Features
Summer picnics among Ghanaian migrants in Finland
Today, I focus on interactions among Ghanaian migrants here in Finland. One of the ways Ghanaian migrants here interact is through picnics organised during the summer period (one can say that summer months here are usually from June to September).
Recently, the Mfantseman Kuw in Finland organised a summer picnic in Helsinki. They invited many other groups, such as the Ghana Union Finland, the Asanteman Kuo, and other members of the Ghanaian community.
Ghanaian migrant groups in Finland, such as the main group, the Ghana Union Finland (GUF), and other smaller ethnic groups do organise similar events.
Members of such groups bring together all Ghanaian migrants in Finland and aimed at promoting cultural activities for better intercultural and multicultural understanding. They also strive to uphold the good image of Ghana abroad, and create avenues for Ghanaian migrants to come together and interact.
Ghanaian dishes served
In the picnic organised by the MfantsemanKuw, there were lots of food and soft drinks to enjoy. Usually at such picnics, jollof rice, rice and stew, waakye, Gakenkey (Nkrandokono), fried fish and shito (chilli sauce), fried yams and ripe plantain are all popular dishes served.
Equally popular are roasted or grilled chicken, beef and sausages, alongside soft drinks (including the Ghanaian-type of ginger drink).
Ghanaian folk games
Initially, the organisers had expected to compete in fun games and other activities, including tug-of-war football,ludo,ampe, draughts playing cards, and races for the children,but it rained intermittently that day and only a few activities were organised, including some traditional Ghanaian folk games.
Regarding to the folk games, we did “KyeKyeKule” moves, played “Ampe”, and performed “Anntoakyire”. The reason for these traditional Ghanaian games/play was two-fold, that’s to do physical exercises and keep physically active for good health as well as to show part of Ghana’s culture to the kids at the event and children who had been born here in Finland or who did not grow up in Ghana to have ever witnessed those Ghanaian physical activities.
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and enacting “KyeKyeKule”: It was similarly with the “Ampe” and the “Anntoakyire”.
Portraying Ghana’s culture to children born in Finland
I have written something about how Ghanaian migrants in Finland live and organise their lives in everyday practices within the Finnish society and culture.
Actually, while Ghanaian migrants in Finland make efforts to integrate into the society where they live (here in Finland), they also try to portray the culture of Ghana, their original country.
An example is the cooking and eating of certain kinds of food (or an improvisation from food combinations) that are deemed typically Ghanaian (or African). Aside the various dishes, the Ghanaian migrants in Finland also display Ghanaian culture during funeral events where people mostly wear Ghanaian funeral clothes and styles made with fabrics from Ghana.
Summer picnics and sociality
Some time ago, I wrote about how participants at a summer picnic organised by a Ghanaian association here in Helsinki allowed a group of Ghanaian migrants to be outdoored after the lockdown in Finland was eased.
It is obvious that the advantages of physical activities concern considerations of sedentary lifestyles and health. Lack of exercises can lead to cardiovascular problems, even among children, and especially those who are obese.
At the same time, we should also consider that picnics and the physical activities create social bonds or sociality. I must say that despite the fact that it rained intermittently that day, the picnic was very much enjoyable. Thank you!
By Perpetual Crentsil
Email: perpetualcrentsil@yahoo.com
THE typical itinerant salesman in Sikaman is a herbalist. He is normally a slim macho with the capacity to perambulate the expanse of area covering the triangle of Accra-Tema-Ashiaman. In short, he can walk a total of 60 miles a day, marketing a product that cures every disease, including poverty. 
The door-to-door herbal pharmacist advertises his product by word of mouth. He has nothing to do with the Food and Drugs Board (FDB). After all, his concoctions do not feature on FM stations.
Those herbalists who cannot walk to propagate the herbal gospel, liaise with drivers of mass transportation and their mates. They are, therefore, given the chance to sell their products on Benz buses that ply the routes.
Normally, the herbalist starts his sales message with a prayer and Bible study. He asks the passengers to bow down their heads in supplication to God the father, the son, the Holy Spirit.
When a herbalist asks the passengers to close their eyes and bow their heads, Moslems on board naturally feel offended. They feel that the herbalist has no right to assume that every passenger is a Christian. They think such an assumption is an affront to Islam.
So a Moslem on board will raise the hand for a point of order. He’ll remind the herbalist that it would be in his own interest to mind his language.
“Be careful the way you address people in a public place. Not every person here is a Christian,” he’d state assertively.
Of course, the herbalist will promptly ignore him, but would all the same “watch” his tongue. Who knows whether or not the Moslem brother is inspired by Quoranic zeal to defend the tenets of Islam to the hilt?
When he starts saying, “Wallahi!” and “Inshallah!” it could be the beginning of proclaiming Islam as supreme, a point which must be driven home with talibanic precision.
So the herbalist must tread carefully lest he steps on fire.
The herbalist could even add a measure of mirth to it all, by announcing that Christians on board today have very interesting company on the journey, but that should not detract from the business of the day.
The Moslem brother will weigh the words carefully and offer a wry smile.
He must be careful the occasion does not degenerate into the use of semantics and proverbial oration to deride his conviction that public utterances must be mindful of religious sensibilities. He has made his point very clear and expects that it is taken in good faith in the interest of a peaceful journey.
The herbalist will now open the New Testament and preach salvation, stating clearly that salvation can come only through Jesus Christ and NOBODY else.
The Moslem brother will now start twitching his moustache. The visible and almost revolutionary reflexes of his upper lip can be an indication that sentiments have begun superseding reason, and the outcome could well be tragic now shift uneasily in his seat.
The time has come for him to also express his right to the religion of his fore-bears. He’ll put his hand into his pocket and rise to his feet. The time has indeed come!
This article was first published on Saturday, September 9, 2006
When the cause of a particular problem like sickness, disease, sudden illness, a social issue etc. are not known, it stands to reason that resolving it becomes a huge challenge.
Citizens would understand the government when public announcements are made to the effect that government is trying to find a solution to the issue, even though it is taking a while for it to be resolved because citizens are rational beings.
On the other hand, if the solution to a particular issue is known to everybody but the government for whatever reason, is dragging its feet in resolving it, citizens become frustrated and begin to lose trust in their leaders.
One such issue is the heavy traffic along a section of the Kasoa – Odokor road. A short stretch of bad road between the traffic light at the Weija Government Hospital and the entrance to the entrance of the overhead that leads to the N1, is the cause of the problem but nothing is being done about it, day after day, week after week, month after month. Thus is clearly unacceptable.
Another issue that requires urgent attention is the lack of pavements along a lot of streets in parts of the various Municipal Assemblies. Exercise is a prerequisite for long life and healthy living and for those of us who it has become a way of life, this issue of people putting up structures right to the edge of the drains beside the roads, are making life difficult for us.
We are compelled to walk along the roads, putting our lives at serious risk. Pedestrians should never be compelled to compete with vehicles on our streets and roads. Roads and streets are made for vehicles and pavements are made for pedestrians. That is the norm. Any attempt to normalise a situation where pedestrians are mingling with vehicles is insanity.
It is the road regulations that makes it so and therefore district or municipal assemblies are to take responsibility and ensure that spaces for pavements are not encroached upon. Citizens have rights that must be protected by their leaders and making pavements available to pedestrians, is one of them.
When we hear of teachers having sex with students, it appears it is something recent. It is not a new phenomenon. It has been there since Adam. Perhaps this issue is getting much attention due to the proliferation of social media. It was an open secret in times past when Teachers were in relationships with female students and some married them immediately after completion of school.
Some teachers were also known to be having unholy interactions with female pupils but due to the times that these acts occurred, human rights issues and the awareness around it, allowed such unscrupulous teachers to get away with their crimes.
Now we are in a different era and so a Headmaster is now in hot waters. He is alleged to have raped about 19 female students and as usual, some officials tried to cover it up and are also in hot waters and their actions or inactions in the matter are under investigation.
Why the man has been allowed to roam freely without being arrested is simply mind boggling. It appears that the law applies differently, depending on who you are. This issue came to public attention sometime in August this year, yet the police had not arrested or invited this man for question regarding the rape allegation.
It has come out that he is a Constituency Secretary of the ruling party and the question in the public domain is that, is it because he is a political figure that is why he is still walking around without questioning? I believe in the rule of law so let us hold our breadth and let the proper thing be done.
The police must however be seen to be active in this matter. God bless.
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