A Cup of Culture
By Ashikai Tetteh, Guest Writer
8 April, 2012
It is early morning. The only audible sound is the barely there whisper of leaves rustling in the embrace of the wind. The crowing of the cock breaks up the consonance of early morning sounds of nature. Legend here has it that it cries out a warning to the world about its injustices and reminds the Earth of its significance.
Early rising athletes in training and fitness-minded people may have started warming up by the time the first tune echoes from the mosque down the empty street. Soon after, the “swish” “swish” of brooms start as city sweepers commence their work, joining the previous day’s litter, sand, and brown, red, and yellow leaves together into a bundle to be burnt or thrown away. As the sweeping continues, early morning marketers stand patiently in the cool morning breeze, within the swarthy shadows of ubiquitous mango and baobab trees, waiting for the first rickety trotro of the day to approach.
Now, the joggers, weight watchers, and aspiring athletes are in action, savoring the fresh morning air and its velvety feel against the friction of their paced exercise. The non-harmonic symphony of squeaky metal doors begins as kiosk owners begin to set up in anticipation of the early morning bustle and clamour soon to begin.
The sun starts its climb to the top, elevating the frequency of “bone shakers” and taxis. In some houses, breakfast is being prepared and served, while others outside buy their coco, waakye, and kenkey from the waiting street vendors. The colourful parade of briefcases, bags, suits, print fabrics, and lunch boxes hop aboard for the journey to work as the bone shakers and taxis join the fog of exhaust pipe fumes in the rush-hour traffic jam. Along the few sidewalks, little children can be seen walking side by side, hand in hand, eager to get to school as they weave between workers briskly striding to work and past the first refrains of barter and trade. The day has begun.
There is nothing like growing up in a nation’s capital, a capital city still developing socioeconomically and trying to blend the ways of tradition and the ways of the West into one big cultural brewing pot serving its own unique blend of morning coffee. A morning cup of culture.
