West African Sunset
Samo Guest House, Cape Coast Ghana © K Newman
Cape Coast West African Sunset © Katrina Newman
West African Sunset earrings © Katrina Newman
It was early in 1999 that I took myself on a journey of a lifetime to explore the West African country 'Ghana', which sits on the Atlantic Ocean with Benin to the east, Cote d'Ivoire to the West, and Burkina Faso to the north. I spent 6 weeks travelling the country. I used local transport to travel as far West as Busua, to the isolated northern Mole National Park, to the environs around Lake Volta in the east, that displaced over 78,000 people, and 200,000 animals.
When you get off the plane in West Africa, there is a pervasive smell. It takes awhile to realise what it is, and then when you get the chance or a small waft of the same odour again it can take you back to memories of many wonderful adventures. The smell is the smoke from the charcoal fuelled stoves that people use. The burning of acacia, it has a very special perfume, so much so that you know you're in Africa when you're smelling it.
I had always been fascinated by the riches of Ghana and the local tribal jewellery and body adornment since studying West African Tribal Body Adornment at Art School. You might have noticed my lamp work beads titled with African names. Beads inspired by the intense colours and my very vivid experiences of West Africa. In another blog addition to follow I'll show how local Goldsmiths working in very primitive conditions, produce stunning works of art.
Cape Coast is a town east of the Capital Accra. It’s a village I would return to twice on my voyage, it was warm and inviting. The roof of Samo Guest House doubled as a night time bar, a small sanctuary where you could take in the stunning West African Sunsets and sometimes feel a cool evening breeze. The beers weren't always icy cold but were very refreshing after a day drenched in perspiration. The bar doubled as a place to lay out your wet washing which would dry quickly on the hot baking cement. From this high vantage point you could also watch the birds of prey eat carcasses and food that the locals had discarded. The vultures with their necks and heads all bloodied from their meals provided an efficient form of garbage refuse.