The Market

Tuesday and Friday are market days in Sega. The village wakes up very early and the noise begins immediately. The roads are bustling, families walking carrying their goods often on their heads, people packing into taxis, taxis honking, all this to get to Kasseh or "Junction" as the locals call it.
My first trip to the market was on May 7th. It was very overwhelming. To begin the day we all packed into a taxi, and when I say we packed, there were nine of us in a very small car. About twenty minutes later we arrived in what some would describe as sheer craziness. There were stands everywhere, very little space in between. People calling out at you in Dangme(the language spoken here) sometimes even in English. Sometimes the items name was called out, sometimes the price," ONE CEDI! ONE CEDI!... FISH! PLANT IAN!...". You also hear what I like to call the noises of the market. People making phonening noises to get your attention, clicking of the lips and hissing(not in a cat like of rude manner, it's just the way the people grab your attention here). It was all so overwhelming.
The inside of the market, to me, was not as overwhelming as the outside. You have to picture the market as a large square. The center of the market is where you see the stands, table after table, all very close together. This is the area where things are "calmer". Here I feel I can relax a bit more. There are less people grabbing at you, demanding you buy, people inside the market I feel are more chill and laid back.
You then walk to the outside of the market, things are similar. You see all the stands and tables but the difference is the road. There are cars, taxis, trow trows and big bus like trucks that sit probably forty people or more that are also referred to as trow trows, all flying by. Here you have to follow the unwritten rules of the road, if you step in front of any vehicles, bicycles and/or trolleys you're pretty much down for the count or even worst...done ha ha. The outside of the market also extends quite far on the road side. It's definitely not in a square shape or a shape at all I can really describe. The best way I can think to describe the outside is thinking of the awkward roads that take you in every direction to each of the surrounding villages and the stands, tables and stores line the side of them. Here the people are much more grabby. "Bafoono! Bafoono! Buy this! Give me money..."(My spelling of Bafoono isn't correct right now but it's the work you hear most often where you go. It means white man. Children often chase you chanting BAFOONO! BAFOONO! BAFOONO! Wherever you are or whatever you are doing). This is also where you find most of the men. The men, to me, are very intimidating here. When I say this I am not referring to men in Ghana in general, just the pushy men of the market. There men are not afraid to come up to you and put their arm around you, grab your hand, ask you to marry them, say "I love you" and/or say repulsive comments to you. I think I struggle with this because the Canadian culture is much less forward. In a general sense, Ghanaian men are very respectful and caring towards women. It's actually kind of nice. The difference ultimately is Ghanaian men are much more forward and touchy then what I am use to. It's not a bad thing, I just struggle when the men are too forward and pop my comfort bubble I guess.
But back to the market...
Things are fairly cheap here. They are grown and sold locally. It's nice to be able to buy and know who you are giving your money to for a change. Though you know where your money is going you often don't know the price. Pricing here isn't just written on the product like it is at home. You have to learn to barter, which on a side note I am not very good at, to get the right price. It's funny because in preparation to come here our class watched a film called Cannibal Tours. It was talking about how the locals give a price and the white man often barters it down to get a special price, better than the locals. This really deterred me from bartering in the beginning but I realized quickly as I realized as a white man I was getting the special price, four Cedi for a loaf of bread rather then the actual price of one point five Cedi for a loaf.
After an afternoon at the market you're pretty tired. The last taxis leave around six so you always have to make sure you're there before then or your walking to the village. You go to your village's taxi station, a set area where all the taxis to your village sit and you piled back in to go home.
All in all, I've really come to have an appreciation for the market. Yes, it is overwhelming but it's different. It gives you a nice break in the week. It is a display of the hard work of each individual puts into their lifestyle and the community. It shows the production of the farmer's labour, the fisherman's catch, the people's selling abilities, the collection of food to support the family and so much more. All the little overwhelming things end up being ruled out by all the market's great things, it's really nice.
I hope I was able to give you a neat picture of a spot I've really come to appreciate and I look forward to updating you with more stories!