Charles Taylor...

On the 5^th of March we visited Charles Taylor in Chuchuliga, a blind guitarist who has taken part in the Feok previously. We have heard a lot about Charles as he is very popular and well known within the Builsa district. He was incredibly welcoming and positive about the project and his involvement. Charles Taylor and his band partner sang us two songs with their homemade guitar and painted calabash, being used as a drum – they sang one song in English which went something along the lines of “it’s a happy day, call my friend, I want to speak to her, it’s a happy day”. He was an inspiring man who didn’t once mention his disability as a hindrance, only saying he would like to make an album to sell! Once we had interviewed him, he very generously gave us a chicken! Absolutely terrified about how to hold it at first, I began holding it like a baby, to our drivers’ amusement. We became quite attached to Charlie the Chicken as he fell asleep on my knee on the drive home. Once we were home, we were at a loss of what to do with Charlie! So naturally we gave him water and cornflakes and stuck him on the veranda (which he escaped from) luckily, Alpha male Festus managed to grab him just as he made a break for freedom over the compound wall. We fashioned a lead and let Charlie chill out for a few hours before the inevitable happened… we had a lovely chicken stew that night (poor Charlie!)

Music to my ears...

One of my favourite things about Ghana is the music. Anyone who knows me will tell you I love pre-2005 music, I sing it all the time and would live in the 90s for the rest of my life if the chance came about. Ghana constantly plays ‘the classics’ to any 90s born kid, I'm in musical heaven! We were treated to 7 songs IN A ROW by Miley Cyrus the other day on the radio, I appreciated this and I know my 13 year old cousin would have done too, even if no one else did! I mentioned in a previous post that our driver, Kwame has agreed to marry me even though he doesn’t know my name yet and just calls me “wife”, he called Will, Poppy the other day (the thought was there). Anyway, our relationship has now moved on to the next level – mix tapes!  Myself, Jenna and Tracy had a wonderful time picking some tunes that we thought Kwame would like to listen to while cruising around Sandema, not being able to settle for less than 60 top tunezzzz, Kwame received three jam packed full CDs.

We’re in a powerful position being able to predict what song might be big next in Ghana (I predict Steps as currently Barbie Girl is huge) however, this knowledge can come with its hardships. My heart broke a little bit upon seeing Festus’ face when we told him Westlife had broken up, on the upside they’re not due to break up for at least 7 years yet in Ghana. Westlife are held in the highest musical position here, they haven’t heard of The Beatles but Westlife are HUGE. It was rumoured that when One Direction visited Accra they just kept getting asked if they were the Gods, Westlife. Here is a selection of some of our top picks from the Kwame compilation –

1)      Westlife – World of our own

2)      B*Witched – Blame it on the weatherman

3)      R Kelly – I believe I can fly

4)      Robbie Williams – Let me entertain you

5)      Justin Bieber – Baby (the acoustic version – of course)

6)      Spice Girls – 2 become 1

7)      Taylor Swift – You belong with me

8)      Beyonce – Love on top

9)      Elvis Presley – Love me tender

10)   Lighthouse Family – High

As you can see, Ghanain’s love two things when it comes to music; cheese and love (we threw Robbie in there for good measure), I will be posting Kwame’s verdicts as soon as possible…! People constantly seem impressed with my lyrical knowledge not realising how many years I’ve had to learn the lyrics to these songs that are so new to Ghana. I think Will doing Ken’s bit in Barbie Girl sent them over the edge, it was just too perfect. Our taxi driver Joe is into slightly different music, think 50 Cent, G Unit, Shaggy and Eminem, did I mention I went through a phase of LOVING rap music? It just keeps getting better and better for me doesn’t it? This music can create a slightly awkward watching a sex scene with your parents atmosphere with its explicit content but who doesn’t enjoy cruising to a small northern village in Ghana to Shaggy’s “7 Days”? I know Team Sandema does.

 In short, I love Ghana, it allows me and Jenna to sing J Lo & LL Cool J’s “All I have” every day and be completely ahead of the music times, “your pride is what you had, baby girl I'm what you have…”

- Poppy