Leaving the capital and heading to a more rural area we passed through several small villages and enjoyed the view from the window of our bus. Wild life sightings included the typical chickens, goats and cattle. There were also the more exotic rainbow lizard and baboons.
The village of Atsiekpoe, which translates to home of the cashew tree, is located along the bank of the Volta River. The buildings are primarily made of termite clay with thatched roofs. Water is pumped from a filtered well system and carried to the homes in the village.
Despite the name of the village, cashews are not the local industry-the river is the focus. Along with fishing, the local economy includes some farming, and basket weaving. Recently a medical clinic and a school have been built. We learned that the clinic serves a few nearby communities and is mostly visited by women and children.
Before participating in our cooking lesson, we watched children weaving baskets from palm fronds. They sell them at the local market for school supplies and pocket money.
A ubiquitous dish in the region is red red beans. The name comes from the red palm oil and the reddish black eyed peas. The outdoor kitchen consisted of three small charcoal stoves. Our cooking lesson and lunch was prepared under the instructions of Dora and Yaya. We boiled the palm oil with onions, tomatoes, spices and chili then added the beans and stirred the mixture as it bubbled. The other stoves were making plantains and red sauce. Lunch was delicious.
We learned about the traditions of hair and body wrapping. Mainly worn by royalty as a fashion accessory, they had a practical purpose of sun protection. Other than specific royal or life events, wrapping is mostly a fashion statement. Once we were wrapped there was an opportunity to practice balancing a bucket for carrying items on our heads.
Before leaving Atsiekpoe, we were able to meet the chief and the village priest.
Our hotel for the evening overlooks the Akosombo dam on the Volta River which has created Lake Volta, the largest man made lake in the world. Beautiful views to close out the day.
Where is Wendy 