HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1974-01-09, Page 6Bullocks are used practically as a means of transporting
things around the station and also as a demonstration to the local
farmers.
The bullock plow makes a 24" ridge upon which the farmer
either intercrops or monocrops.
A lady doing the' daily chore of tweeplog the eothpoutiti..
-6-414 BRUSSELS' POStJANUARY' 9,1414-
'Walton . native works with, COW in Ghana
Jerry Baan with his interpreter discusses harvest plans of a demonstration plot with Konyen.
(By Gerald Baan)
(Mr. Baan, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Martin Baan of R.R.3, Walton is
now serving a 2 year contract with
Canadian University Services
Overseas)
On my arrival in WeSt Africa
with six other agriculturalists for
Nigeria and Ghana, I travelled in
Nigeria from Lagos to Ibadan and
then North to Zaria, as, part of a
one month orientation. We visited
agricultural farms, research
stations and universities to
aquaint ourselves with the ty ..pe
of agriculture practiced here in
the Savannah, and the tropical..
forest regions. The Ghanaian
group, of which I was one, said
goodbye to our Nigerian counter-
parts and travelled south to the
coast on our way west to Accra,
Ghana and then north to Tamale
for two weeks of language
training.
Finally on September 4th, 1972
.I arrived at Bunkpurugu where I
have made my home. The village
is 550 miles (by road) inland and
2 1/4 miles from the Togo border
(0°5' east longitude and 10°30'
north latitude). I live at the
.Evangelical 'Lutheran. Church of
Ghana mission station with
Missionary Walter DeMoss, his
wife and 3 children,
Ghana Is on the Atlantic Ocean
(Gulf of Guinea) surrounded by
the countries of Togo on, the East,
Upper Volta to the north and
Ivory Coast on the west. The
country covers an area of 92,000
sq. miles being about 450 miles
long north and south, and about
300 miles east and . west. Ghana
haS 3 main climatic. regions,
Coastal Savannah, Forest Region
and Savannah in the north.
The Savannah climate has two
main seasons. The rainy season
from April to Sept. and the dry
season from Oct. to March. In the
'middle of the dry season comes
the harmattan when dry dust-
laden winds blow down from the
Sahara Desert, giving the
appearance of a land covered in a
light fog. The remainder of the
dry season is a time of extremely
high temperatures and very low
humidity.
The rainy season is that upon
which all life depends. The
prosperity of the people is relative,
to the type of rainy .season -- a
good rainy season bringing good
crops and abundant food and
sparse rains leading to a time,pf
low prosperity.
The actual land itself is laterite
(gravelly red soil) with frequent
outcroppings of bedrock, much
like you find in Eastern Ontario
around Kemptville. The contour
of the land varies from very flat to
hilly and there are even a few
mountainous escarpments.
Ghanian people are multi-tribal
and multi-lingual with about 50
different tribes speaking 50
different languages. I am
situated among the Bimoba
people, a tribe of about 35,000
people. The majority of Bimobas
practise a form of animistic
religion '(concerned with spirits.of
ancestors) and are engaged in
subsistance farming.I mention
the religion,because.it is virtually
impossible to separate' religion
from any other aspect of life. As
farming is their means of
existence it is closely tied to the
religion.
The tradititinal• house of the
Bimoba people is a compound
formed by a series of grass-
roofed, round mud rooms
arranged in a circle. The rooms
are joined to 'each other by walls
and in some compounds you enter
by 'climbing over the wall. .The
whole'floor within the compound
walls is pounded to a flat hard
surface to withstand the rains and
also to make it easy to keep clean.'
The he'aarn'air of the compound
hak'one'rhorn to himself and each
of hig wives have their own room
(the society As polygamous). The
children stay with their respective
mothers. Outside of the house
there is a shelter with seats where
discussions. are held. This is
where most of my talking with the
farmers takes place. For the most
part the compounds are kept
extremely clean. The entire house
is swept at least once each day.
Among the people living in the
compound, there is a definite
division of labour. To the men is
left the building and maintenance
of houses although the women do
the flooring and plastering of the
walls. The men also till the
ground for the farms, do the
weeding and hunting. The Women
prepare all food, do the planting
of the crops and draw water. The
whole family takes part in the
harvesting. The children all help
their mothers while they are
young, but later the boys begin to
help their fathers, The children
are obedient and respectful 'of all
people older than themselves.
OVer open, fire
Food generally consists of two
parts. One is the Saab (a thick
porridge, made from millet flour
and a soup. Pieces of the saab are
dipped into the soup and eaten
The bae of the soup is, usually
. water, oil, salt, and hot red
pepper. Other ingredients may be
,greens, fish, meat, tomatoes an
onions. All foods are 'prepared
over an open fire, either in a room
or ,in the open part of th
compound.
Most of the food used by the
people is grown on their own
farms. Each household 'has two
farming areas., Around each the
ground is cultivated and is called
the Ngasuruk. The main farm
called the Kpaab, is situated
outside of the village. The
average size of this main farm is
4-6 acres. Generally the farmers
practise Shifting Cultivation
Bepuse they have not known
about fertilizer they usually farm
a piece of land until it becomes
infertile: Then they clear a new
piece of land.
The staple crops of the area,. are.
maize (corn), millet, guinea corn
(sorghum), yams, groundnuts
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Insur
t
INCOME TAX PREPARED
20 Years. Experience
For •Farmers, Individuals, Businessmen
ReasonOle Rates .
File Early to Avoid Delays
Ronnenberg Insurance Agency
Open in Brussels TUesdays and Fridays — Phone 887-6663
Monkton Office Open Monday to Saturday Phone 347-2Z41
THANKS
After serving Brussels and the area
for more than 31 years, we would like
to take this opportunity to thank all
of our customers for their kind piatYo
age during those years.
It has been a privilege to be part of
this community, to know you, arid to
serve you'.
wish you eve/4y happiness in the
New Year.
C FAMILY