The
drive from our resort to the Karela Beach Visitor’s centre was very
short, perhaps, pleasantly so. After a very long drive from Accra to the
Western Region of Ghana just the night before, another long journey
wasn’t something we wanted. We were on a 3-day familiarization tour of
the Western Region of Ghana as a build up to the 2019 Accra Weizo. This
was the second day of our tour, and we had lodged at Karela Hotel and
Resorts on arrival from Accra the night before.
The brand new day
presented another opportunity to explore Ghana some more, and not even
the intermittent pockets of light rain could dampen our wander-lusting
spirit. So, with palpable enthusiasm and so much expectations, we
received the obligatory life jackets, some shiny, some not so shiny. And
before long, every one of us was spotting something yellow, and off we
went to board the waiting boats.
A Boat of Many Speeds
When
we were told by the Tour Guide that the boat ride would take
approximately 20 minutes, we didn’t know exactly how to respond. We
didn’t know whether to get excited or apprehensive, our emotions were
mixed. However, we knew one thing – we wanted to explore, and we were
ready. Not that we particularly cared how long the ride was going to
take, no, we didn’t, we just wanted to get our travel juices flowing.
After
a few safety tips from the Tour Guide, the seemingly new Yamaha engine
of the wooden boat roared to life, and with that, we commenced our
journey to Nzulezo – the village on water.
Ready for the exciting ride: The Three Wise Tourists – Dozie Uzo, Hope Obeten, and Paul Ukachukwu
The
boat ride started off on a slow speed. While the slow speed allowed us
to appreciate the waters more deeply and even meditate on it, there was a
part of us that wanted the boat to speed off to the destination.
Luckily, we had the best of the two worlds. Not long after we set sail,
the speed of the boat gradually increased and peaked to a frightening
velocity, making the ride even more breathtaking.
As
the boat ride progressed, we passed through jungles, creeks and rain
forests, bringing us very close to aquatic elements. There were ups,
there were downs and there were near misses. Indeed, in addition to life
jacket, you also need a good dose of adrenaline for this ride. Luckily,
we had both. Possibly to the relief of some of us, the speed of the
boat gradually slowed down as we approached the community and prepared
to dock. The boat ride took about 20 minutes, and I wished it took a
little longer. By all standards, the boat ride was exciting, but what we
met as we arrived, was even more exciting.
Built on Wooden Stilts
Nzulezo
village is located near Beyin village which is situated 90 kilometers
west of Takoradi in the Jomoro District of the Western Region of Ghana.
Nzulezo is a small, isolated and serene aquatic community built entirely
on wooden stilts and platforms over Lake Tandane which forms part of
the Amansuri Wetland. According to history, the river is named
‘Amansuri’ because it is said to be a friendly river. Perhaps, the
closest examples of such settlements in the modern day West Africa are
the floating community of Ganvie in Benin Republic and Aiyetoro town in
Ogun State, Nigeria. A more modern example would be Venice in Italy.
The
Nzulezo Village is one of the few instances where you can use ‘ancient’
and ‘modern’ in the same sentence without a conflict. There’s a single
central wooden walkway with offshoots on either sides which form a
mesh-like structure that interconnects the houses. The houses are
constructed almost exclusively with raffia and other stronger
woods which provide structural support. There’s no single concrete wall
or surface in this aquatic community, everything is made with wood
except the roofs which are made with zinc. While most of the houses wear
the natural grey colour of the raffia, a few of them are painted which
creates beautiful contrast, and adds colour to the community.
Locally
made canoes and speed boats are the only means of transportation
between Nzulezo Village and their immediate neighbours and destinations –
whether on waters or on dry grounds. While the big boys
can afford to use speed boats, the rest have to literally paddle their
own canoes. For obvious reasons, almost everyone who resides in this
community can paddle a canoe including old women and school children. In
fact, the ability to swim and paddle a canoe are the two most important
requirements to live here.
In
all of the tourism potentials and anthropological interests in the
Nzulezo village, one thing stands out. Instead of being a threat to the
immediate ecosystem within which they live, the Amanzule Community has
become part of the ecosystem. There seems to be a mutually beneficial
relationship between them and the ecosystem. While they conserve and
protect it, the ecosystem in turn poses no dangers to them. Here, people
live in perfect sync and harmony with nature while experiencing
constant communion with aquatic elements, something that’s rare these
days.
Nzulezo Village may not qualify as a 21st century
architectural masterpiece, or gain an entry into the Guinness Book of
World Records as an engineering wonder, but it definitely shows the
engineering ingenuity of the timid African man.
How it all Began!
According
to our Tour Guide, the ancestors of Nzulezo people migrated in the 15th
century, from the ancient Ghana Empire in today’s Mali. History has it
that, following a war over their land and gold, their god appeared as a
snail and led them to today’s Ghana. But after repeatedly being forced
to move on by other ethnic groups and slave traders, they finally
reached and settled on Lake Tandane which they believed would protect
them from their enemies. Presently, there are about 500 people living
in Nzulezo Village.
The people of Nzulezo are mostly fishermen,
subsistence farmers and artisans. They are also into the commercial
brewing of local gin called Akpeteshi. The creativity here is
surprisingly remarkable, they hand-produce all the souvenirs sold to
tourists who visit the community from far and near. The predominantly
spoken language in Nzulezo is Nzema, especially among the older
demographics and the pre-school age children. In fact, the village’s
name “Nzulezo” in Nzema language, means “water surface”. Besides the
native Nzema language, the youths and school children are also able to
speak English, good English, I must say.
No, It’s Not a Slum
When
I first heard ‘village on water’, my mind painted pictures of an
abandoned, desolate, and impoverished Village . But no, the Nzulezo
village is not a slum or a swamp, neither is it abandoned. On the
contrary, the community is almost self-sufficient, with basic amenities
and infrastructures including mobile phone networks. There’s 24 hour
supply of electricity, with almost every house spotting a satellite
television dish. In the words of LG, you could say life’s good here. For
education, there’s Nzulezo Community School which has both primary and
secondary sections.
I spoke to Joe, a mathematics teacher in the secondary section who told me that after secondary education, the students move to Benin Republic for their high school. Why Benin Republic though? I didn’t get him to answer that. Joe and a few other teachers in the school actually live in the teachers’ quarters in the community, they only get to leave Nzulezo during vacations.
Mathematician on Water: Joe is happy to teach, but says his salary could be better
Joe was originally posted to Nzulezo Community School as a youth worker under the Ghana Youth Employment Agency, but was retained by the community after his contract with the Ghanaian government ended. He’s now been paid by the community. Joe is happy to teach, but says his salary could be better.
Learning Well: Bismarck and Vincent, class 4 students (secondary) doing Maths exercise
There’s Business, There’s Religion
Business is also booming in this little Village with signs of commercial activities here and there. There are a few shops where residents and visitors can purchase several items including groceries, provisions, wears and souvenirs.
Not your regular TESCO or Shoprite kind of Supermarkets, but this shop sells their basic needs
Bread for Sale: Not sure if she’s going to her shop or actually hawking around!
I
spoke to Dominic, a middle aged resident who makes boats for souvenirs
sold to visitors and tourists. According to him, the boats are made from
Beeya tree, and it takes about
30 minutes to make one boat from the scratch. One boat sells for between
5 and 20 Ghanaian Cedis (1-4 US Dollars). So if you’re visiting, you
might want to prepare yourself for some shopping.
Making a Living: As an artisan, Dominic makes wooden boats sold to visitors and tourists as souvenirs
Ready For Sale: One boat sells for between 5 and 20 Ghanaian Cedis (about 1-4 US Dollars)
And
to cater for their spiritual needs, there are three Christian churches
including a Catholic church, a Methodist church and the Church of
Pentecost. Don’t get it twisted, the churches here aren’t exactly
cathedrals, but basically huts with minimal religious decorations where
you could be in tune with God. But who cares about magnificent edifices?
They’re already very close to nature, anyway.
The Church of Pentecost: Not as big as Winners Chapel, Ota Nigeria, but it’s serving the purpose
Inside Christ the King Catholic Church: Not St Peter’s Basilica Rome, but it provides spiritual succor to many
However,
before the advent of Christianity, the people of Nzulezo had already
been worshiping their god of water. And today, some of them still pay
allegiance to this god, and a shrine was built to honor and worship him.
Among the traditionalists, Tuesdays are considered to be holy as
they’re dedicated to the worship of the water god. Fishing
is not allowed on Tuesdays, and women may not cross the lake if they
are menstruating. Many of the villagers abstain from eating snails as a
mark of respect for the god of their ancestors who led them in form of a
snail.
Nzulezo
community also a herbal centre which serves as a pharmacy shop,
although most of the medicines therein are herbal products for routine
illnesses. Apparently, traditional medicine is very popular among the
residents and the reason is not far-fetched. However, in cases of more
serious medical emergencies, the community has a special speed boat
which serves as the ambulance, and takes sick people to the nearest
hospitals in town.
The herbal centre serves as a pharmacy shop, but stocks mostly herbal medicines
For
the purposes of local administration, Nzulezo community has a village
chief who is chosen from the royal family and rules with the help of the
council of elders. There’s a community hall for community meetings and
other social functions.
But Why Aren’t They Expanding?
I
inquired from our Tour Guide why the Nzulezo community doesn’t seem to
be expanding very rapidly, having been established centuries ago. The
answer was logical. I was told it was due to the constant out-flux of
the youths who when they grow up, leave the village for other parts of
Ghana where they establish their new families. We were in fact, told
that there’s a New Nzulezo community with a population of about 3,000
people located on land, not far from the old Nzulezo on water. Due to
the out-flux of youths in search of greener pastures, Nzulezuons
are actually scattered across Ghana, according to the Tour Guide. Some
of them might actually have left the shores of Ghana for other parts of
Africa.
Friendly and Protective
Perhaps,
deserving of special mention is the fact that the water used by the
community for domestic purposes comes from the Tandane Lake on which the
village rests. Whether it’s for drinking or for cooking or for
washing, the water doesn’t get any form of treatment or purification.
Just bend down, fetch, and use. And according to our Tour Guide, the dirty water hasn’t been known to kill anyone or even cause illness.
Ironically, the Nzulezo people live long here. Perhaps, this is one of the reasons why the lake is traditionally known as the Friendly River
among the people. Is this a case of “what you don’t know doesn’t kill
you?” Maybe. But there’s a possible scientific explanation – over time,
their bodies must have developed antibodies and resistance to pathogenic
organisms in the water – a sort of accidental immunization. And who wouldn’t live long with all those proteins, essential minerals and vitamins from seafood?
Posing with the Elders: They age with grace, and they seem to live long in Nzulezo Community
Another
fact that lends credence to the friendliness of the lake is that,
although there have been cases of overflowing, especially during rainy
seasons, there haven’t been loss of lives or properties. In fact,
there’s a popular belief among the local population, that the water
protects them from certain natural disasters like fire. Tandane Lake is
indeed, friendly.
The Surprises and The Lessons
Perhaps
the biggest surprise and the most important lesson for me on this trip,
is the fact that Nzulezo Village is in the radar of the Ghanaian
government. Given where I was coming from, it was natural and even
normal for my mind to paint pictures of ‘abject poverty’ when I first
heard of the Nzulezo community. But surprisingly, the reverse is the
case here.
With amenities like schools, electricity, satellite TV, and mobile phone networks, they’re seeing dividends of democracy from Ghanaian Government. Another important lesson I learned from the trip was that, although the government of Ghana looks out for them, Nzulezo residents are not lazy, they are hardworking and do not depend on the government.
Nzulezo residents are not lazy, they are hardworking and do not depend on the government
The Nzulezo community may not be competing with America’s Beverly Hills, Nigeria’s Banana Island or Ghana’s Trasacco Valley, but it’s
Final Words
Getting to Nzulezo
If
If you can, visit the Nzulezo Village and feed your wander-lusting mind, and take some anthropology lessons while at it. And please don’t forget to go with your adrenaline, you’ll need it for the boat ride.
Source: www.afritraveller.com
