December 21 – 27, 2022
Dale and I were one of four couples (Jon & Shauna Duke, Dale & Marla Olsen, and Jeff & LeAnne Case) and one sister (Donna Young, French speaking, serving at the MTC) who met at the Accra Temple complex to begin a seven-day adventure driving east from Accra to Togo, then on to Benin in a coaster touring van. We decided to spend Christmas in these countries to experience their unique cultural, traditional, and religious celebrations. We saw firsthand West African traditional cultures that are still truly alive.
December 21, Wednesday
Not too far out of Accra the terrain changes to open savannahs and the perfect temperature to support the growth of the baobab tree. Donna’s bus seat had the right angle to snap a picture of some of these ageless giants, so I handed her my phone and asked if she would take a picture of a baobab. She obliged, turned, and began clicking away out the window. A minute or two later, she returned my phone and said, “What’s a baobab. I have no idea.” She figured that if she took enough shots, one of them was likely to have a baobab in it!
The scenery was postcard perfect. Beaches were clean and lined with fishermen’s boats. On the pier were fishermen just finished with their night’s work trying to rest. We smiled to see their little children curled up next to them or crawling over them!
The baobab is a prehistoric species which predates both mankind and the splitting of the continents over 200 million years ago. Native to the African savannah, it is a symbol of life in a landscape where little else can thrive. Over time, the baobab has adapted to its environment. It is a succulent, which means that during the rainy season it absorbs and stores water in its vast trunk, enabling it to produce one of the most nutrient-dense fruits in the world. Almost every part of the tree is edible or used by man. This is how it became known as "The Tree of Life.”
To cross from Ghana to Togo, we had to be processed for exit by the Ghanaians, then almost immediately processed for entrance by the Togolese. Shortly thereafter, we repeated the process from Togo to Benin. In an area of the world where processes are slow and chaotic, these exit/entrance requirements took most of our day.
On to Grand Popo, “a perfect place to relax at a sandy palm-fringed beach.” After checking in to our ocean front bungalows we loaded back in the van to see the Zangbeto, the voodoo guardians of the night. They are also referred to as the Nightwatchmen and act as an unofficial police force that protects the community against bad spirits and malicious people. The Zangbeto wanders around the streets to detect thieves and witches, and to provide law and order. They are highly respected by the community. It is fascinating to hear the drums and feel the pulse of the villagers as the Zangbeto spins faster and faster and faster. When it stops—a python slithers from beneath the fringe. Pictured below is the beautiful Queen Mother of the village who chooses the Zangbeto, the Zangbeto, drummers, and amazing white dancers.
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