Visit to the Kukoa at Gambaga
on Michael Cashman (Ghana), 08/May/2010 22:26, 34 days ago
We make a last-minute decision that this weekend we will visit theKukoa("witches' camp") atGambaga. This is mentioned in the GhanaBradtguide, and you can read more about it by Googling "KukoaGambaga". Also Canadian Maggie, who came to see us February 20th, wrote a great article in "The Advocate" in April after a visit to another kukoa out past Bimbilla (website for "The Advocate" - the development newspaper that Mar and Mark work on - is http://rumnet.wordpress.com and Ghana phone 0244-218898).A quick summary is that women are sent to thekukoaafter being used of witchcraft on a very arbitrary basis, e.g. illness or death of a child in the family. They are sent there for life. This 'imprisonment' has been challenged on humanitarian grounds, but when many of the women were 'freed' they refused to leave, as this has become their home.We often meet new people ontro-tros. This time it's Agnes, from Norway, working in an orphanage inNalerigu. We head east on a packedtro, but afterLangbinsithere is more room. Charlotte was sitting beside what you would call a window if there was any glass in it. It gets dusty and she swaps withFati. The part of the roof that's dangling is a little obtrusive. The seat in front of me tips forward rather readily, because although the seat is welded to the vehicle floor, that section of floor has broken off. The party is (left to right) Charlotte, Jacob,Mandina(who isMashood'sfriend),FatiandMashood. We're given a bench in the shade while waiting to see the chief. Thekukoais not separate fromGambagaas I had thought, but is right next to the rest of the town. Children as usual are delighted to see us.We meet and pay the chief. Apparently the traditional gift of cola nuts is not really wanted any more, and hard cash is preferred. We compromise with 5cedisin a handkerchief. This is supposed to benefit the women. However we give some more when we meet the women leaders of the "witches". They are very friendly and apparently happy people. I explain that we respect old people and recognise their wisdom - the women reply that they are happy to be alive. The stripy green shirt (see photo) is "South Africa 2010" so I  mime a little Ghana vs England football which is much appreciated.Our "tour" seems to end rather rapidly, so I ask about the cultivated front gardens that I have read about. We don't see these, but we do get more of a walk around thekukoa. The place seems very well organised, a working community. The yellow nuts aredawadawanuts - spread out on the ground to dry. Firewood is neatly stacked. The whole area is tidy and clean - more so than most communities that we have seen in Ghana. As we head back we see a blacksmith making ploughshares and a goat being skinned.Lunch inNaleriguisfufuor rice balls, made and eaten under a tree by the side of the road. I opt for 3 rice balls (10 pesewas each) and 2 pieces of meat (20 pesewas each), total 70 pesewas (or about 30 pence in UK currency). The meat is guinea-fowl - there is a cage of more guinea-fowl awaiting their turn.There is time for a look around the main square in Nalerigu and a drink in a local 'spot' (bar).Then we find another decrepit tro-tro for the bone-shaking journey back to Walewale. Some local children are fascinated to talk to us "Sulaminga how are you" while we wait for the tro to fill.Back in Walewale, look at the picture of the school (behind Charlotte in the photo, to the right of Mashood's Community Information Centre). The roof blow off in the storms of 22nd April (see blog entries April 22 and 30). Nothing has been done to fix it yet. The children will come back to school this week. The last time this classroom featured in this blog was December 16th when we taught each other a song in this room. We think that the children will be taught in the classrooms without a roof but be sent home when it rains - however they will have no protection from the sunThe view of the sky as we headed home.