My Friend

Awong outside of her house

In her fancy dress

My friend and me

Being sassy with Chris

I have a friend from church who I always make a point to greet when I see her.  I blogged about her when I first met her a while ago.   My friend Chris and I were walking one day came upon her fetching water at the well nearby her house.  And to be quite honest when you look at her you feel sorry for her.  She’s stooped with old age and uses a stick to walk but once you get to know her you see she’s just fine.  She’s quite spunky!  She admonished Chris once after we hadn't been to visit for a while and ask why he hadn't brought me to see her.  She's just one of the amazing people I’ve met in Gbedema.  Here’s the interview with Awong by Awenlie (that’s me) translated by Chris.

Name: Agambiel Awong

Age: in her nineties

Best Food: Rice and beans with palm oil

Family: Married in the nearby village of Kanjarga to a man with two wives.  She gave birth to 7 children and only 1 made it into adulthood that she knows of but has since passed away.  She believed her rivals (the other wives) killed 4 of her so she left the man.  2 more of her children left and never came back.  She has 10 grandchildren one of whom founded an NGO in Sandema called CBR.  

How has Gbedema changed in your lifetime?

It’s now modern Ghana here.  In the olden days there weren’t lights, loud music, or a grinding mill so we used stones to grind our millet and corn.  

Tell me about your church life: She started attending church during Kwame Nkrumah’s time and now attends the Catholic church.  

What gives you joy? (I asked this question because whenever I see her she is always smiling)

My family is not into witchcraft.  I like joking with people and insulting them in a playful way (I’d say she’s spunky and sassy) and not fighting.  This makes me happy because I don’t quarrel with anyone.  Also I like making people laugh like at church I’ll be dancing and people have been laughing. 

What else would you like to share? 
Her amazing story:

When she was young after her mother died, she went to Kumasi often since she was trading apeteshie and other things at the time.  (Note: I got confused on the timeline but I think this was after she married and left her husband) On the way back from Kumasi on one of her trips, she was involved in a lorry crash with 12 people.  9 died and only 3 lived including her.  In the accident, her leg was injured and ever since then she’s had a leg problem.  One doctor even wanted to amputate but another doctor disagreed and she kept her leg.  Her grandson wanted her to move to a nearby village to be closer to family but she refushed. 

Today she lives on her own in the village and farms millet and groundnuts herself around her house, cooks all her own food, fetches all her own water, does all her own chores, etc.  Chris believes this is why she's lived to be so old because she doesn't have people disturbing her all the time! The last few times we visited her we decided to take photos.  The first time we came back she didn't wear her fancy dress she wanted in the pictures so we had to come back the next day and do more photos.  I printed some out for her in Bolga as a goodbye gift and she was exceedingly happy.