamenco dancing.

Bolga Baskets reimagined.

"Social Reality" by Ibrahim Mahama

Life and Death in full colour.

Baba the Kebab Guy

Where the magic happens.

Down the street from Mr. and Mrs. O's residence is a cluster of stalls catering to a mix of construction workers, students, day-laborers and the more adventurous expats. Some are like mini-convenience stores, whilst others sell the usual local staples of fufu, banku and tilapia. Some are semi-permanent metal and wooden structures while others are basically a folded table and an umbrella, coming down at night and avoiding any messy taxation issues - namely, the propensity of vendors to not pay them - and ensuing demolitions by the Accra Metropolitan Authority, which can be quite devastating for a micro-entrepreneur.

One business of note is Baba the Kebab Guy. Baba hails from Bolgatanga in the Upper East and has brought his specialty down south wih him. For reasons that perplex obrunis, kebab vendors are fairly scarce in Accra - but a great kebab is good any time of the day. For 50 cents, one can get a stick of beef or sausage, coated in suya spice and with a bit of onion and green pepper for flavour. So if Baba is not sold out by the time Mr. O returns from work, everyone gets a nice snack, with some fried yam or sweet potato from the lady the next stall over. The combo is fantastic.

Baba is no friend of The Man.

As you can see from the crude red paint on his sign, Baba is not a diligent taxpayer in the eyes of the AMA. Part of this is due to the byzantine bureaucratic structure for small business owners to follow and part of this is him trying to stretch his limited cedis in a city of inflated costs.

Legal troubles aside, one expects that Baba will be selling his kebabs for a long time to come.

If you are asking, yes, Baba will cater your party. A spicy beef kebab pairs well with a frosty Club lager, which will set you back about $2. And he apparently will cook goat or guinea fowl by request. Order today!

A Brief Musical Interlude

As much as Mr. and Mrs. O would like to identify with it, they are most definitely a step removed from the average Accra resident, for whom life is not all manicured gardens, pool parties and weekends at the beach. But for those who would like a colourful window into the everyday hustle of Ghanaian life (accompanied by an infectious beat and impeccable flow), have a listen to "Someway Bi" by M.anifest. If Accra had a theme song, this would be it.

(One day, there will need to be a proper introduction to dear readers to the rich musical history of Ghana. In the meantime, enjoy.)