As soon as the workers got here this morning we told them that Abdulai Fusheni had died. After a little bit of discussion as to what we should do for the family and the funeral we decided that we would buy a bag of corn (220 pounds) and also give them an envelope with some money in it to help support the funeral. These funerals can go on for several days. Yesterday was the burial day. The first funeral is supposed to be 3 days after a man dies and 4 days after a lady dies but since Abdulai’s 3rdday falls on Wednesday that day has to be skipped. No funerals can be performed on Wednesdays or Saturdays. They are considered bad days to have a funeral. The ancestors are not receptive on those days and they will not accept the dead person’s spirit. Wednesdays are considered worse days than Saturday but the worst day of all is the Wednesday before the new moon. That is considered to be the worst day of the whole month. The YaNa of Dagbon was murdered on the Wednesday before the new moon! Then there is a final funeral on the 7th day after a person dies. The same rules apply to the 7th day funeral as apply to the first funeral. If the person that died was born in another village the funeral will be carried to that village. The funeral is carried in the form of a calabash bowl that usually has a white burial cloth in it. Today when we went to visit the family of Abdulai and present our gift we first met with the men and then we met with the women. There is no furniture in most of the rooms. It is customary for you to remove your shoes before entering someone’s room. If you are not wearing slippers you can wear your shoes. Everyone sits on mats that have been placed on the ground. Steve did not want to walk on the mat because he had not removed his shoes so he was going to squat in the corner. Steve did not realize that they had sat the calabash and some pot in the corner as a representation of Abdulai. I could not help but chuckling when I realized Steve almost sat on Abdulai! It is the custom to offer everyone that comes to visit a drink of water and/ or water to wash your face and hands in. The grandchildren had prepared a bowl of hot pepper water to offer the visitors. They offer you the water and say, “If you do not wish to drink or wash your face with the water you must pay!” Of course everyone pays! It is a way for the grandchildren to get something.
While we were in the market buying the corn I spied a very old, very cool enamel head pan. It was an advertising piece for “OMO” laundry detergent. This pan had a new bottom put in it at sometime in its life. We stopped to see if the lady wanted to sell the pan. Usually they do not want to sell them because they are using them and don’t have time to go buy another one. She did not want to sell it but she said that she would trade it for a new one. We went in the market and bought a new one and traded with her. She thought that she got the better end of that deal! I can hear her talking to her friends; “I met this crazy old white lady that traded a new pan for my old worn out one!”
Have a great day!
In His Service,
Steve and Kandie
