24. Headstrong

Before I came to Ghana I already admired the tradition of carrying things on your head. It just makes so much sense. Through out my time here I have seen everything from tree trunks, household items, boxes of foods for sale, laundry baskets of clothes, stacks of fabrics, plantain bunches, water, etc all balanced on the head. Most of the time the head is protected with a small scrap of fabric coiled into a cushion. 

"I'm good at balance. I can stand on my head for minutes at a time" I say... "I can't wait to do learn to do that. Well..... I have exponentially more respect and admiration for the men, women, and children that have mastered this skill. It is absolutely amazing to watch the poise, grace, and strength that exudes from each individual. It's so hard to express my feelings towards this in writing... Jaw dropping, heartfelt, jealousy, wonderment, curiosity are a few words that come to mind this moment. 

-Opoku can balance a pan of earthcrete like a pro 

It is so much harder than it looks and so much more painful then I thought it would be, even with a cushion. I carried water from the well in a bucket for about 5 minutes. I couldn't balance it at all, had to walk at what felt like snail speed, and I spilled about 1/4 of the water all over myself. 😋 This hasn't stopped me from practicing though!!  

Just a few instances I have witnessed: head-balancing of a suitcase with a baby bundled on a woman's back while riding on a motorcycle taxi. A 4 year old child helping on site carry stones in a bucket on her head. With her arms reached high, she could barely reach the top on the bucket to hold it balanced. I made her a head cushion out of leaves and with this small modification she felt stronger and more empowered. She insisted on adding more and heavier rocks to her bucket. A woman selling drinks and snacks at a toll collection stop running pretty quickly beside the moving bus in order to complete making a sale through the window before the bus drove through. She balanced her tin bowl full of drinks and ice while making change from her apron, looking ahead as not to fall, and also keeping a watch on how long she had till the bus would be too far gone.

Kids learn to balance very early by watching mom and practicing with empty containers.  Mameli is just too adorable and she comes to visit the site almost everyday.  

I captured this photo from inside a taxi, thought it was kind of cool