I am apolitical. I leave that world to my father and my boyfriend who relish in unsolvable philosophical talking points. But today I found out that Osama Bin Laden was killed. At first I was frightened…because I thought Osama was Obama. Can you imagine? I can, which frightens me. Maybe I shouldn’t keep reading Malcolm X’s autobiography before bed. When I realized it was an s not a b, I was skeptical. Was he really killed? How could they do DNA tests in the first place…who had his DNA? Why did they bury him in the ocean? Who saw his body? I remain skeptical…but optimistic?
I found it amazing that the American political scene had reached Ghana. Not only that, but people here cared to talk about it. I started talking to another American at the Beach Hotel about Osama…save for he spends 75% of his time in Ghana and only 25% of his time in the United States,so maybe he’s more Ghanaian than American. He spoke fondly of the US. Many things I’ve heard others criticize about America, he saw as its strengths. In particular he lauded over our sense of individualism and constant desire for change. He likened our thirst for more and better to increased self-esteem and creativity.
Ghana is more traditional. People hold onto old technology and old beliefs. There is an adrinkra called Sankofa…in western terms it means that you learn from the mistakes of your past…but for Ghanaians it also means that you should not abandon stalwart tradition. So Ghanaians believe in voodoo, herbal medications, spirits…these things are real to them. These beliefs keep them rooted to an ancient practice and past, but at the same time stop them from evolving. They are caught between a vibrant flame of cultural identity, and a tank of gasoline gearing them up to drive to the future…it's a society that could explode at any minute.
Why doesn’t Ghana blow up like so many African nations around it? I’m not sure. There are some hints that it might…for instance if you steal, even if its a loaf of bread, an angry mobs will hunt you down and kill you with their bare hands…justice or violence? Again, I’m not sure. That is the allure of Africa. It's muted tensions, its struggle to define itself, the ebb and flow of life...it's so...human.
I know how that other american feels. I've become much more pro-America and generally more patriotic since being an expat. You don't realize what youv'e lost until it's gone, you know? There are so many things about America that we take for granted, and that individualism and drive is something that most countries simply cannot and will not replicate. It's a double-edged sword, but it's part of my identity after all, and it simply doesn't translate elsewhere. Whether it should be? That is a whole other question...
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