Up The Kwahu Mountains to Abetifi

SO, I’M AFRAID OF HEIGHTS. I HATE FLYING BUT LOVE GETTING TO MY DESTINATION….YOU UNDERSTAND? IT WASN’T UNTIL AFTER MY TRIP TO GHANA THAT I READ THE WARNING THAT “FIRST-TIME DRIVERS [UP THE KWAHU MOUNTAINS] ARE STRICTLY ADVISED TO ENSURE THE ROADWORTHINESS OF THEIR VEHICLES, WITH EXTRA ATTENTION PAID TO BREAK FUNCTIONS AND GEAR SHIFTS. THE STEEP CLIMB WITH SHARP S-CURVES IS QUITE DEMANDING EVEN FOR EXPERIENCED DRIVERS.“ OVER THE HILLS AND THROUGH THE WOODS, TO GRANDMA'S HOUSE WE GO!

HISTORY OF THE KWAHU

The Kwahu are a hardworking mountain-dwelling agriculturalist group living on the west shore of Lake Volta in the Eastern Region of Ghana. They are known as very wealthy and successful traders who were the first in the country to emerge as strong local business gurus according to Kweku Darko Ankrah, a historian with the University of Ghana's Institute of African Studies.

As we drive through the towns leading up the the Kwahu mountains, I saw beautiful mansions on large plots of lush green land.

ABETIFI

My mother is Kwahu and grew up in a town called Abetifi, capital of Kwahu East district. It was one thing growing up hearing her stories of village life, it was another actually being in there and seeing the family house with my own two eyes.

I’m so glad I made it through the drive up the Kwahu Mountains in Ghana. This was my first time visiting my mother's birthplace with my sisters, son and mom. Even though I was terrified of driving up mountains, I have to admit that the views are spectacular and it was worth all of the anxiety.