Important Reflections and an Ode to the Coaster - Ghana Day 9

Today’s activity was not of the particularly delightful sort, but incredibly important nevertheless. There is a strong emphasis this week on reflecting on the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and its present-day impacts, both in American and Ghanaian society. In preparation for our visit to the former slave fortress at Cape Coast later this week, we made a visit to the Nkyinkyim Museum, Ghana's first and only open-air museum established in a rural area east of Accra. For all intents and purposes, the museum is more of an art installation open for visitors interested in learning about the story being told through the art. The two hour bus ride, though arduous at times, was good preparation for the longer day trips planned for the coming days. Our time in the ol’ Coaster (our bus) is certainly memorable — more on this later. On arrival to the 120 acre property upon which the Nkyinkyim Museum resides, one can sense a slightly sober aire to the place. The people greeting us were by no means sad, dejected, or loathing their work; rather, they understand the gravity of the stories they tell. The Nkyinkyim Museum was founded just a few years ago by a young, entrepreneurial artist who inherited both the land and the resources to undertake the installation. Since then it has grown to fifteen full-time artists and nearly thirty part-timers, along with a full suite of support staff. The main installation, which I will attempt to describe later, is an ongoing process requiring many labor hours, thus the need for more artists — especially female artists — is great.

Our guide was one of the artists himself, clearly demonstrating that the museum places a premium on the overarching story and underlying complexities of the work. One of the first installations we visited was a well-manicured and methodically planted grove. The installation, titled “Goat Civilization” depicted a number of wire and metal goat statues scattered throughout the grove, some of which were perched on branches in the trees. These perched goats are regarded as leaders or important members of the society, responsible for the well-being of the whole. However, some goats were depicted as having ventured from the grove, climbing (or attempting to climb) nearby buildings. These goats represent the next generation, the ones who were able to climb higher and see further than their predecessors. From their vantage point, they see their civilization spread before them and are called to gratitude for those who came before. Our artist guide described this installation as an analogy for modern-day Ghana, where the next generation is venturing further from home to climb higher than ever, allowing for new perspective and renewed gratitude for the generations that paved the way.

The founding installation was most important and most sobering. Our guide led us to the museum’s “Holy Ground” - a plot of land with a group of baobab trees near the back of the property - consecrated by the artists as a place of remembrance for past generations that were taken from their homes during the height of the Transatlantic Slave trade. Upon reaching the grounds, our guide stopped, removed his shoes, and prepared for our entry by calling out the ancestors in native tongue three times. On the ground spread before us were the sculpted statues — about 3,500 in total — representing the countless ancestors taken from their homeland. Each of these statues, showing the head and shoulders of the individual, is uniquely sculpted by hand to depict individuals throughout the African Diaspora. The artists at the museum make new sculptures in groups of 11, 111, or 1,111 to symbolize unity and strength. We observed some of the sculpted heads semi-submerged in a pond to represent the thousands of people who died during the Transatlantic voyage. As we processed the exhibit and asked questions about its creation and some of the stories behind the individual sculptures, our artist guide walked through the various objects and rituals that bore significant meaning to the sculptures themselves and the ancestors they represent.  An example of this being the empty bottles of alcohol left after the libations ceremony, in which blessings and gratitude were poured out for the ancestors. As a whole, the museum provided the space and opportunity for each of us to reflect on how past atrocities still impact our respective societies today, and how the perspective of the current generation of Ghanaian story-tellers ensures the memory of their ancestors is never forgotten.

After lunch, we set out to return to the city. Today is a holiday, marking the swearing-in of government officials and politicians for the coming year, which means that we weren't the only people trying to get back into Accra at the end of the day. Within minutes of motoring down the main two-lane highway back into Accra, we hit traffic worse than Minneapolis-St. Paul has seen in years. The realization that our 2 hour journey would quickly be turning into 3 hours our more quickly set in, giving me time to reflect on, well, my immediate surroundings. It occurred to me that every blog contributor before me has most certainly talked about our destinations, site visits etcetera, but I seriously doubt anyone has given our trusty mode of transport the consideration and work that it deserves. So on a lighter note, here goes: an ode to "The Coaster". 

The Toyota Coaster bus has a reputation around the world of being the preferred mode of transport for tourist, travelers, adventures, and explorers alike. I would wager that countless people have seen more of the world through the window of a Coaster bus than just about any other mode of automotive transportation. Our reliable blue and white friend (actual age unknown, but I’m guessing from the mid-‘90) is not only the best way to experience the sights and sounds of real life here in Ghana, but also acts as the preferred source of air condition for those of us with unpredictable ceiling fans. With a stout Diesel engine and a slightly-disconcerting 5-speed, this bus is more than capable of handling any road surface or condition you can throw at it. Smooth highway miles? Check. Discombobulating city streets? Check. Back roads that would make the lunar rover quiver?  Piece of cake for our trusty companion. The Coaster impresses time and time again, overshadowed only by the driver's unbelievable ability to get us out of any — and I mean ANY — sticky situation, entirely unfazed. So here’s to the adventures in the days to come, and the bus rides it’ll take to get there.

Tomorrow, expect a recap of our time visiting a design thinking educational program for university students. Until then, I’ll continue enjoying the 90 degrees and sunshine for you. 

- Nick