Emilie's second post from Kuapa village Assin Akonfudi

 The main entrance to Akonfudi from the Cape Coast- Kumasi road, enters the village with a taxi station on the right hand side, some ‘petty-shops’ selling things such as soft-drinks, soaps, canned fish, tomato paste and colorful chewing gums. On the left hand side is a large beautiful tree.

Under the tree at Assin Akonfudi

As an ‘obroni’ – (a common expression for a white person), some things in the rural environment really surprise you, such as the pool-table located below in the shade provided by the branches of the huge tree. When asking around it turns out that the table is locally made and brought in from the regional capital Cape Coast. Surrounding the table are often a few boys, between the ages of ten to eighteen years, playing a game of pool. The rules governing the game are that up to three players can play at the same time and the loser has to pay the usage fee of ten Ghana pesewas. According to Amu Blessing, a young boy who is in charge of the table (the boy in white to the left in the picture) it is popular to play but its common that ‘children don’t pay after playing’.

When I ask his mother, Rebecca Fuatche, a shop owner, the background of the pool table she explains that it was brought to the village about two years back by Amu’s older brother for recreational purposes. She says that in a good day the family can get an income of one Ghana Cedi (equivalent to about £0.43). During the times I have visited the pool table there have never been any girls playing, I ask Rebecca about it. She explains by saying that ‘The ladies are not interested’. Based on my observations, a more accurate explanation might be that some girls often are too busy helping their families with domestic work such as washing clothes, cooking or selling oranges.

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