This is a continuation of a post I made last week of a trip I took around Ghana 10 years ago documenting community based tourism and Eco-tourism.
@leifasaur/faces-of-eco-tourism-in
Situated in the Amasuri wet lands in the Western Region of Ghana is a community like none other in Ghana. Folk lore states that the people who live in this stilted community walked here from somewhere in modern day Burkina Faso. They followed a snail here to escape some enemies that were bound to destroy them. The enemies followed them through Ghana, where they settled in the central part of the country briefly and on the coast before they were found and had to move on. The final show down happened when they built a raft and settles on the lake the community is on now. Their enemies tried to follow them and their snail diety opened the water on the lake and it swallowed their enemies for good.
The people of Nzulezu have lived on the surface of the lake in stilted house peacefully for a couple hundred years now. Most of their daily activity and beliefs revolve around the lake. To trade they must canoe to neighboring communities. The children learn to canoe and swim very young and canoe themselves to school in the morning. Crops are grown on a plot of land a mile from the community, and once again must be reached by canoe.
Because of the unique nature of the way people live here, they have opened up their community to visitors. To get there visitors first have to get to Beyin a coastal town on Ghana’s Western coast where they take canoes through the wetlands and jungle tunnels to reach the village. There is now a guest house at Nzulezu, before this was constructed only day trips from Beyin were possible.
During the drier times of year since the water is their highway they have made canals through the swamps so there is still navigable water to the surrounding communities even as the water drops in the dry season.
Boats are like buses on the water top taking people to and from where they need to be.
The dark waters of the wetlands and lakes make almost a perfect mirror reflection.
When you get off the boat most of the village has small branches off a primary walkway.
There are kids everywhere enjoying themselves.
Sadly when people live in close proximity to the forest and nature there is also a negative aspect. This Pangolin has been trapped and will probably be in the nights soup regardless of its endangered species status. The immediate needs of people outweigh the potential of future consequences on the environment or things like animal extinction.
The village has a functional school which some of the tourism money goes to support.
Kids are at play everywhere. During the driest part of the year this area will be a small football field. But for now it is a watery playground. When the kids jump out of the water they pick the leaches off of each other and smash them on the wood walk way.
When it is time to go it is back in the boat and the way you came through the wetlands.
The wetlands are a great refuge for wildlife.
Thanks for taking this trip with me.
All photos are taken by myself on a Canon Eos Digital Rebel.
[//]:# (!pinmapple 5.019628 lat -2.597683 long Nzulezu Stilt Village d3scr)