Jun 23
Elephants in June at Mole National Park
With my parents’ visit we decided to take them to Mole National Park. June isn’t necessarily the best time to go because the rains have started and the elephants leave the watering holes and head into the bush. However, we got lucky and there were a good dozen or more still hanging around the area.
The kids spent a ton of time in the pool and it was a great chance for Heidi to have a break from hospital work.
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- Grandparents & Grandkids
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- Pool time!
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- Playing with Grandaddy
We saw plenty of wildlife on the walking safari and then took our own truck into the park on safari to see more.
I finally got to see wild buffalo in the part though they were far away and I didn’t get a photo. Still checking it off my list!
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- Trey guides the guide
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- Up close and personal
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- Hanging by the watering hole
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- Elephants playing in water
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- Off road safari!
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- Kobus Kob
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- Mud bath time
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- Kissy kissy
Jun 18
Happy 3rd Birthday, KJ!
This weekend we celebrated KJ’s birthday at our home in Nalerigu. KJ’s grandparents had come to visit and Granny Sarah’s birthday is the day before KJ’s so it was a dual-birthday party!
Lots of KJ & Trey’s friends came as well as some of our colleagues and visiting volunteers from the hospital.
Jun 5
Ramadan Readings
It’s now Ramadan, a month considered holy to all muslims around the world. The month is full of special rituals and observances and many muslims of Nalerigu are observing them.
One of the more public occurrences in Ramadan is a daily reading of the Qu’ran at the central mosque after which an imam gives a sermon. This practice is normally observed at Jumu’ah (Fridays’ midday congregational prayers) but during Ramadan it is done daily.
May 21
A Trip to a Tampulma Community
Who are the Tampulma?
The Tampulma (or Tampolensi or Tamprusi) are a minority ethnic group primarily concentrated just west of the White Volta River around the town of Daboya. They share their land with the majority Gonja people and have unfortunately been in the news often over that last few years due violent clashes over land, chieftaincy and taxation disputes. Their language of Tampulma (or Tamplim) belongs to the Gur group of languages and resembles Sisala, Mo and Vagla in some aspects. Read More
May 11
Visiting the Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary
I’ve always been a bit scared of hippos. I think it started in Ivory Coast when a missionary shared a horrific testimony about being attacked by a hippo. Then in 2008, I saw a hippo attack victim first hand at BMC (and I saw ‘justice’ served to the aggressor).
The hippopotamus is considered one of the most dangerous animals in the world because it is so aggressive and unpredictable. Add to that the statistic that they kill about 3000 (!) people a year and you’ll understand why I was hesitant to get in a dug-out canoe and approach them on the Black Volta. Nonetheless, after a bit of research I understood the importance that Wechiau plays to protecting these large, amphibious creatures in Ghana and wanted to support that community with a visit and some advocacy.
A hippo in the Black Volta River in the Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary.
May 9
White Volta Rapids in Dry Season
Last October, at the very end of rainy season, Nils and I hiked to the White Volta rapids north of Gambaga. There we found the engorged river roaring over an impressive rock formation. We decided then that we’d come back at the end of dry season to see the difference.
Nils and our friend Richard Jangdow joined me this time. The hike was a long one (9.5 miles, in & out) and it was blazing hot (108°F in the shade) but we made it and enjoyed soaking our feet in the water. Comparing the photos from this trip and the last one, I’m surprised that it wasn’t that much lower – probably a meter at most.
After hanging out at the rapids, we headed back to the hunter’s camp about two and a half miles east and the ferryman offered to give us a canoe ride up the river. I hung back and flew my drone to get shots of them in the boat.
Apr 14
The Incredible Design of the Silk Cotton Tree
Commonly known as the Gold Coast Bombax (Bombax buonopozense) or ‘false-kapok’ tree has pods full of a silky cotton like substance that surrounds its seeds. Its ingenious design allows the pods to burst open and release the seeds to float away in the wind.
Here’s an video of tree opening one of the pods from the silk-cotton tree. You can see how compressed the cotton is inside as it just keeps on expanding and expanding!
In Mampruli, the tree is known as a vobga and it’s flowers are harvest to make a delicious soup. They fetch quite a price in the market when they are available.
