The Ceremonies

...I will just have to post pictures somewhere...

So when we get to the Nana's palace (the 2nd floor of the big house is especially palatial)...I roll with out NGO buddies as the Nana now rides in AMB car into town.
Then we get out and start walking about the town with Nana (and about 50 of her closest friends?)

We come upon a group of people - assembled like a marching band, but wearing their everyday clothes. To me it looked like an image of a New Orleans funeral procession (minus the outfits). Trumpet-weilding men in tee shirts, jeans, and flip-flops are at the front. Immediately behind us formed up 4 drummers. The beats were LIVE.
First was a ribbon-cutting at a public "conveniences" project (conveniences = idiom for toilets).
Then, drumming procession rolls to the future home of the "Not So Busy Internet Cafe."

Then we go to the district hall. The drummers move to the lead of the parade and we circle through each hall of the building, shaking hands with elders all along the way. I am holding my leather folder in one hand and the NGO woman's camera in the other - and make adjustments to free up my right hand for all the elaborate introductions.

As we come to the great hall - an open-air sitting area - we all rise as the king chief Danquah III takes his throne. And yes, it is a throne for real...with steps leading up to it and everything. His procession begins with an old man using a golden walking stick that has a sculpture of golden people at the top of it. Chiefs must keep their distance, so his throne is off to stage left while the Nana, Ambassador and NGO Chief sit stage center...right in front of the ground performance area.

Then comes the dancing.
Not like anything that I've seen on tv described as African dance. It was all in the arms and hands - very subtle moves to the beat. Some people started raising up the peace sign - putting two fingers in the air and then waving them in the direction of the dancer. It was amazing.
A royal offered traditional prayer, and he poored libations in memory of the ancestors.
There were lots of long speeches then. The Ambassador read mine with only one ad-lib (to reitrate some of what king Danquah said in his remarks). Then she is presented with gifts of cloth. After taking pictures with the gifts, I come forward to take them on her behalf, and then proceed after her and the Nana as we depart. From time to time I run ahead of the parade to snap some pictures for the NGO lady with her camera.

Hike to water fall
After all that, we still load up the cars once again....the parade of drumers and pedestrians following the cars....to go to what seems to me to be a random spot. We get out of the cars, and begin making a long trek downhill. I'm wearing dress shoes and start slipping and sliding at some points. The Nana sees me sweating and tells me to take off my jacket. I was VERY thankful for the permission - just too doggon hot for formality.
We finally make it down the long difficult hill and view a beautiful water fall to the right. Then comes about 30 minutes of photo-ops. We go on a little nature walk and see some beautiful green forest. It is so much more cool and wet in the hills than it is in Accra. Then comes a dance. Everyone is thrilled that the Ambassador is dancing. I take lots of pictures and dance myself.

Then comes late-lunch: Work
We retire again to the Nana's palace and start serious eating. What a spread! The Ambassador raises a toast to me and says "Its not bad travelling with the Ambassador is it Victor?!" I say "not bad at all ma'am" andreturn the cheers.
This is when the real work begins. After a few drinks, the Ambassador is peppering the Nana with questions. We learn a lot about some local political drama that will prove important for the whole Eastern region. Things will get interesting as we approach District Elections in August.
4pm
And then we begin the trek back to Accra to the AMB residence. The AMB briefs me a bit on what she learned, and I pull out my pad of paper to begin taking notes on follow-up assignments. I also have to to dos (what we call "taskers") for our Fourth of July Celebration.
On the way down, the driver puts on some smooth-jazz versions of Motown hits.
6:30pm
When I finally get home...it is time to call Audrey so we can go to John W's mom&dad's house for dinner. But, my land-line house phone doesn't work for some reason right when I need it. So I go to a neighbor friend's house to use the phone to call Audrey.
8:30p
After getting lost forever, I finally tell Audrey that I'll meet her at a landmark we both know - an international school. Then we begin the long ride to John's place. There is another huge spread of Ghanaian food there at their outdoor verandah dining place. We watch France beat Brazil (VIVRE LA FRANCE) and hear celebrations in the neighborhood as Ghanaians rejoice that the source of the Black Stars' defeat is out of the tournament.
Then we eat a very late dinner. Mr. W and I are the slowest eaters of the group...but we end up talking Ghanian politics until 11pm!! I learned so much at that dinner table - thanks John!!

Then we begin the long trip back to drop me off...whew what a day.