Ahwiaa

Once we assimilate to the initial shock of poverty, overpopulation and the lack of a comprehensive sewage system, the genuine friendliness of this culture allures us. Smiles abound. – Ron Mitchell

I arrived. I shopped. I happily survived a bit of harassment.

Ahwiaa is a small town just outside of Kumasi. A stretch of the road is occupied by men selling handcrafted wood products. Within each booth, you will find generally the same types of items from drums to simple décor to jewelry to stools. It’s all beautiful! The sellers are slightly aggressive, but their intentions are simple. These guys are just trying to make money. However, it is a tad overwhelming having six or seven African woodcarving men follow you around and essentially beg you to look at their shops. Ultimately though, they really are friendly dudes. One man told me I was the first person to come to his shop that day, and this was at 5pm. Part of me was inclined to believe this might have been a sob story to get my money, but a bigger part of me actually believed the guy. When I gave him a few extra cedis beyond what he requested, his eyes lit up and nothing but gratitude washed over that man. Us foreigners really do make it or break it for these guys.

It’s nice stuff, and really, twenty cedis for an authentic African handcrafted good isn’t really that bad of a deal. On any given day at Pier 1 imports, I would be likely to pay forty to fifty dollars for a similar item. My grandfather was talented with woodcarving and crafts, my father is equally as talented, and my brother seems to also have acquired the skill of being handy, so I really appreciate the art of it all. After Ahwiaa, we walked down the road to Pankrono, which is well known for their pottery. Pottery goods, which are crafted with clay found on African roads. Can’t get much more authentic than that. A good day indeed.