Ghana Blog

On June 18, 2026, as the University of Georgia Ghana 2026 Service Learning students, we had the fortunate opportunity to step into a major part of Ghana’s modern history. Located in Kumasi, the Manhyia Palace was the residence of the late Asantehene (Asante King) and is now a museum that tells the story of the Anglo-Asante War. 

The tour guide introduces the Asante Empire as one of the richest and most influential kingdoms of modern Ghana. Renowned for their abundance of gold and an advancedly organized political system, the Asante Empire served as a crucial component of the trans-Saharan trade route. They would adorn their Asantehene with numerous golden bracelets and ornaments. In the 1800s, however, the British sought to undermine the Asante Empire’s influence and took control of the slave trade by assisting several coastal states and engaging them in frequent battles. Although the Asantes achieved victory in the first battle of 1824, they reached a stalemate in the second war and lost to the British in the subsequent conflicts. The British entered Kumasi, burned the city, and captured the 13th Asantehene, King Prempe, exiling him along with his family members and many other royal chiefs to Elmina, then to Sierra Leone, and finally to Seychelles. They then demanded that the Asante hand over the Golden Stool, the symbol of legitimate Asante rule and cultural unity. This act enraged Queen Mother Yaa Asantewaa, and although she led her people and fought bravely in retaliation, the British won with their powerful firearms and exiled the queen mother and her chiefs to join King Prempe. Without a proper leader to guide their people, the kingdom's power sharply declined, and the British gained control over the Asante Empire and seized many valuable treasures. 

After several years of exile, the British finally allowed Asantehene Prempe to return to Kumasi, but as an ordinary citizen. They then offered him the Manhyia Palace as compensation. To this gesture, King Prempe responded to them that if this was the form of compensation the British were going to provide, he wanted the souls of the people he lost in Seychelles to be returned and not empty blocks of stone. He asked for the cost of building the palace and paid the British in full. The palace was inherited by his successors, who lived there before the Manhyia Palace was converted into a museum. It now houses several collections of artifacts and items once used by the Asantehenes.

To this day, despite Ghana's successful independence from the British and its status as one of Africa's leading countries, the Asante people have not had their gold and sacred artifacts fully returned to them. The Manhyia displays some of these stolen items, such as those from the Fowler Museum in the US, which were donated and returned permanently, but many were not. Several artifacts from Britain are returned solely on loan, meaning they must be returned to Britain in 2027, despite rightfully belonging to the Asante people, while hundreds of other precious Asante treasures remain in British museums. The controversy over these stolen items underscores the complex history of colonialism and its ongoing impacts.

- Rachel Jin

One of the most impactful moments that I’ve experienced in Ghana thus far is visiting the Bright Lilies School in Kwabenya, Ghana. I, along with 12 of my fellow UGA peers, had the privilege of visiting this primary school on June 19, 2026. The school was created in 2006 (a year after I was born – it's almost as old as me!) and offers a diverse range of classes for ages 2-14 years.  

We had to wake up quite early (around 5 am) for this opportunity, but it was definitely worth it. As soon as we walked through the gates of the school, I immediately felt welcomed and at ease. A few of the teachers brought out chairs for us to sit on towards the front of the school and we sat and waited for all of the students to get settled in their classrooms. As I waited, I saw some of the students pour in. They seemed very joyful and happy to be there. After waiting for a short while, some of the younger students formed three separate lines in front of us. The energy was quite high so early in the morning, and they were very excited about having guests, which I thought was absolutely adorable! Three teachers were present to assist the children in performing their morning rituals. This consisted of singing songs, counting, and reciting roman numerals. This is among one of the similarities I noticed between schools in the U.S. and Ghana – both perform morning song and dance to start the day right! 

I have shadowed and interned in primary schools in the United States, so I was very curious to see how the two school systems compared. We were able to move from classroom to classroom freely and spent most of our time with the younger children. The younger children were very shy towards us at first, but most of them came around once we were actually in the classroom speaking with them. One of my initial observations was how independent the smaller children were. They were able to wash their hands and feed themselves without assistance (ages 2-4). Furthermore, they were very well-behaved and respectful. I believe that they are even more independent in comparison to the school children that I have had experience with in the United States. As we moved into the first grade classroom, I noticed that they were copying words from the board into their notebooks. I was very impressed at how they were learning such complex words for a first grader, such as crucifixion. I walked around and observed many of their notebooks and the handwriting within them was very neat and within the lines. When I was observing first graders in the U.S., most of their handwriting was sloppy and borderline unreadable. The words they were expected to write and be able to read were also much simpler. I was very impressed by the quality of education at this institution! 

One of the liveliest classrooms we entered was the fifth grade classroom. They had a lot of questions for us ranging from educational to personal. One student asked us if we were married, which I thought was quite amusing. We also answered questions about our future careers, and we all got to talk about our interests in medicine, nursing, nutrition, and biology. After answering questions, many of them wanted our signatures and to take photos with us. It was quite amusing to me; I felt almost like a celebrity. I had brought enough candy for one classroom with me, so I ended up giving the candy I had to this classroom. It was a very sweet moment for me, and I felt connected to these children despite our cultural differences.  

At the end, all 13 of us, including Dr. Anderson, all took a photo together at the side of the school with the staff. I was very sad to say goodbye to the students, but I had a lot of fun and learned that, despite being on different continents, I was not so different from these children after all. It was a once in a lifetime experience for me that I will never forget!  

- Emma Carr

   For the 20th anniversary of the study abroad, our professor, Dr. Anderson, surprised us with a cruise on Lake Volta. When we first arrived, it was a little bit foggy outside, then it started to rain. After the rain cleared, we boarded the boat, where immediately one of the workers went to the microphone and started singing the Ghanaian version of Happy Birthday to passengers (including Carlton) and celebrating the wedding anniversaries of people. For the 2.5-hour boat ride, music was playing and food was served along with beverages. The rice was very good despite it being one of the spiciest foods I ever tried. 

   When I was about to go downstairs, the person in charge of boat safety stopped me and offered to let me go inside the boat's cockpit to take a picture with the captain because it was both his anniversary of starting his job on the boat and his birthday. I went inside the cockpit, took a picture with him with the sailor's hat, and talked to the other man in the cockpit. He was telling me how his daughter lived in Philadelphia and was also studying for school. It was a small but meaningful connection that reminded me how similar our lives can be despite the distance between us. 

   I went downstairs on the boat, and people were still doing the same things you were doing on the upper deck– dancing. There were more drink options on the lower deck, so Taylor, Mary-Hanna, Katie, and I went to purchase drinks with our coupons. I could not get any alcoholic beverages because I used my coupons to get water to cool myself down from the spicy food. After they got drinks, we went outside for some fresh air and to share stories. A boat worker explained to Taylor how, despite working in Ghana, he not only gets paid a low wage monthly. He also cannot afford to purchase the chocolate that his own country contributes to with their own coco. Another passenger asked them, "Why is it that us Ghanaians are so nice to you when you visit our country, but you are not nice when we visit America?" I forgot how they responded to that question, but I know they felt bad about the status of their condition. 

   Then the cruise finally reached the dock, and we descended off the boat; however, everyone had to retreat to the boat because it started pouring rain. When all the passengers got on the boat, the workers shut all of the boat's openings so no water got inside and announced to everyone that we would be unable to leave the boat for safety reasons. As soon as the cruise ship departed from the dock, music started playing and people got up and started dancing nonstop until we arrived at the dock. I thought the customers were going to complain that their trip got ruined because when I was at Six Flags Whitewater in Atlanta, the park closed due to rain. The customers were angry and yelling at the workers, demanding a refund. This sharp contrast makes me drawn to think that Americans place a lot more emphasis on money than Ghanaians due to money being everything in America because that's the only way to live the "American Dream." Despite the rain and the unexpected changes, no one on the boat seemed upset or frustrated. Instead, people embraced the moment, dancing and laughing as if the weather was part of the celebration. The workers remained calm and professional, ensuring everyone was safe and comfortable. It was a refreshing change from what I was used to back home, where a small inconvenience often leads to complaints and demands for compensation. Being on that boat, surrounded by people who chose joy over frustration, made me question my own assumptions about what makes a good experience. 

Dani Domkam

My highlight of the week had to be this little girl we befriended at Dr. Anderson’s church that we attended last Sunday. Carlton, Jordan, and I saw her in the row in front of us around an hour into church and we began to wave at her. She was very interested in several things about us: Carlton’s pants, my freckles and nail color, and Jordan’s hair. She wanted to touch everything mentioned above and was very enamored by us. Jordan entertained her with funny faces, and she was always giggling whenever we paid her attention. She also gifted us a piece of hair which in return I gave a piece of mine at her request. I was happy to oblige. After about an hour of this, we returned our attention to the front, and she disappeared to the side to hang out with some of the church members who were singing in the chorus.

About fifteen minutes later, I felt a nudge against my side and there she was, pushed up between Jordan and I with a big smile on her face. We put her in between us and she immediately wanted to look through my bag. As I pulled out my chapstick, her eyes lit up and she immediately wanted to put it on both her and me, as shown by the picture above. She also held out my hand and proceeded to smear the entire tube of chapstick on it along with doing the same on Carlton and Jordan’s. This kept her entertained for about thirty minutes while we focused on the service. My entire hand and face were covered in the chapstick but she was so intent on doing the smearing that I could not say no. She also was absolutely obsessed with Jordan’s hair. She loved playing with it and trying to fix it up, but ultimately just made it quite messy. Soon, we got up to dance around the church and she motioned to me to pick her up and so I led her around the church like that, swooping her down to make her giggle and watching her dance moves. Everyone we passed by gave us a smile when they saw us together, so I was reassured that we were not actually stealing someone’s child. The whole group went up to the front to be introduced to the church and when we tried to leave her in the row, she insisted on going up with us and holding my hand. Not long after this, she decided she had enough fun and promptly got up and left to go skip off with some of her friends. We laughed at this.

Although we never learned her name, her joy made my day and that church service. Seeing unbridled joy and no wariness surrounding strangers reminded me of all the kids back home at church who love to turn and stare but smile very wide when you wave and make faces at them. There is something very special about having children trust you and want to hang out with you. There is truly no better feeling, and I am grateful to have experienced a few hours of it.

  -EK Jordan 

For the 20th anniversary of the Ghana study abroad program, Dr. Anderson surprised us with a boat cruise on Lake Volta. He did not tell us much about the excursion, which only added to the excitement because we did not know what to expect. All of our expectations were met and far exceeded, as we all agreed it was the greatest surprise and the best part of the trip so far. 

The boat was very large with an upper and lower deck. The lower deck served as the “party room,” featuring seating for everyone and a DJ to keep the energy high throughout the excursion. While this room had a fun, electric atmosphere, the music blasting out of the speakers made it a little difficult to sit and talk to each other. The upper deck, on the other hand, was where we spent the majority of our time. The upper deck consisted of many tables and chairs for the guests to relax and enjoy the view, a bar, a serving area for food, and the captain’s room. The true centerpiece, however, was the small stage for the band, whose job it was to keep everyone on their feet dancing. Not only did they do their job, but they far exceeded it. The band created an atmosphere so energetic and lively that, at some point, just about everyone was dancing and singing along. By a long shot, Dr. Anderson was the best dancer on that boat. I am almost certain I only saw him sitting down twice throughout the entire excursion. While we had no idea what the band was singing, we danced as if we did, following the lead of those around us. The locals on the boat went out of their way to bring us onto the dance floor and encouraged us to join in on their celebration. Through music and dance, any feelings of unfamiliarity quickly disappeared, and we felt a part of the vibrant Ghanaian culture.  While I had so much fun dancing to the live music, what I will remember most about this day was meeting my new friend, Afua.

Afua is our driver’s daughter, and she decided to join us on our boat cruise. This was a big day for her because she had never been on a boat. On our two-hour drive to the Volta Lake, she sat right in front of me on a small stool. I specifically recall her peeking over her shoulder at one point on the way there, and I gave her a small smile, which made her smile back. From that point on, it was almost like that small gesture made her gravitate to me, as I found her next to me for most of the day. At first, she was very shy, and I could barely make out a word she was saying. I even had to ask her to type her name into my phone just so I knew I was hearing her correctly. However, by the end of the trip, we were taking selfies on her dad’s phone and dancing together on the dance floor. She even fell asleep on my lap. She took a small piece of my heart as we hugged goodbye. However, just the other day, I got the chance to talk to her over the phone, and it was the best part of my day. Afua was truly the sweetest girl, and I will always cherish her smile. 

This day was the greatest surprise and has been my favorite day so far. I will hold on to these memories and am hopeful that I will see Afua again. 

-Mary Hanna Hiers

This week, my study abroad group and I traveled to the northern region of Ghana to stay at Mole National Park. The entire car ride took 16 hours, but it was definitely worth it. Here we had the amazing opportunity to go on a safari through the sanctuary! The area seemed very well taken care of with narrow paths, natural vegetation, no litter, making the land appear very preserved. We took two safari jeeps around the grounds, and the guide even let us out of the vehicle to get closer to the animals. We got ridiculously close to a group of three elephants, so much so I began to get nervous! As of right now, this is my favorite part of trip because it’s an incredibly unique and once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will remember forever. Further along the safari, we also got very close to baboons and different antelope species. It was amazing to see all these animals in the wild freely roaming around, and an experience I wouldn’t be able to get closer to home.

After the safari, we all hung out in the outdoor seating by the pool. We were all relaxing, talking, and reading up until a baboon appeared in the sitting area! The baboon got super close to my friend, Taylor, but just about stole her backpack. Everyone began making lots of noise to scare it off, but it took for the workers to chase the baboon off with their shoe. My friend, Dani, and I were uncontrollably laughing about the interaction until five minutes later the baboon decided to run towards us as well! I froze while Dani started screaming. Eventually, the workers, again, chased the baboon with their same tactics, so we could finally relax and Taylor was able to have her turn laughing at us. memory seems trivial, but it is one so unique and something I associate with so much laughter and joy. I have made good friends on this trip, and we are now able to joke about moments like these together.

At the end of the night, we watched the most beautiful sunset after dinner and then Mary Hanna, Taylor, Dani, and I all played go fish. However, not regular go fish, but Dani’s version. I say this because she would make up her own rules and rage bait me till we all couldn’t stop laughing. She would ask for every single three-of-a-kind in my hand without actually having the card herself. We ended our action-packed day at Mole with easy conversation and uncontrollable laughs, making for a perfect trip.

Ghana has allowed me to see and do things I would otherwise never experience. I have only been here for nine days, but I am already mentally planning for when I can return. Being at Mole National Park with all the wildlife is one of the most memorable and exhilarating things I’ve ever done. I hope I can experience more like this; I am positive I will remember this trip forever with absolute gratitude.

Katie McIntyre

The service at the Methodist church in Mampong was unlike any I had ever experienced. From the little I had heard and read about religion in Ghana, I had the impression that it played a central role in people’s lives. However, my expectations were far surpassed after witnessing just how strong their faith is. The energy and liveliness that radiated throughout the church for all three hours were contagious and left me in awe. 

From the second we entered through the wooden doors, we felt right at home. You would have never known we were foreigners from the way we were embraced. The warm smiles and hospitality we were greeted with made any sense of feeling out of place quickly vanish. During the praise part of the service, when everyone stood to sing and dance, our group was immediately guided out of our pews to join the dance line. While we did not know the words or exactly what we were doing, we embraced the unfamiliarity and danced around the church grinning from ear to ear. Hearing just how loudly and boldly everyone praised God was truly so incredible to be a part of. It was undeniable just how proud the congregation was of their faith.

The offering was another part of the service that stood out to me, as it was much longer than any offering I have experienced in church back home. There were two parts of the offering. During the first part, everyone in the congregation placed their tithes into the same bowl. The second offering involved seven bowls for your tithes—one for each day of the week. In Ghana, everyone has their own name along with a name that represents the day of the week they were born. For example, if you were born on a Monday, you would be called “Kojo.” I was born on a Monday, so I placed my offering in the corresponding bowl. After the offering ended, the money was counted, and the winner was announced, prompting joyful celebration and applause. The offering was just another part of the church service that showcased the immense pride Ghanaians take in their faith. Worship is not viewed as an obligation but rather as a celebration shared by the entire community. 

Attending the Methodist church service completely redefined my understanding of the role religion plays in Ghanaian society. I knew their faith was a priority in their lives; however, it is far more than that. It is the very fabric of daily life and defines who they are. Having met a handful so far, it is clear just how strong their faith is. Every person has welcomed me with a warmth that has felt like family. Overall, the church has been one of the greatest experiences yet, and I feel very grateful to have had the opportunity to attend.

-Mary Hanna Hiers

Last Friday, June 12th, we visited a local market in Accra. This was not only the first time we were able to visit a market in Ghana, but it was also the first time we were able to interact with the Ghanaian people. When we arrived at our parking spot on the outside of the market, we were greeted by a professor from the University of Ghana, and her graduate student met us to give a tour and educate us about nutrition in Ghana. Th professor that was giving us the tour was also Dr. Anderson’s professor when he was attending the University of Ghana. The professor gave us a tour of the market and gave us pamphlets about nutrition and the variety of foods and growing seasons of crops in Ghana. As we entered, we were met with the bustling sounds of vendors, customers, and motorcycles moving through the market. The vendors sold everything from food to kitchenware to tools. The food vendors consisted of a variety of local ingredients, such as dried fish, tomatoes, onions, yams, coconuts, okra, watermelons, corn, and several spices. One of the stands sold live slugs, which is common part of many Ghanaian dishes. We also got a tour of the slaughterhouse, where the butchers were preparing several goats to be sold at the market. The butchers used heavy cleavers to chop up the. As we were walking through the market, I caught the eye of an onion vendor who called me over, she talked to me for a minute in English, and then we spoke a little bit of Twi. She asked me what day of the week I was born when she first greeted me. In Ghana, one of your middle names that you are given is based on the day you were born. For example, I was born on a Wednesday, so my name in Ghana would be Kweku. As we walked through the market and the villages later in the week, people would ask us what days we were born to call us by out Ghanaian names. This was my first immersion into the Ghanian culture and I was able to have fun with my classmates finding our Ghanian names based on the day we were born. At the end of the tour of the market, we got fresh coconuts to drink that a vendor chopped open with a machete. The vendor handed us a straw so we could drink the coconut juice fresh from the source. 

-Ethan Neall

On the second night of our trip, we were ecstatic to finally venture out and explore. When we arrived back at the house, we quickly gathered a group and decided to walk into town. Just minutes into our walk, we met the nicest group of young boys. They were extremely happy to see us and immediately welcomed us with excitement. They remembered the group that had visited Ghana the previous year and could not wait to spend time with us as well. As we stood there talking, more and more members of their family came outside to greet us. Before long, the entire family had joined the conversation. They even showed us their dog, goat, and turkey in the backyard. This family was beyond welcoming, and their kindness left a lasting impression on me. In fact, this warmth and generosity have been a common aspect of our trip so far. Ghanaians are incredibly hospitable, and their willingness to welcome strangers as friends has been remarkable.

As we continued toward town, we stopped frequently to speak with and wave to the children we passed along the way. We handed out bubbles, yo-yos, and stickers to as many kids as we could. They were incredibly grateful and excited. Some of them were shy at first, but it did not take long before they approached us with bright smiles and eager curiosity. It has been amazing to witness how genuinely happy the children here are. The realization that many of these children do not have as much materially as many children in America, yet remain so joyful and full of life, has been incredibly eye-opening for me. Rather than focusing on material possessions, the children here love spending time outdoors, playing together, and building relationships. Something is inspiring about the way they value connection and community. For many of them, all they truly have is each other, and they treat everyone around them like family.

As we continued down the path, we met an older girl who further demonstrated the hospitality we had already experienced throughout the evening. We decided to practice some of our Twi with her, and she laughed when she heard us speak. However, her laughter was not rude or mocking. Instead, she seemed genuinely surprised and amused that foreigners were attempting to speak her language. She was eager to help us improve and was incredibly patient as she corrected our pronunciation. During our short walk together, we learned how to say “how are you,” “I’m fine,” “my name is,” several days of the week, “welcome,” and “thank you.” Thankfully, Dr. Anderson had briefly introduced many of these phrases, but this young girl took the time to explain them more carefully, helping us clear up confusion and feel more confident in our pronunciation.

Words cannot fully describe the comfort I feel in Ghana. Every person we have encountered has seemed genuinely happy to see us, and for some, we may have been among the first foreigners they had ever met. I have yet to meet a single Ghanaian who was unwilling to greet us with a smile or engage in conversation. The locals are eager to hear our stories while also sharing details about their own lives and culture. Through these conversations, I have already learned so much about life in Ghana and the Twi language. Our group talks daily about wanting to go on more walks simply to meet more people, especially the children. I am incredibly grateful for the love and kindness we have received, and for the way we have been welcomed with open arms. The hospitality here is unlike anything I have experienced in America, and it continues to amaze me more with each passing day.

– Taylor Chesser

Between Larabanga and Mole national park lies a school where children can take classes while wild elephants roam freely outside. Having never been that close to an elephant before, I was completely shocked to see the students had no fear, or even acknowledgement, of their presence. While I was so infatuated with the elephants, I barely noticed the heaping pile of burning plastic directly next to me, being tended to by kids with ski-masks pulled over their faces. While we had passed many plastic piles on our drive, they were all located away from where people were gathered. At Larabanga, the trash pile was directly next to where the students would be learning all day and also right next to the elephants. Everything I have learned about plastic suggests that it should stay outside the body. However, these children were sitting near and inhaling the fumes from these burning plastics. Not only was it near the school, but also in the middle of a national park. I was surprised to see how normal this all seemed to both the students and the park rangers, and I couldn’t keep the image of burning plastic and elephants out of my mind. I feel that it speaks to the reality of the situation here in Ghana, one that is scarcely shared in media and modern international politics. While the picture could easily be doctored to just show the elephants, the reality lies in the full, uncropped photo.

This also aligned well with a previous lecture I had received at the University of Ghana, in which we were shown how people react to the floods in Accra. During the heavy rains, people will take the opportunity to empty their homes of all their trash. The idea is that the rain waters will take away their unwanted belongings far away from home, leaving behind a clean area. However, in reality the trash would clog up the sewers and drainage in the immediate surrounding area, having a lasting and devastating effect on the local landscape as the flooding would get worse. Some might think that this is due to a lack of insight for the immediate environment, being reflected in both the burning of plastic and the littering in the drains. However, this is more a reflection of the enforcement and public service systems that need extreme reform here in Ghana. Without proper installment of methods for people to properly dispose of trash and subsequent consequences for those who disobey, there is no alternative or incentive to practice anything else.

-Carlton Burns

Little did I know that spending time with one professor and his class at the University of Ghana would turn into such a fruitful experience. Having the wonderful opportunity to start exploring the University of Ghana on June 12th, where Dr. Anderson went to school, we took a long shot and tried to tour a classroom. We got lucky enough to meet the kindest Food Science professor who allowed us to come sit in his classroom with him and his class for about 20 minutes. During this short time we learned fascinating things about the schooling system and science community in Accra. Students who want to attend university actually have to pick their path/ major while they are in high school. As during grade school they take specific classes for their chosen route that prepare them for their college career. This lack of flexibility is very different from our experience in the US, as we are used to having multiple options for our lives. It seems shocking that we should know what career path we want by high school. We learned that his department of Food Science and Nutrition has served to provide many nutritionists, public health experts, and even physicians to the country- which Ghana has a big shortage of. 

After talking to the professorfor a while, he called a few of his students up to discuss with us their final project they are working on to secure their graduation. I was expecting to hear experiments similar to the ones we do in chemistry labs- where the sole purpose is to help us learn our lecture material. Yet, these women presented innovative and groundbreaking research that requires extremely technical work and creativity. One student was working on creating a hazelnut spread that resembled Nutella, since they don’t have Nutella here. One was researching how to grow rice that is usually grown in the US, here in Ghana. Both of these experiments could help limit the imports Ghana must take in, and overall significantly improve the country’s economy.

Seeing where these students train and work on their innovative projects was utterly fascinating, as they have substantially less resources but are still able to keep up with universitis like my own that are much more privileged. The Univeristy of Ghana actually seems to abe doing even more impactful experiments. The motivation for each of these students at the University of Ghana seems to be pure, and for the purpose of advancing medicine and improving Ghana. If we were able to give this Univeristy of Ghana department more resources or funding to access different kinds of experiments, I cannot even fathom the amount of influence their research could have. Their research directly impacts the amount of medical access and medical professionals the country has and it was amazing to see first hand how their program is ran. This lights the fire in me even more to support scientific communities in all areas of the world, as it became clear we are all working towards the same goal of advancing medicine.

-Jordan Nowicki

The National Museum of Ghana and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park are sites in which the history and culture of Ghana and how culture and politics influences Ghanaian society can be learned. These sites were the most memorable places as we expanded on the topic of Kwame Nkrumah’s Pan-Africanist ideas and how Ghana remains unified and peaceful despite its diverse cultures and tribes, marking Ghana as the gateway to Africa. 

Our first visit was to the National Museum of Ghana in Accra. Immediately upon arrival, we saw an artwork of a spider, known as “ananse” in Twi, one of the local Ghanaian languages. Our tour guide explained that traditionally, ananses are a major figure in Ghanaian folklore, and the webs they weave serve as the main inspiration behind the Kente cloth. We then visited the stones exhibit in which we learned about the importance of stones in ancient Ghanaian society and how their shapes were carved based on their purpose. For example, rounded stones were primarily used for grinding food and other materials, while sharply carved stones were used for cutting or slicing. The exhibit also explained how the process of shaping stones aided in smelting iron ore: heat from fire would be used to smelt the ore and hammering turned the metal to a desired shape. 

Another exciting exhibit in the museum featured traditional clothing.We saw traditional clothes of Ghana such as Kente and Fugu. The Fugu is mainly worn in the Northern part of Ghana, while Kente in the Southern part. We learned that before these clothes came into their modern-day styles, clothes were made from plantain tree bark. The procedure included stripping the tree of its bark, soaking it in water for the fibers to loosen, letting the wet bark dry, then finally beating the dried bark with stone hammers to flatten the bark in which it would become cloth-like and used as clothes. This process represents how traditional Ghanaian society worked with natural resources to adapt to their daily needs. 

Although I enjoyed every exhibit in the National Museum, the collection of the sculptures stuck out to me. They represented notions such as fertility, teamwork, and traditional beliefs. I have always had an attraction to statues, especially ones that convey a deeper meaning. Art imitates life, so I believe that these types of artworks demonstrate a society’s or person’s way of thinking.Through these statues, I was able to better understand the values and aspirations of ancient Ghanaians.

After the museum, we headed to the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park; it was breathtaking and equally inspiring. The scenery consisted of fountains of seven men blowing a horn in front of the first prime minister of the independent Republic of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah’s statue in which he has his left foot and right arm forward to represent the saying “forwards ever, backwards never”, a quote I heard for the first time and continues to inspire me to this day. 

The final part of the memorial tour was viewing the personal belongings of Kwame Nkrumah. The part that stood out to me was seeing Nkrumah being allies with Patrice Lumumba from Democratic Republic of Congo. It was disheartening to hear the overthrow of Lumumba due to foreign exploitation and fight over resources in Congo. At that part of the tour, I wondered to myself how Africa would have looked like today had Nkrumah and Lumumba’s developments not been stopped prematurely. 

Overall, both the National Museum and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park provided valuable lessons about the culture, history, and politics of Ghana. These experiences also honed my critical thinking about the roles of these topics and helped me connect better with my Ghanaian identity. As Kwame Nkrumah said, “I am not African because I was born in Africa, but because Africa was born in me.”

- Sydney Apraku

This Monday, June 15th, we travelled from Mampong-Akuapem to Mole National Park; it was a 14-hour drive and came with some exhaustion and disdain for all moving vehicles. During the last leg of the ride I was thinking there was no way that Mole could be worth it, elephants and all. Of course, though, I was more than wrong. The safari was unbelievably breathtaking. However, what I really want to share with you all is a meaningful conversation I had with a stranger. 

On the last night of our stay, post an amazing safari and book discussion, I sat outside on a tiled bench that was set on the peak of a valley. In front of me I watched the burnt orange sky turn to a beautiful purple. All down the valley there were huge trees, and at the bottom you could see a watering hole we had passed on the safari earlier in the day. It was a breathtaking sight. A few minutes after I had arrived, a Ghanaian man with a kind smile came over to the bench with the same idea of watching the sunset. He greeted me, and we started up a conversation. I shared that I was a student from the US that had come to take a safari in order to see Ghana’s animals. I learned his name was Sebastian and that he was from the northern territory of the country; he had driven students like us to take a safari. 

As our conversation progressed, I learned that the small cattle town that he had grown up in started to get a lot of people from the city moving in. I asked him if he was a fan of the growing population. Originally I had assumed he would respond in the affirmative, as he had mentioned earlier that nowadays more kids in his town were gaining the opportunity to attend school as the perspective of parents was changing, something he didn’t get the privilege of when he was young. Instead, though, he responded that he wasn’t a fan of the change. To help me understand why, Sebastian painted a picture for me. He pointed to a nearby tree and said to me, "Birds are smart creatures; they like to build their homes in tall trees. If they were to live in shorter ones, they could be at risk of being eaten by predators. If their tall trees are being cut down. What are the birds going to do?” With this I began to understand what he was getting at. I responded, “They will move away or they’ll die out.” He nodded enthusiastically and continued. He had spent his childhood in the town as a cowboy and spent much of his day outside. He described how as more and more of nature is taken to build houses and such, a new generation is growing up with less and less of a connection to the nature around them. “There’s much important knowledge that you can get from nature.” Even for Sebastian, he told of how in his parents' day the fauna (gazelles, guinea fowl, baboons, etc.) we were seeing in the park were commonly a part of their life; it wasn’t something you had to go to a park to see. 

I immediately agreed and understood his perspective. I shared that is how America feels to me, but we have fully gotten to this completion of separation from nature. I have grown up in a big industrialised city where nature is something to be controlled, and that is separate from us humans. Just being in an environment where you have animals roaming how they please, outside of a zoo cage, is quite an amazing sight for me. 

As I have reflected on my conversation with Sebastian, I feel very grateful for the opportunity to have such a meaningful conversation. Despite our differences, we were able to find a common point of view. Industrialisation has brought us so much progress in technology, medicine, and overall convenience; however, it has also often come at the expense of our natural world. As I continue my trip in Ghana, I hope to learn more about the people and the environment. I hope this post gets you thinking!

- Madison Bradford

Special thanks to Ethan Neall for the photo of the night sky in mole

On June 18, 2026; we were in Kumasi, Ghana visiting the Manhyia Palace Museum. The day before, we came from a 9-hour car ride from Mole National Park, making it a long, cramped journey to where we are now. It was a needed change of pace and one I enjoyed thoroughly. At the entrance of the museum, there is a sign stating “AKWAABA” (meaning “Welcome” in Twi) and an arrow pointing to the entrance of Manhyia Palace. When we first entered, there is a nice yard with a small pond and other plants, but most importantly; the Kum Tree (or also referred to as the Banyan Tree) is housed in this garden. This giant, draping tree holds such historical and cultural significance, such as it being traced to the naming of the city of Kumasi, as legends say that important meetings and decisions were held under the shade of this tree, leading to the Twi phrase of “Kum Ase” (which means “Under this tree”). This sounds like such a historical, grandiose moment but……

The tree shown is not the Kum Tree mentioned in the legends unfortunately. The tree that captivates visitors with its long, draping aerial roots is an Indian Rubber Tree that was introduced to the Manhyia Palace in 1916. This tree is often mistaken as the Kum Tree of Manhyia Palace, with the original Kum Trees being lost to time. Even though it is not one of the original Kum Trees planted by King Osei Tutu, it still holds an important role in the history and culture of the city. Its presence in Manhyia Palace reflects the Ashanti’s legacy, connection to nature, and their heritage.

While I wasn’t able to get pictures of the many artifacts of the past and who the previous kings and queens were, one thing I was able to capture on camera was the gold artifacts, ranging from jewelry to swords. An important thing to note of the artifacts shown is that they were originally looted by the British during the Anglo-Ashanti War of 1873-1874. These artifacts were just recently obtained back to Manhyia Palace but on a loan, meaning that in 2027, they will try to regain the artifacts they originally stole, which is some pretty odd logic but I digress. On the other hand, Fowler Museum at the University of California, Los Angeles did return 7 royal artifacts to the Manhyia Palace. They made this batch’s return unconditional and permanent, which is a nice and respectable gesture to the Ashanti people. 

Overall, this was such a fun and interesting tour and it was enjoyable to learn about a kingdom that I never even knew about before going to Ghana. From the calm, peaceful garden to the rustic interior of the palace filled with relics of the past, it was a wonderful experience and I recommend you visit to place to get a taste of new history from a new perspective.

Maximiliano Villeda-Macias