Another year, another Damba Festival! This year Heidi was able to attend the festival with me to see the main events. One of the coolest things however was that I was invited to attend the Na’akyimma Wa or Young Men’s Dance on the nights leading up to the festival. Here is a slideshow of photos […]
Zenabu’s Baby Naming Ceremony
My good friend Kolbugri‘s second wife Fozeaa just had another baby girl and they invited us to the suna (baby naming ceremony). I was honored to be invited to the observe the ceremony where the Muslim elders come and bless the child. This is a private ritual that I had not yet seen in my […]
White Volta Rapids North of Gambaga
The White Volta River flows east to west just a few miles north of me and I’ve hiked down the Gambaga Escarpment to it several times. I recently visited a section of the river that appeared to have some rapids in Google’s satellite imagery. I was trying to find the exact spot that Dr. Rudolf […]
Magic Charms, Black Cats, and the Power of Jesus
Follow the title link above to read an article and photos I contributed to IMB.org about magic and superstitions objects in northern Ghana.
Mamprusi in the Basel Mission Archives
William discusses some rare, century-old images of Mamprugu taken by Basel Mission doctor Rudolf Fisch on his 1910 excursion into the “Hinterland” of Gold Coast. The images capture scenes and cultural expressions that are no longer found in Ghana’s Northern Region.
2017 Fire Festival Photos
This year’s Fire Festival was the rowdiest I’ve experienced. Normally I just attend the main events with the paramount chief – parade, torch throwing, praising singing, water distribution – and then go back home. This evening I hung around for about an hour after the NaYiri returned to his palace and I observed all the […]
Cascades on the Komoé River
One little stop we made in southwest Burkina Faso was to see the Komoé River just north of Banfora. From there the river flows southwards into Ivory Coast where it becomes a very large body of water. Twenty years ago I visited Comoé National Park with my grandfather, father and brother. We took canoes out […]
Ken’s West Africa Trip Photos
Heidi’s dad is an avid hobbyist photographer. Here are some of his photos from their recent visit to Ghana & Burkina.