Meet the Animals of Ghana Part 1: Locally Grown Edition
You might be thinking I'm about to talk about exotic animals you equate with Africa, like zebrasand lions, but you would be mistaken. While Ghana is endowed with an abundance of exotic animals most Americans do not see outside of zoos, it also has plenty that Americans are familiar with. Because farming is a way for most adults in northern Ghana to grow/raise food to feed their families and make extra money on top of whatever careers they pursue, farm animals can be found in abundance here. One cannot go very far without running into one of these guys:
CATTLE:
Known for the distinct floppy lumps on their backs, cattle in Ghana serve the same purpose as those found in the U.S.: to provide milk and meat. Milk is only available during certain times of the year, as it is dependent on when cows give birth (no chemicals to artificially force cows to lactate here) and when the Fulani people (wandering cow-herders) make their way to where you live. Cow meat is also not the burgers you're thinking of, but is instead often served attached to the skin (as a nansala, I still have not gotten used to this). Cows are also perfect for hindering your ability to get anywhere on a tro tro by blocking the road and continuing to stand there despite (or perhaps to spite) a line of cars honking at them.
DONKEYS:
These are used for drawing carts, much like what you would think of in the olden days before cars. When travelling between regions, it is common to see huge groups of people sitting in a large wooden cart being pulled by a single donkey. They are also used for plowing during planting season. While they are great for hauling large loads, donkeys are even better at keeping you awake at night by braying loudly right outside your window.
CHICKENS:
I have learned the most about chickens since being here, as most families in the Upper West have at least a few to provide meat and eggs. Fun fact: a chicken farmer has to restock her entire chicken coop every few years because, when one chicken goes through menopause and stops producing eggs, all of the chickens do. That means selling their entire coop for meat and buying a bunch of young chicks. If you are a chicken owner, you also start to develop a good arm, as you are constantly throwing rocks at your birds to keep them from pecking at growing plants, drying seeds, or prepared food.
GUINEA FOWL:
Guinea fowl are prized for their meat, which darker and is seen as a step above chicken. However, raising guinea fowl is a lot of work, as they are both picky and stupid. Hens refuse to lay eggs unless they are kept under certain temperatures and are not surrounded by too many other hens. Additionally, they are known for forgetting which eggs are theirs, so I have hard many stories of farmers getting excited that their hens laid eggs but being crushed when they find those hens refuse to lay on their eggs. Despite these challenges, I consider them to be one of my favorite farm animals here since they mostly stay out of my way.
TURKEYS:
Turkeys you say?? In Ghana?? That was my same reaction when I heard their characteristic "gobble gobble" just outside my window when I arrived back in August. But it's true! In fact, since they are "exotic" birds here, one alone bird can sell for 300 or 400 cedis (about 60-80 USD, but in terms of how much of a Ghanaian's income this would take up, it's more appropriate to think of it as being $300-400). Thus, these birds are saved for only the biggest of occasions: Christmas, Easter, Eid, etc. Fun fact: turkeys like to sleep on roofs at night, so don't think you are crazy if you hear them calling from above you!
PIGS:
These guys are used solely for meat, but can also be used to determine which faith is predominant in any town you visit, as Muslims do not eat them (they are viewed as dirty). They're great for brightening up your day (ever seen a baby pig happily prance around in a field of grass? It's something out of a Disney movie) and for almost causing accidents by gleefully sitting in a mud puddle smack in the middle of the road.
GOATS and SHEEP:
These are THE BANE OF MY EXISTENCE. That might sound dramatic, but they are truly awful. They eat everything, so one must constantly be chasing them from drying seeds, crops, produce, and garbage pails. They love to explore, so a good hour of my day is spent running in circles trying to chase them out of my compound. They poop EVERYWHERE, especially in super inconvenient places, like right outside your door. Additionally, they are loud and never seem to sleep, so I have spent long nights waiting for a braying goat to move from just beneath my window so I can get some sleep. Goats and sheep are EVERYWHERE (farmers let them go free to eat whatever they find and somehow end up back at home at the end of the day), so you are constantly shooing them away no matter if you are at your house, in town, on the road, or in market. Have I convinced you how awful goats are yet?
Fun fact: I have watched a goat give birth.... as the mother decided to do so a mere 3 feet from where I was sitting a few weeks ago.
**Editor's note: We apologize to any owners of these animals for the writer's rather negative portrayal of them. I am sure they are really quite nice.
CATTLE:
Known for the distinct floppy lumps on their backs, cattle in Ghana serve the same purpose as those found in the U.S.: to provide milk and meat. Milk is only available during certain times of the year, as it is dependent on when cows give birth (no chemicals to artificially force cows to lactate here) and when the Fulani people (wandering cow-herders) make their way to where you live. Cow meat is also not the burgers you're thinking of, but is instead often served attached to the skin (as a nansala, I still have not gotten used to this). Cows are also perfect for hindering your ability to get anywhere on a tro tro by blocking the road and continuing to stand there despite (or perhaps to spite) a line of cars honking at them.
DONKEYS:
These are used for drawing carts, much like what you would think of in the olden days before cars. When travelling between regions, it is common to see huge groups of people sitting in a large wooden cart being pulled by a single donkey. They are also used for plowing during planting season. While they are great for hauling large loads, donkeys are even better at keeping you awake at night by braying loudly right outside your window.
CHICKENS:
I have learned the most about chickens since being here, as most families in the Upper West have at least a few to provide meat and eggs. Fun fact: a chicken farmer has to restock her entire chicken coop every few years because, when one chicken goes through menopause and stops producing eggs, all of the chickens do. That means selling their entire coop for meat and buying a bunch of young chicks. If you are a chicken owner, you also start to develop a good arm, as you are constantly throwing rocks at your birds to keep them from pecking at growing plants, drying seeds, or prepared food.
GUINEA FOWL:
Guinea fowl are prized for their meat, which darker and is seen as a step above chicken. However, raising guinea fowl is a lot of work, as they are both picky and stupid. Hens refuse to lay eggs unless they are kept under certain temperatures and are not surrounded by too many other hens. Additionally, they are known for forgetting which eggs are theirs, so I have hard many stories of farmers getting excited that their hens laid eggs but being crushed when they find those hens refuse to lay on their eggs. Despite these challenges, I consider them to be one of my favorite farm animals here since they mostly stay out of my way.
TURKEYS:
Turkeys you say?? In Ghana?? That was my same reaction when I heard their characteristic "gobble gobble" just outside my window when I arrived back in August. But it's true! In fact, since they are "exotic" birds here, one alone bird can sell for 300 or 400 cedis (about 60-80 USD, but in terms of how much of a Ghanaian's income this would take up, it's more appropriate to think of it as being $300-400). Thus, these birds are saved for only the biggest of occasions: Christmas, Easter, Eid, etc. Fun fact: turkeys like to sleep on roofs at night, so don't think you are crazy if you hear them calling from above you!
PIGS:
These guys are used solely for meat, but can also be used to determine which faith is predominant in any town you visit, as Muslims do not eat them (they are viewed as dirty). They're great for brightening up your day (ever seen a baby pig happily prance around in a field of grass? It's something out of a Disney movie) and for almost causing accidents by gleefully sitting in a mud puddle smack in the middle of the road.
GOATS and SHEEP:
These are THE BANE OF MY EXISTENCE. That might sound dramatic, but they are truly awful. They eat everything, so one must constantly be chasing them from drying seeds, crops, produce, and garbage pails. They love to explore, so a good hour of my day is spent running in circles trying to chase them out of my compound. They poop EVERYWHERE, especially in super inconvenient places, like right outside your door. Additionally, they are loud and never seem to sleep, so I have spent long nights waiting for a braying goat to move from just beneath my window so I can get some sleep. Goats and sheep are EVERYWHERE (farmers let them go free to eat whatever they find and somehow end up back at home at the end of the day), so you are constantly shooing them away no matter if you are at your house, in town, on the road, or in market. Have I convinced you how awful goats are yet?
Fun fact: I have watched a goat give birth.... as the mother decided to do so a mere 3 feet from where I was sitting a few weeks ago.
**Editor's note: We apologize to any owners of these animals for the writer's rather negative portrayal of them. I am sure they are really quite nice.
Comments
Post a Comment