Ghana Books

African Majesty is the historical study of the weaving practiced by two separate West African tribes. Inhabiting the present day countries of Ghana and Togo, the weaving traditions of the Ashanti and Ewe have been traced from the writings of the European explorers of the 15th century.Their seemingly simple process is called "strip weaving". Strip weaving is the art of hand weaving narrow(3"-5")strips which are later hand sewn together into larger pieces to make the wearing cloth of both men and women. Intensely laborious but extremely portable, these combined strips are referred to in the West as "kente" cloth, a mixture of color and pattern which has been imitated in fabric prints. The team of Adler and Barnard, a textile scholar and a writer, has produced a magnificent collaboration which showcases this art. 131 color illustrations,including many full page plates, reveal the native use of intricate patterning and a wide range of colors. Each example is numbered and the patterns contained therein are named by their tribal name, translation, explanation of uses by particular segments of society and their place of origin. The pictured cloths are really incredible. Before reading this book I had dismissed this type of cloth as a hodgepodge of simple plain weave thrown together like a crazy quilt. Seeing the multitude of patterns and reading about the fine silk and cotton yarns employed has given me an appreciation for this painstaking craft. Barnard and Adler have compiled a wonderful book, enhanced by maps of the region, a glossary of African terms and a bibliography. Though even in the face of Western influence the simple everyday strip cloth material continues to be purchased and worn, it is the specially commissioned designs which are disappearing. Hopefully this book will attract a wide audience and stimulate demand by private collectors for this awesome handweaving.

While many studies on African rhythm approach this subject by focusing on its instrumental, percussive manifestation, this distinctively regional research assumes the centrality of the Ewe and Siwu languages at the basis of its characterization. Expanding on Nketia's general work on Ghanaian musics, Agawu combines anthropology, linguistics and European music theory as he takes the reader from the ethnography of a fictional soundscape (rhythmic physical activities in an Ewe community over the course of a day) to the rhythmic properties of the language itself (tone patterns, temporal spacing), concluding with accounts of two performances and conceptual models of Ewe rhythmic processes. He points out that the rhythmic qualities (stress, quantity and resultant pattern) of Ewe or Siwu languages so far have not received the same attention that tonal features have. A centerpiece of Agawu's presentation is his model of "Northern Ewe modes of rhythmic signification", a model that he introduces early on and later revises in its representative potential. It situates speech at the inception of rhythmic expression, yet allows "feedback-loops" and other generative impulses outside its domain to affect the musical process. Refreshing is Agawu's authoritative, yet similarly self-effacing and non-imposing writing style. His clarity of communication and lack of superfluous intellectualism makes this a very accessible and "alive" text, there is neither too much unduly self-referential pathos nor artificial scientific detachment in his descriptions. The book really seems to rest on Agawu's innate connection to this culture, and it is all the more interesting to see how he utilizes analysis and conceptualization of Western European origin to frame the issues in his discussion. At all times, while neither being afraid to honestly acknowledge compromise nor ideologically prevented from proceeding in such fashion, Agawu is aware of any attached implications that come hand in hand with this practice, yet doesn't deem them mutually exclusive.

Hey! My grandpappy wrote that book!

BUY IT!

Joel Cabourne-Jones

If anyone had told me what this book contained, I would have grabbed it sooner than I did. This book entices children to fall in love with poetry written for children, using rhythmic artistic sounds which are a joy to the ear. The colorful splashes of the illustrations will completely transform the reader into Okai's poetic world- utopiac nuances.It amazingly reaches out to the core of the reader with lines like "Crododile, crocodile...you should only cry when your water is dry", "My eyes are two but then, they see all night day" and "I do want to sting the bee like an anthill in the sea". The lines are catcy and short and one finds him/herself repeating them. It is a fantastic book to use to introduce your children into the world of poerty without boring them. I ABSOLUTELY loved it. Higest recommendations here!!!

This book goes in depth into the mind of a man who's one goal in life was to share the glory of freedom of self rule with his people. It goes into his life experiences as well as the politics and government in Ghana. In this book he shares with us his feelings and sentiments on the importance of self governing in Ghana and his countries struggle to get to freedom. "Our example must inspire and strengthen those who are still under foreign domination. In this belief I have written the story of my life so far. If in any way it helps the cause of freedom it will have served its purpose." -Kwame Nkrumah His greatness of character and morality is an inspiration to us all. I highly suggest this book to anyone who wants to learn what freedom really is. In this country it is greatly taken for granted.

Bella's Chocolate Surprise is not an ordinary softcover picturebook - it's an introduction to how chocolate is made, as well as the concept of "fair trade" and why it is so important. A young girl named Bella loves chocolate; curious to learn more about it, she uses a magical pendant to call her friend, a beautiful and magical Quetzal bird. The Quetzal bird takes her to visit the Ghana countryside in West Africa, where she helps the local children harvest chocolate - collecting fruit, opening its pods, scooping out the pulp, gathering the cocoa beans, leaving them covered with banana leaves for a week, finally drying them in the sun and packing them in sacks. A child tells her, "The money our community gets from the Fair Trade Company for the cocoa beans pays for all our food, school fees and medical supplies for a whole year." Most shocking of all, she learns the people who harvest cocoa beans don't eat chocolate - it's too expensive! A heartwarming story about learning to appreciate the simple joy of a sweet taste all too easily taken for granted, as well as the power that fair trade has to make everyone's lives better.

Born on a Monday is a book of photographs from Woe, a village in Ghana. This book is the final product of a six-month volunteer trip to Ghana with the organization Cross Cultural Solutions. The photos document daily life in Woe covering economic activities, religion, and the schools. It includes essays from Ghanaians and observations from Carrie Brown.

Both breathtaking and informative.

Nicely put together package of forts & castles, with some beautiful photography.

Each fort has a short list of countries that owned it, and many current great photos. They also include old drawings or paintings of each edifice, which are quite interesting! Info is also included, and there is a good bibliography in the back. 110 pp, recommended.

An excellent read, shows how prevelant the issues women face in Ghana are alike to the same issues they faec in all other cultures..

This is an amazing piece of work. Through Mystique Mysterious, the author leads us down exciting and revealing paths that illustrate man's inhumanity against man. It is impossible to do the novel adequate justice with such short review. All I can say is, it has amazing depth and builds up in suspense and then leads to a completely unexpected conclusion. A must read.