Stranger in a Strange Land

I’ve finished reading what is likely to be the first of many books this summer. First on the list was Robert A. Heinlein’s “Stranger in a Strange Land,” which was a fantastic book with a very appropriate title for my current situation.

The book is about a man, Valentine Michael Smith who is born on Mars, educated by an extremely advanced Martian race, and then brought back ‘home’ to Earth. In light of the story and my experiences on the ground, I can’t help but draw parallels between the mentality of the fictional Martian society and actual Ghanaian society.

For one, Smith believed that all the religions on earth were correct and not contradictory; all of them were different ways to look at the same problem, in which all religions are united to a common purpose. Ghanaians are very similar in their fusion of beliefs. They incorporate Christian or Muslim beliefs into the traditional tribal beliefs without any problem. Highly educated Ghanaians, some with one or more university degrees in science, believe as readily in ghosts and witchcraft as they do in hydrogen bonding. As far as they’re concerned, nothing in science and religion contradict. Life can be studied or it can be left as it is and shrouded in mysticism. But above all else, it is beautiful. To Ghanaians, everything is Grace.

I’m amazed at how Ghanaians are such unbelievably happy, trusting, and peaceful people. I actually can’t quite get over it. Almost every element of their society is founded on such a deep trust that I almost feel guilty just thinking about it. Two quick examples:

1. When a woman with a baby wants to board a lorry or tro-tro, she passes her baby through the window to complete strangers, packs her bags, pays the driver, climbs on and finds her seat, and then has the baby passed back to her. She usually doesn’t know any of the people who hold and play with her baby during this process, and, equally, doesn’t care. No-one I’ve talked to finds anything odd about, save for other visiting volunteers like myself… I can’t possibly this practice being adopted back home.

2. While traveling to my work I passed through the capital of the Upper West Region, Wa. Upon arriving there I tried to take a taxi to the station, where I would bus up to Jirapa. I knew the taxi ride should only cost about 5000 cedis, but the man I asked insisted on trying to charge 10 000. After a few minutes of debating juxtaposed with small talk I got him to bring his price down to 8000. At the end of our trip we got out, unpacked all my bags and he led me to where my bus would arrive. As I went to pay him I realised that I only had a 10 000 cedis bill and that he had no change. He smiles at me, takes the bill, and hurries off into the chaos towards his taxi. I see him go through a mass of people, come out on the other side, get in the taxi and drive away. Figuring that I had been had, I gave up and started chatting with the man next to me. About ten minutes later a gentleman walks up to me with 2000 cedis and says “your change, sir.” I have no idea how many hands the money passed through but somehow, without either myself or the taxi driver looking, I got my change. Again, no-one blinked at this casual exchange; you always make sure that everyone gets their due change in Ghana… just amazing.

Situations like this, which usually happen every day, really lead me to question my being here. Morally and spiritually these people seem infinitely more advanced than home; and the sense of community is so strong here. So how, exactly, is the West trying to ‘develop’ these people? By trying to ‘raise their standard of living,’ dragging them into our crazy consumerist/capitalist system? What good will that really cause? Am I really just ruining a beautiful society by trying to bring them fancy machines; by trying to boost their economy with a consumerist mindset?

Maybe we should start flying Ghanaians to Canada so that they can ‘develop’ us…