"Home, sweet home": Wamale

After a weekend in Tamale for our EWB Ghana Country Meeting, I was happy to return home, lay down my bag and recognize that nice, warm feeling: "it feels good to be home".

After explaining to Wayne and AEA's at the office that I was looking for a place to live outside of Tamale, a village with a family, but not too far from the office, on Monday there was a lead; Tahiru (an amazing AEA) informed me that we could go to visit the Chief of Wamale to discuss the matter; by the end of the evening, I had moved into my new home.

Wamale is a small village outside of Tamale, on the road to Yendi (for those familiar with Ghana's Northern Region, or those who love to examine maps). A few months ago, the village got electricity so I am happy to say that I am living in a thatched-roof mud hut, concrete floors, but I am capable of working on my laptop at night or charging my cell phone- it really is the best of both worlds!
I am staying with the Chief's family, not directly in Chiefs compound, but with his nephew, 1 min outside of compound. They are Muslim, so Chief has 3 wives, and 26+ children and countless grandchildren (new meaning to the term "large family"). He is a kind chief, very well respected in the community. I am learning so much about Dagomba culture. Formality, respect and hierarchy are very important- before anyone goes/does anything (including me) they come in to his "Palace" (a large, circular mud hut), crouch down, greet him, and inform him of their plans.
I really love him. He has been very welcoming and that makes a huge difference when the Chief is on your side- everyone else in the community follows suit. One morning, one of my brothers, Mohammed, was leaving and said "Madame, I am now going to school", and walked away. A minute later Chief called him back and said "Mohammed, don't call her "Madame", call her "sister". (And this was on my second morning in Wamale). He has been very clear on the fact that I am now part of the family, that I am his Canadian daughter, and so he treats me very well. He can speak some English which makes it nice for us to get to know one another.
The most helpful person in Wamale by far has been Mustapha- the nephew, a middle aged man, who I am staying with. He is educated, can speak English fluently, and he is teaching me Dagbani. Our mud huts are side by side, and we share an outdoor space where we can bath, and he also has a homemade latrine type of deal that we use to go to the bathroom. Water is fetched up the street from near the School by the young boys who go on their bicycles and return with jugs filled.
Culturally, in some ways, things seem backwards to family life in Canada: in Canada, the eldest often has to do more of the work and the younger ones are served and babied. In Wamale hierarchy is very important, so the older you are, the less housework you do: the more you are served by your juniors.
One of my favourite people and greatest sources of joy and laughter in Wamale is Sulemana- a 3 year old boy here (Grandson of Chief), who I adore! He is with me nonstop, as soon as I ride in on my moto from work he runs to me giggling, I carry him around everywhere, sing and dance with him, feed him, kiss him; he is too cute!
Finally, I am very excited because my birthday is tomorrow! And it is going to be amazing! In Wamale we are having a BIG celebration, and it's my official naming ceremony: Njallawuni (in- gel-LA-wu-knee, it means "I have laid myself against God")! I am so grateful- people from all surrounding villages have been invited, the youth are performing a drama, we are dancing, there will be delicious food and drumming; I'm confident it will be a birthday I'll never forget.
That's all for now: look forward to lots of pictures/videos to come!

Love,
Njallawuni.