tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63058954567294783172024-02-20T16:58:55.431-06:00Blogging Without MapsA Journey Through LiberiaHeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-10781679435640386682015-05-21T10:56:00.000-05:002015-05-22T08:24:13.762-05:00Liberians Helping Liberians - Eric Wowoh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ90_v6DUC4-uK5sxsVNP6jv1sfXziTpDkO84tQYnbiim_t0id9y9Wk8oPVb11TXI3LkhZdQ5BfrJ22-DlytHgkJv8GVRKqyqQr4dk_PlyF4cB6CmjhFllmRCEzfDS-wNOUddoJD9JHoyu/s1600/10945673_1050865481595290_5418620103909478513_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ90_v6DUC4-uK5sxsVNP6jv1sfXziTpDkO84tQYnbiim_t0id9y9Wk8oPVb11TXI3LkhZdQ5BfrJ22-DlytHgkJv8GVRKqyqQr4dk_PlyF4cB6CmjhFllmRCEzfDS-wNOUddoJD9JHoyu/s320/10945673_1050865481595290_5418620103909478513_n.jpg" title="Eric Willise Wowoh" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">What breaks your heart? For Eric Wowoh it is seeing vulnerable children unknowingly headed towards exploitation, victimization, and destruction. As we continue looking at Liberians making a difference in Liberia (see <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2014/05/liberians-helping-liberia-mary-beh.html">Mary Beh</a>), I'm happy to share with you about my Liberian brother, Eric Willise Wowoh. He is a man determined to stop Liberia's future generations from heading down a path similar to the one that recently destroyed his nation, village, and family; one that almost took his very own life as a child. I'm referring to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberian_Civil_War" target="_blank">Liberian Civil Wars</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The Civil Wars in Liberia led to many near death experiences for most everyone that survived them. Eric's story is no different. Being separated from his parents as a young child while looking for food, he was kidnapped and tortured by soldiers when he refused to fight. He was thrown in the jungle to die by militants after his injuries were so severe he was no longer seen as useful to them. Left to wander as an unaccompanied child from one West African nation to the next, he found himself sleeping under bridges, begging for food, being thrown in jail in a foreign land, getting sick and hungry in refugee camps, being beaten and almost killed by a mob of Nigerian vigilantes, and the list goes on and on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">These surreal and traumatizing events all put Eric to within a breath of losing his life many times over. However, he has chosen not to be overcome or overwhelmed by the memories of his numerous encounters with near death. Instead, Eric has chosen to turn the tables and face "head-on" the culture and environment that created this horrific time period in Liberian history.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eric sharing his story with US HS students in MO.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Today as Eric engages Liberia he knows that if some basic things like education, employment opportunities, medical care, and clean drinking water are not dealt with properly that the same horrific outcomes he experienced as a child could result again Liberia. It is a thought that most Liberians who experienced the atrocities shudder to consider. However, instead of denying the possibility of such renewed civil unrest, it is a possibility that Eric is willing to address; and with action. Now is the time to stop future unrest. Now, before it gets too late.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eric speaking with Liberian volunteers</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eric, Ambassador Jeremiah C. Sulunteh, <br />myself, and the ambassador's wife. <br />Eric continues raising awareness of <br />Liberian needs in the US.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">In talking with Eric it becomes evident that his heart is broken whenever he sees other children having to face the same bleak prospects he faced as a child. Liberia's education system is in shambles. Overcrowded and unequipped classrooms often leave teachers yelling prompts for rote recitation as their main option of education. There are few textbooks; to say nothing of the lack of electricity, air conditioning, cafeterias, nurse stations, etc.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">CAN schools are an exception among Liberian schools. They have libraries!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">...and computers!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Testing at higher levels has also become a vulnerable area for students as reports of fee scamming and requests for sexual favors for grades are widely reported. But the biggest impact is a vulnerable society unaware of its own rights and subject to foreign land grabs, local oppression and corruption, and internal skill vacuums for needed work projects currently being outsourced to other nations.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heart of Grace school in Montserrado County</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">This lack of quality education leaves Liberia vulnerable to a reoccurrence of the same sort of violence and destruction Eric experienced as a young child. As a new generation that did not experience the wars is growing up in a Liberia, many are not aware of their own history or the reasons behind the events that destroyed their nation. This lack of education in Liberia leaves so many in extreme poverty and unequipped with the needed skilled labor force to deal with any major challenge without outside aid; as the recent ebola crisis clearly showed. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Loading supplies for Liberia during the recent Ebola Crisis</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The people of Liberia remain vulnerable. As a child Eric found himself vulnerable and victimized by a war he didn't start or understand. It almost cost him his life. He can't stand the thought of other children having that same experience. This is one of the main reasons why he is so passionate about education in Liberia. He sees himself in the eyes of the Liberian child.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eradicating Liberian poverty one child at a time.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">...It adds up!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Today, as founder and director of Change Agent Network (CAN), Eric is passionate and energetic about the various programs this organization is operating throughout Liberia. The "Network" part of his NGO name is a key component to the organization. It is what makes this Liberian NGO unique. In a nation plagued with corruption and power posturing, CAN is different in that it actively seeks to network with and serve other organizations. While most of CAN's efforts are focused on education, their network of partnerships has helped facilitate access to </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en97woSOT88&list=PLE80CD7D703C93152&index=50" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">clean drinking water wells</span></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">, small business development, orphanage care, and overall community development.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">CAN in Liberia today has three working campuses with approximately 3000 students and 9 schools in Lofa, Bong, and Montserrado Counties. They have also partnered with 2 other school campuses in the construction phase and have connected with numerous others for mutual edification. With connections made in Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, and Margibi counties, CAN is also considering a new school with their connections in Nimba. The hope is to one day have a working school campus and community development center in each of the 15 counties of Liberia. Another important part of the vision is a University to send all of these High School grads to, which is to be developed on their campus in Lofa.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Proposed University design for Lofa County - CANU</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">School Choir at one of the CAN schools:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3P8ZY4q5AvmY5_qVf1U5Y1zJjsKetQPSGGKrTdKRQSgwx9HiIMhfTE2XFov2rrX_RC8NLfhWQ_OQ3i2-TJq6RUsAoTCfSDbmBc_0UDr0eXIyJSN5suH59Nv1nT72U-u7XNI12e5KLl4cU/s1600/262516_2299163399996_3901062_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3P8ZY4q5AvmY5_qVf1U5Y1zJjsKetQPSGGKrTdKRQSgwx9HiIMhfTE2XFov2rrX_RC8NLfhWQ_OQ3i2-TJq6RUsAoTCfSDbmBc_0UDr0eXIyJSN5suH59Nv1nT72U-u7XNI12e5KLl4cU/s640/262516_2299163399996_3901062_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This pile of rocks was broken up by sledgehammer in order to build a school. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Now THAT is dedication!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Eric would be the first to admit that it is not he alone that is making a difference in Liberia. He would point to the network of partners and volunteers (both Liberian and international) that are making a difference. I agree with that, but I also think that Eric is a special person. He is on the front lines, trying to prevent Liberia from facing the chaos it faced in his youth. His heart was broken by that chaos, but the way he seems to see it: a broken heart only means he has more pieces of his heart to share. Thanks brother and keep it up! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JUGMGdVFou6WGYxAxQ7Y5_21l2NPUuNbkYhRkcOv9hlkGnFiXUkkY1qZ3uHlvKbwI-H4pC6dsvBOAVpY7V1lzYZFRjwErukbnnYnGQVH7JRK2qA61tmSCuSMy2tWFDboTdHICjWP1FuS/s1600/Heath+and+Eric+Wowoh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JUGMGdVFou6WGYxAxQ7Y5_21l2NPUuNbkYhRkcOv9hlkGnFiXUkkY1qZ3uHlvKbwI-H4pC6dsvBOAVpY7V1lzYZFRjwErukbnnYnGQVH7JRK2qA61tmSCuSMy2tWFDboTdHICjWP1FuS/s640/Heath+and+Eric+Wowoh.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My Liberian brother Eric and I in Liberia 2011</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>For more info</u>:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrhZAChTCEA" target="_blank">Click here</a> to hear part of a 2013 radio interview with Eric in Liberia on ELBC.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://canintl.org/press/" target="_blank">Newspaper archives</a> that track a history of involvement in Liberia and for Liberians for over 10 years.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://canintl.org/history/">History of CAN</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Change Agent Network Overview (taken from the <a href="http://canintl.org/about-us/" target="_blank">website</a>):</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">OUR MISSION: To Partner with Impoverished African Communities to Fight Poverty Through Education</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">OUR VISION: An African Continent Free of physical and Mental Poverty as well as intellectual slavery</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-72779496256482004932015-02-12T08:41:00.000-06:002015-02-12T08:41:05.029-06:00Ebola Treatment Center: A First Hand Account<span style="font-size: x-large;">Here is a powerful first hand account of what it is like working in an Ebola Treatment Center in Liberia. Dr. Kwan Kew Lai's blog is entitled <a href="http://ebolaliberiakwankewlai.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-dire-ebola-outbreak-and-its-mire.html" target="_blank">Ebola in Liberia</a>. This link opens in a new page and takes you to her first entry; the day before she left for Liberia on October 13th, 2014. Some very emotional stories about trying to bring healing to those you can't touch.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Education and Ebola</i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Ebola wanes in West Africa and I pray it continues to do so, however I continue to hear reports (just last week) of new cases in Monrovia. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">What will the future hold? I don't know, but I do know that education plays a key role in future containment. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">(Think of how ebola was not able to spread in the US as compared to West Africa and you begin to see the benefits of having both educated specialists and an educated public).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">However, here is the situation: Schools still can't open because parents haven't been able to find work to cover basic educational expenses (a problem before the ebola crisis) and children have been out of school for over a year. (The opening date was recently pushed back from February 2, 2015 to March). This only delays the problem of affordable education for a future generation that can more effectively combat a repeat of this sort of crisis, not to mention the impact on the economy, food security, infrastructure development, and other health related issues like ebola. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Meanwhile, this account by Dr. Lai is worth the read, if for nothing else than to reinforce the need for future development in Liberia.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Blessings.</span>HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-28992897351928127192014-09-15T15:24:00.001-05:002014-09-15T15:24:14.915-05:00First Ebola Came For the Guinean<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;">So
much sadness, anger, and frustration as we grieve with our Liberian
family during this time of crisis. I've not wanted to post much as of
late, because everything I read about Liberia has been so upsetting. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;">Recent reports continue to show that ebola is a <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/goatsandsoda/2014/08/28/343734184/ebola-is-rapidly-mutating-as-it-spreads-across-west-africa">mutating virus</a> that
could be <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/08/26/Dogs-Feast-On-Ebola-Victim-Carcasses-in-Liberia">multiplying vectors</a>. The forecasts look grim and West Africa
may not be the only place affected when all is said and done. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;">I understand there is a fine line between informing the public and crying 'fire' in a theater if there is only a 'potential' fire. However, it has always been the case that one mutation could put the entire civilized world
into chaos as plagues lead to civil unrest, etc., ad nauseam. I
pray that t</span><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;">hose
on the front lines of the current ebola crisis can obtain the tools and
resources they need to protect Liberia, and potentially all of us
before it becomes too late.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">With all of that in mind, and in an obvious homage to Martin Niemöller (1892 –
1984), I submit the following for your consideration:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;">First
ebola came for the Guinean country farmers, and I did not send
help—Because we have enough troubles in our own backyard and how
does helping a Guinean lower prices at Walmart or the gas pump? </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;">Then
ebola came for the Liberian cities, and I did not send help—
Because their government is too corrupt, there are more there dying
from malaria and unclean drinking water anyway, and bottom line:
there is </span><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/danmunro/2014/09/14/ebola-while-big-pharma-slept/"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;"><u>no
real profit margin for selling medicine</u></span></a><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;">
to penniless Liberians.</span><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;">Then
ebola came for the healthcare providers, and I did not offer help but
rather I </span><a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2014/08/ebola-us-donald-trump-reaction-109636.html"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;"><u>tweeted</u></span></a><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;">
that they should stay in Africa to suffer and die— Because anyone
</span><a href="http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2014-08-06.html"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;"><u>stupid
enough to help</u></span></a><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;">
those people has disqualified themselves from getting proper
healthcare and I wanted this virus out of country, out of sight, and
out of mind. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;">Then ebola came for me, and I wailed and moaned
and pointed fingers as I bled from my eyes and held my dying child
—But there was no one left to care for me or listen to my wailing;
for those that cared had all been </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/14/ebola-outbreak-fourth-doctor-dies-sierra-leone"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;"><u>taken
away</u></span></a><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;">,
</span><a href="http://www.liberianobserver.com/news/nurses-use-3-thermometers-thousands"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;"><u>ill-equipped</u></span></a><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;">,
and </span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/as-ebola-takes-hold-in-west-africa-the-world-yawns/2014/09/11/e4fbfcea-38e1-11e4-bdfb-de4104544a37_story.html"><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;"><u>un-aided</u></span></a><span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif;">
on the front lines.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">I
pray the above does not come to pass, rather God's mercies on Liberia and on us all.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-JZfzDlTzo2DeTLDrjhlhf9QKDi9bjZhDRzSRePsAJQ3qtAYEyq-_4EqyrRnaWWVFR1U-jUV5nvAxeEOrvlME_iR_wQepCmKCM-AKAeDpGB9_rtmWClsdQXTbGBL5FYek-fp5wT4BQ9z/s1600/16055_947293528619153_867876822093075071_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-JZfzDlTzo2DeTLDrjhlhf9QKDi9bjZhDRzSRePsAJQ3qtAYEyq-_4EqyrRnaWWVFR1U-jUV5nvAxeEOrvlME_iR_wQepCmKCM-AKAeDpGB9_rtmWClsdQXTbGBL5FYek-fp5wT4BQ9z/s1600/16055_947293528619153_867876822093075071_n.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">The late Ms. Evelyn Beyan was our very first volunteer teacher in central Liberia, who joined us in 2012 and worked for several months without pay because the school buildings in Gbarnga were still being build. She died from ebola still in her 20's on the 26th of August. RIP.</span></span></td></tr>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-60240888571379532682014-05-05T12:02:00.002-05:002014-05-05T12:04:23.815-05:00Liberians Helping Liberia - Mary Beh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFZQfj3GrQVmc9oNFyYNSu7XoRDvMFuC93Xzi6tkc4k3PhoCXlwmZxTFvomL4K_zJcT5ttS4NlSMpmvfR0TOsVpDv8O0LZyf4hU9dE8z7a-OLCts9jWjwyR7ZKQUz7DNkljjaagAx1y4x/s1600/DSCN0926_216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFZQfj3GrQVmc9oNFyYNSu7XoRDvMFuC93Xzi6tkc4k3PhoCXlwmZxTFvomL4K_zJcT5ttS4NlSMpmvfR0TOsVpDv8O0LZyf4hU9dE8z7a-OLCts9jWjwyR7ZKQUz7DNkljjaagAx1y4x/s1600/DSCN0926_216.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Honored to be sitting next to one of my heroes: Mary Beh</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">One can grow weary of reading about all the corruption, violence, ebola, and Boko Haram when it comes to West African news. I'm not saying we shouldn't be aware and against things like bribed judges, heart men, mass kidnappings, and preventable disease, but I'm just wanting to make sure my focus isn't constantly stuck in negative mode. I've found it makes it harder to deal with these problems in a positive way when I'm stuck in a negative mindset. I have learned this lesson from my Liberian brothers and sisters who have remained joyful, happy, hopeful, and full of song and dance even in the midst of atrocity. Certain Liberians are role models to me of how to deal with a constant and pervasive outward attack by my witnessing their inward resilience against all odds. I'd like to showcase of few of these people on my blog because they demonstrate to the whole world how these problems can be overcome: Not by ignoring the problems, but neither by giving these problems too much power over their outlook either. There are better things to set our minds upon and these individuals are just the sort that I set my minds on when I feel discouraged. These are the beautiful people that make Liberia beautiful.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcVvUVZg8PIwSJgnN-BaKC1I5gizTGlo4NDa-AdzFw2PwfFO6kTVyCxvzQq4qGKoYDA7wSf1YLxcBwtJNf1ELlzZDtyTiOWfOh8RtNOhyYsRA747bdGdtvl_bWdna66fgZHAZ_aCDJJ8-/s1600/100_0047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcVvUVZg8PIwSJgnN-BaKC1I5gizTGlo4NDa-AdzFw2PwfFO6kTVyCxvzQq4qGKoYDA7wSf1YLxcBwtJNf1ELlzZDtyTiOWfOh8RtNOhyYsRA747bdGdtvl_bWdna66fgZHAZ_aCDJJ8-/s1600/100_0047.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ma Beh with some of her children. June 2013</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">The first person I'd like you to know about is Ma Beh. Mary Beh has been a friend of our family for over 30 years. Before the wars she was a high school principal in Buchanan and demonstrated outstanding leadership and organizational skills. She has that certain something that causes people to want to do what she asks them to do. I think it has to do with the fact that she doesn't want you to do stuff for her self interests. She wants you to do things for yourself. Whatever the case I could go on and on about her 'intangibles" and she really is just simply an amazing person. I'd like to share a few 'tangibles' with you though...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVVu2sL7j5ZUphpIr5YoUH5SsFbkKoft7RcOERV0vCBBQ_8AoKGff5gg1g8msU14VO6ve96dGImz5APBNbkVB8CI9-bsU5pnXqfQkz0ERDdyczytoZH_wSWyW1Z9uJK6a36Vrn_0_Y6wr/s1600/Ken+Wayne+Abba+Ron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVVu2sL7j5ZUphpIr5YoUH5SsFbkKoft7RcOERV0vCBBQ_8AoKGff5gg1g8msU14VO6ve96dGImz5APBNbkVB8CI9-bsU5pnXqfQkz0ERDdyczytoZH_wSWyW1Z9uJK6a36Vrn_0_Y6wr/s1600/Ken+Wayne+Abba+Ron.jpg" height="452" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">L to R: Ma Mary Beh, Bob Sheffler, Bishop Foster, Ken Vogel, Wilmot Kadyu, Wayne Meece, Abba Karnga, Ron Ayers, James Morgan in Liberia app. 1978</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>First</b>, she stayed in Liberia throughout the wars. I don't say this to induce guilt on anyone. I know that I have struggled with feelings of shame having known my friends were living in hell while I was in the States in relative peace. I understand how many in the Liberian diaspora also struggle with these feelings knowing they had loved ones in danger in Liberia while they were safe. Call it 'survivor's guilt' or whatever, but Ma Beh and others like her can actually help cure us of this guilt. There is nothing more healing than to have someone who lived through that hell accept you and tell you that 'you are welcome' here. She doesn't wear this as a badge of honor or 'lord it over' anyone, but I think the fact that she stayed during the wars deserves respect. She is one who could have possibly made it out of the country. She chose to stay and Liberia is better because she did. She has seen evil face to face and she has stood her ground. She has prayed the devil back to hell so to speak.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocqiP4r7d9j9Dt5O_5c13i8t96pP1lPYyyaj98-n0J-mnaz2n1GbNKZ3nm_hyFogw6nIuGU0KRdhz55XoeE8wwOfzH9KVjB3E2jhHZQtAHhgHvDcRgCR2w4v7wfTMCggnq1z075yuJ3KU/s1600/IMG_0755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocqiP4r7d9j9Dt5O_5c13i8t96pP1lPYyyaj98-n0J-mnaz2n1GbNKZ3nm_hyFogw6nIuGU0KRdhz55XoeE8wwOfzH9KVjB3E2jhHZQtAHhgHvDcRgCR2w4v7wfTMCggnq1z075yuJ3KU/s1600/IMG_0755.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My parents with Ma Beh in 2011</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Second</b>, she has saved countless lives. While staying in Buchanan during the war she began feeding children that had been orphaned from the violence and chaos of the destruction. She simply says that she fed them because that is what anyone would do. She is wrong about that, not everyone would share scarce food in the middle of a conflict not knowing from where the next meal would come. However, anyone who demonstrates Ma Beh's same spirit most assuredly would feed a hungry child. There is no hesitation, no second guessing. We can live and die together, but no one lives alone. Ma Beh is the kind of person who would stand beside you facing either life or death.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkN9HMGgY1ShoARPkjWHFybVPKS4rxXPjnbSWg2NDqfYWKo4yjsbp4h4Dwsan9FCFDpgKVrQWbmWuc04eysdJ8wrJ2hjOJ0eCGxGKE5yUJEPzY4e4p2vM5gbB9xz1eDLS9CGid3ORP736/s1600/DSCN0928_218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkN9HMGgY1ShoARPkjWHFybVPKS4rxXPjnbSWg2NDqfYWKo4yjsbp4h4Dwsan9FCFDpgKVrQWbmWuc04eysdJ8wrJ2hjOJ0eCGxGKE5yUJEPzY4e4p2vM5gbB9xz1eDLS9CGid3ORP736/s1600/DSCN0928_218.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This dear man was a teacher before the war. <br />He lost his eyesight due to lack of medicine <br />and after his wife passed he had <br />no one to help him raise his 5 children. <br />Ma Beh took them in and he comes <br />over and visits them regularly <br />to touch their faces.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Third</b>, she has cared for the basic needs of those under her protection. Whether it be founding a school to educate her orphans, providing them with food, shelter or water; her constant focus has been about giving those under her wing the best possible chance for health, safety, and success in life. For example, a few years ago she took in several orphans from a nearby orphanage that had been using their children for ritualistic murder in juju medicine practices. One girl she took had what might be called a 'hunch back'. This makes her a prime target of juju 'heartmen' (witchdoctor hitmen that harvest body parts for black magic ceremonies). On one day the orphanage was actually infiltrated by a heartman with a ski mask, rice bag, and machete in hand making a bee line for the girl. Her screams scared him off and since then Ma Beh made it a priority to wall up the orphanage and put 'razor wire' around the top to keep people from climbing over in the night. Never mind the enormous expense to her meager budget, she saw to it that the girl under her care was protected. That is her heart and she constantly stands in the gap between those who cannot protect themselves and those that would do them harm.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjP9donjr2-3M87wvsNFGZpi1XTuPVsIWPE1UqrF7O5WRFue-eHjPa03zrAJNf4SIVEKBwmvqtBGgx6_W9GNwd5aqAkvL_IySXiJK9FUg23NsapU2zRk8idA76EuNbqOA8yEIkW_z8iBD/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-05-05+at+11.42.47+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjP9donjr2-3M87wvsNFGZpi1XTuPVsIWPE1UqrF7O5WRFue-eHjPa03zrAJNf4SIVEKBwmvqtBGgx6_W9GNwd5aqAkvL_IySXiJK9FUg23NsapU2zRk8idA76EuNbqOA8yEIkW_z8iBD/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-05-05+at+11.42.47+AM.png" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The area where a heartman had earlier jumped the orphanage fence to 'harvest' a young child. Ma Beh has since raised funds to place wire there to provide some protection for her children.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Lastly, (and I could go on and on), she is joyful. Besides being close to 70 taking care of a disabled grown son and chronically ill husband, she continues on in making her home the home of 42 young children (last time I counted). She continues cleaning, feeding, teaching, and hugging each and every one. She has seen many of her children finish high school and now even go on to college and obtain careers. Her children leave her care and go into the world knowing that though their country could not protect them, mother and father may have abandoned them or even tried to kill them in some cases; whatever that case may be, they know someone who showed them love. They know they have value at least in the eyes of Ma Beh. And Liberia, you should know, you have someone living among you that has immense value to you as well. Liberia, meet one of your heroes. There are many living among you, Ma Beh is definitely one of them.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2_XSI2KhBIiMDdivnJyIX0TvY8lXG_cdHXyVVRWCwM56EvvuZG5bdw_J_ZrQ9ApBYfB2_8eE5b1ckt2ENLh_z0wH5TaFBCBlMH_kVaS9k6FRFNHFgHz3NBltooODubET9o8x4O9FUCZ4/s1600/Liberia+Trip+2008.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2_XSI2KhBIiMDdivnJyIX0TvY8lXG_cdHXyVVRWCwM56EvvuZG5bdw_J_ZrQ9ApBYfB2_8eE5b1ckt2ENLh_z0wH5TaFBCBlMH_kVaS9k6FRFNHFgHz3NBltooODubET9o8x4O9FUCZ4/s1600/Liberia+Trip+2008.bmp" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some of the many children that share Ma Beh's table. 2008.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I leave you with some of her children greeting us in a song she taught them...</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lEqiMe-gnys" width="640"></iframe>HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-22219140000862781832014-04-30T15:09:00.001-05:002014-07-17T16:21:57.625-05:00Eternal Love and a Ham Radio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">EL1F at his radio in Liberia.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>EL</b> is the letter code for all Liberian radio and communication stations. A well known example for those familiar with Liberia is the Christian broadcasting station <a href="http://www.elwaministries.org/">ELWA</a>, who used their letters as an acronym for the following: "<i>Eternal Love Winning Africa</i>". In pre-Internet Liberia we were dependent upon this kind of 'Eternal Love" or EL communications. Amateur Radio operators (Hammers or 'Hams') used these radios to patch through and actually call family back home. My dad was one of these operators and had his own call letters: EL1F (or 'Echo </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Lima One Foxtrot' as I think I heard him say on numerous occasions).</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My dad's QSL card he would send to other 'hammers' trying to get a new country on their contact list. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dad's Amateur Radio License from the 70's</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">One of the things I remember about these patched calls back home was the fact that it was more like a CB than a phone call. You had to say 'over' after each statement and let off the button to wait for a response. The flow of communication was very jilted and didn't flow very well, but we were very happy to hear from our loved ones back in the States. We will be forever grateful to those Ham Radio Operators that willingly called our family on their dime and then patched our transmission through to them. Today I complain about the lag in cell phone calls or the distortion on a Skype call, but all in all it is loads better than 'back in the day'.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Old school Skype, cellphone, and internet <br />all rolled into one...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVVvqgEvnGmsm_XVG4BuD1DwIxESGTMxoSVonK9QN9YnJ_xrs6Raw6RWXxLKnslN-tyAmPtFMXv5bu6yd61rdK0RbNXheA4ZRnJKminKti9WLO-eR9ndpR3BOv9CLymZjUXQYdxFATCp_/s1600/Vogel+House+first+term+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVVvqgEvnGmsm_XVG4BuD1DwIxESGTMxoSVonK9QN9YnJ_xrs6Raw6RWXxLKnslN-tyAmPtFMXv5bu6yd61rdK0RbNXheA4ZRnJKminKti9WLO-eR9ndpR3BOv9CLymZjUXQYdxFATCp_/s1600/Vogel+House+first+term+4.jpg" height="400" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our radio antenna back in the 70's.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">There was one very bad thing about having a ham radio though, which we found out in November 1985. On <a href="http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/liberia-1985.htm">November 12th</a> Thomas Quiwonkpa attempted a coup-de-etat against his former co-conspirator Samuel K. Doe. This came one month after the rigged elections between Jackson Doe and Samuel Doe and there was a lot of tension in the air. What this meant for us is that Liberian soldiers stormed our property in a truck load (app. 15 - 20 soldiers in one truck!) of fully armed, camo-wearing, uzi toting, unpaid, AFL. They walked into our house (our parents were out at clinic that day) and proceeded to confiscate our ham radio and all the peripheral equipment from my parent's office. Nothing like that to leave a kid feeling unsettled. (As a side note: To our happy surprise all the equipment was returned once Doe felt he was back in control of the Republic.) </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A rig similar to the one Doe's AFL confiscated from our home.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Today's post is dedicated to all you "hams" out there, especially those involved with or who helped us with Liberian Amateur Radio. Many of you provided a great deal of services and help in times of need. It was and is more than just a hobby. Thanks for all your help! Feel free to QSL below and my best 73's (maybe there is a 'DX' in there also or something like that?) Peace out. Over.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My dad's commemorative QSL card with special prefix for Liberia Amateur Radio Week.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some of my dad's QSL cards sent to him from other ham radio operators that had made contact with us while we were living in Liberia.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyo70QizKpPhBfNOOCB8IQRIbqy5F-K5_qpoS5AtnbpZAPyEXkFP5r2WUdaZCRueOS2yW60GFi0lpFG0lWvRwOpOdRxDdd-vp4CPYOFbbjEWTFLJzYRK0rosM-ZcLb9JH4hKeCrKnuhMPr/s1600/lraa+ganta+leprosy+fundraiser.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyo70QizKpPhBfNOOCB8IQRIbqy5F-K5_qpoS5AtnbpZAPyEXkFP5r2WUdaZCRueOS2yW60GFi0lpFG0lWvRwOpOdRxDdd-vp4CPYOFbbjEWTFLJzYRK0rosM-ZcLb9JH4hKeCrKnuhMPr/s1600/lraa+ganta+leprosy+fundraiser.jpeg" height="400" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A fundraiser put on by the LRAA to help raise funds for the Leprosy Clinic in Ganta. (Putting some 'Love' in the EL)</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9fk7S_lSv_ybqdy6r-0-u47QAVk5zlVy2DaFIqaJ-56TUbm2Nn1372rRf0lcuJPUSYGvPetek9gMhqubzRwOzT_lYmavguTUhpRlcg1cIe5LR1QM920ZZiZ3CV6c43931hU31Upnm6rn/s1600/lraa+meeting+invitation.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9fk7S_lSv_ybqdy6r-0-u47QAVk5zlVy2DaFIqaJ-56TUbm2Nn1372rRf0lcuJPUSYGvPetek9gMhqubzRwOzT_lYmavguTUhpRlcg1cIe5LR1QM920ZZiZ3CV6c43931hU31Upnm6rn/s1600/lraa+meeting+invitation.jpeg" height="640" width="416" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A LRAA meeting invitation</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggP6uPyTbEe99zOFh0qsGqvdUbIx5HKOpdhHLTyeia1Y0SH2wQClkj2-7SOFOr_rvvBP4h7GA26AREzsZVJchptmuLMyi5yecbEVF4quRQuJC6WWZf5P_RxP1Wv4_mIrZgjvlOqhhcCCMs/s1600/el2ay+qsl+card+kamal+hamzi.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggP6uPyTbEe99zOFh0qsGqvdUbIx5HKOpdhHLTyeia1Y0SH2wQClkj2-7SOFOr_rvvBP4h7GA26AREzsZVJchptmuLMyi5yecbEVF4quRQuJC6WWZf5P_RxP1Wv4_mIrZgjvlOqhhcCCMs/s1600/el2ay+qsl+card+kamal+hamzi.jpeg" height="422" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">QSL card for EL2AY - Kamal Hamzi, president of LRAA</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_sc9DVzSPVbNhKh5CmGpsoDYtWWvREnGpxjGAK6hFq7_MIzS9H1dOrUHi6Hx22-KYBmMOGXJqp-YgOa7e6LR4ABhv1TUcuQjMcGt75wf9RXklVOUi8O5Fa0RpPjWdTTlfzd1bBnqL5EQ/s1600/Echo+Lima+Newsletter+1987+cover.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_sc9DVzSPVbNhKh5CmGpsoDYtWWvREnGpxjGAK6hFq7_MIzS9H1dOrUHi6Hx22-KYBmMOGXJqp-YgOa7e6LR4ABhv1TUcuQjMcGt75wf9RXklVOUi8O5Fa0RpPjWdTTlfzd1bBnqL5EQ/s1600/Echo+Lima+Newsletter+1987+cover.jpeg" height="400" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cover of an Echo Lima Newletter 1987</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">PS - </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">For more information on Liberian communications (and some fairly graphic Liberian history to boot) you can read more in Samuel Watkin's book "</span><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=mLZ4sfCnq38C&dq=liberia+communication+samuel+watkins&source=gbs_navlinks_s" style="font-size: xx-large;">Liberian Communication</a><span style="font-size: x-large;">". (I have not read the whole thing and I'm not getting any affiliate monies from this link, just thought what I read of it was pretty interesting and passing it on).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Bl8BJiUfXNenBLSWfhfxd7k3pYcKZrib4tX-prOuRCDRXsWcjAR8w2VETlyQHVi_QPyhyPg81dDt29zf9c1R0GoeZQaP6oLqAuhIm9TfeP39JROk-d9H25Ge-Y5Q2IvrSedf5dm79_no/s1600/mom+ham+radio+liberia.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Bl8BJiUfXNenBLSWfhfxd7k3pYcKZrib4tX-prOuRCDRXsWcjAR8w2VETlyQHVi_QPyhyPg81dDt29zf9c1R0GoeZQaP6oLqAuhIm9TfeP39JROk-d9H25Ge-Y5Q2IvrSedf5dm79_no/s1600/mom+ham+radio+liberia.jpeg" height="510" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">'Bye y'all! Over.'</span></td></tr>
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<br />HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-67897728069994263272014-02-28T15:23:00.000-06:002014-02-28T18:42:09.865-06:00Snakes of Liberia<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XSi9APSNiDeCuT1v6qgAT14CVTyu4OICD0gHe4Q8ZQ3i4U2M48ToKvyyu0Gyhujlf8ex5_UimR_iomfZ3hHjEyG_yLBm93xv1Ljk5N37lVRvQKN2w27g5rBLxgUn84MAbW9OmQONRixq/s1600/800px-GaboonViper2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XSi9APSNiDeCuT1v6qgAT14CVTyu4OICD0gHe4Q8ZQ3i4U2M48ToKvyyu0Gyhujlf8ex5_UimR_iomfZ3hHjEyG_yLBm93xv1Ljk5N37lVRvQKN2w27g5rBLxgUn84MAbW9OmQONRixq/s1600/800px-GaboonViper2.jpg" height="470" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A Gabon Pit Viper. "Cassava Snake"<br />Public Domain</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Indiana Jones would hate it in Liberia. It is assumed that Liberia is home to the <a href="http://blog.arcelormittal.com/2013/12/05/the-hitchhikers-guide-to-liberian-snakes-by-john-howell-arcelormittal-liberias-environment-manager/" target="_blank">greatest variety of snakes</a> on the African continent. In Liberia one can find vipers, adders, pythons, cobras, mambas, and asps just to name a few. For a more in depth introduction, ArcelorMittal has posted a great guide to the snakes of Liberia on its corporate website <a href="http://corporate.arcelormittal.com/~/media/Files/A/ArcelorMittal/corporate-responsibility/Guide-to-the-Snakes-of-Liberia.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Also, </span><a href="http://www.tlcafrica.com/tlc_snakes.htm" style="font-size: xx-large;" target="_blank">here </a><span style="font-size: x-large;">is another interesting post on the venomous snakes in Liberia from TLCAfrica. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">For this post I just want to introduce a few of the snakes of Liberia and tell a few snake stories. Everyone who has lived in Liberia has a snake story or two or three...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>MAMBAS</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Dendroaspis polyepis, jamesoni, & viridis</i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYzlL7szkb9s9QSaMPCPTWOxxpzOh3BRgRIGPXFi7VmAuwjFVNTiDnr8rEJFgOvd35KXuJwsdqGXAjlHXxVgLId3zMFFylPgcnuqLz3fDBkKySmnViBklkySzEVdOBHD-OEuh5w3K_P2A/s1600/Dendroaspis_viridis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYzlL7szkb9s9QSaMPCPTWOxxpzOh3BRgRIGPXFi7VmAuwjFVNTiDnr8rEJFgOvd35KXuJwsdqGXAjlHXxVgLId3zMFFylPgcnuqLz3fDBkKySmnViBklkySzEVdOBHD-OEuh5w3K_P2A/s1600/Dendroaspis_viridis.jpg" height="320" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Green Mamba<br /><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px; text-align: start;">by Patrick Coin. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dendroaspis_viridisPCCA20051227-1885B.jpg">cc-by-sa-2.5</a></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">There are black and green mambas in Liberia. We have several mamba stories. One particular story is about the time that mom looked down to see a green mamba wrapped around the leg of the chair she was sitting on! One isn't supposed to make any sudden movements, but before she knew what she had done she was standing on top of the table yelling! This particular green mamba met his fate on our kitchen floor after trying to hide behind our kerosene refrigerator. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghTILwmH37g9rEZHiEtWNUwP4n1VTIMzkvYPP04tJZipYVziO-lGpuFtHBwPDbx8HO_-C710uQYK-qFDlAd8rTh7aCtMrpY7ayapZVQlZ2h42VYGlPppSVcxPSegLoqWKoYLGUhqTh0DuU/s1600/Dendroaspis_polylepis_by_Bill_Love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghTILwmH37g9rEZHiEtWNUwP4n1VTIMzkvYPP04tJZipYVziO-lGpuFtHBwPDbx8HO_-C710uQYK-qFDlAd8rTh7aCtMrpY7ayapZVQlZ2h42VYGlPppSVcxPSegLoqWKoYLGUhqTh0DuU/s1600/Dendroaspis_polylepis_by_Bill_Love.jpg" height="320" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dendroaspis_polylepis_by_Bill_Love.jpg">Black Mamba</a><br />
Photo by Bill Love/Blue Chameleon<br />
Ventures 2005.<br />
CC BY SA 3.0</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Another time my mom was helping a neighboring Peace Corps worker take her clothes off the line without realizing that a black mamba had entangled itself inside the clothes! After putting the basket in the bedroom the snake slithered out. When my mom picked up a 'whipper' (a hand held grass cutting tool) to take care of this snake it lunged at her! Black mambas are very aggressive. Fortunately after she and the PC worker fled the house yelling, two Liberian men offered to help take care of the problem. They finished off the mamba and then told my mom that they were very fortunate because this was a bad snake. One bite and you die in 5 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">My personal encounter with a mamba was when I was down by a swamp rice farm project and was busy walking about. I grew tired and decided to lean against a palm oil tree. As I was about to put my hand on the tree I felt a sudden 'inner warning' almost like an audible voice. I moved my hand back and right where I was about to place my hand was a green snake poking his head out from behind a pruned palm branch! It was sticking its tongue out at me. Whether it was a green mamba or just a tree snake I do not know, however mambas do like palm oil trees. Whatever it was I'm glad I didn't get any closer!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>THE PYTHON</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>python sebae</i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9eud1UWoiIcdFhkxuGtAsnZCVO4sT3EDgC-eFovYckLCm2AKfxk-0Yy1ZGQR27i_wGzOL9k5kdHouINKNaCPDdiQ0kYf9iYdFPy8xwfthqdle8fnLT2vulJo3zSGA_xTwTTYX9pEQDQ-X/s1600/Python_natalensis_constricts_a_goat%252C_Zimbabwe2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9eud1UWoiIcdFhkxuGtAsnZCVO4sT3EDgC-eFovYckLCm2AKfxk-0Yy1ZGQR27i_wGzOL9k5kdHouINKNaCPDdiQ0kYf9iYdFPy8xwfthqdle8fnLT2vulJo3zSGA_xTwTTYX9pEQDQ-X/s1600/Python_natalensis_constricts_a_goat%252C_Zimbabwe2.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Python constricting a pregnant goat in Zimbabwe.<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Python_natalensis_constricts_a_goat,_Zimbabwe2.jpg" target="_blank">Mango Atchar derivative work</a><br />
CCASA 2.0</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Called a '<i>boy ee stracker</i>' (boa constrictor) in colloquial Liberian English this snake's scientific name is <i>python sebae</i>. These snakes can get huge! I've heard many interesting stories about these guys including a <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22111262" target="_blank">python worship site</a> at a sacred waterfall visited by Graham Greene in 1930's. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">My own personal python story involves our Liberian friends who worked for LAMCO (now ArcelMittall) in Buchanan. They lived just outside of the LAMCO compounds in a fairly forested area. One day their dog went missing. For whatever reason, a 'boa constrictor' was suspected and the people searched the bush with their cutlasses until it was located. After cutting open the python the family dog was found inside! They estimated the length of this snake to be 22 feet! These snakes are becoming less common due to the fact that they are hunted for their meat, but are still present in the deep bush.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>COBRAS</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>(Naja haje, melanoleuca & nigricollis; & the Psuedohaje nigra)</i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5HlsXd1A6p6hGzfWnt66yBO4Gix5HeTDh_o4Ch6eNsZneGo_a6sICIqdj90H_ZcWiVnJDClEL1tHAtNe_axa298uQjNcRCE7QcrffnM3HAh2RcfwMJZS3y5qVQaegga0sCyvbO2tpg15/s1600/Cobra+Najanigricollis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5HlsXd1A6p6hGzfWnt66yBO4Gix5HeTDh_o4Ch6eNsZneGo_a6sICIqdj90H_ZcWiVnJDClEL1tHAtNe_axa298uQjNcRCE7QcrffnM3HAh2RcfwMJZS3y5qVQaegga0sCyvbO2tpg15/s1600/Cobra+Najanigricollis.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:N.nigricollis.jpg" target="_blank">Black Spitting Cobra</a><br />
by Luca Boldrini<br />
CCA 2.0 Generic</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">My cobra encounter will be with me forever. I was trying out my new 'cutlass' (machete) and was at the trailhead of a trail that led to a swamp around Christian High School in Buchanan. As I walked toward the trail, with my brother behind me, I stepped on a pile of dried palm branches. Little did I know that a cobra was coiled beneath! My best guess is that it was a Black Spitting Cobra (<i>Naja nigricollis</i>). </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">The cobra shot up and hooded right in front of me and swayed back and forth. I simply screamed like a little girl. Then it quickly darted past me to my right. Before I could turn around and warn my brother I heard him make the same yelping sound. The cobra coiled itself right in front of my brother and then using its body like a spring it actually jumped up into the tree right in front of us! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">So, 'yes' I believe in guardian angels and from then on one of favorite verses has been <b>Psalms 91:13</b> <i>"You shall tread on the lion and the cobra..."</i>, although I'm not interested in making this a habit! </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">In 2011 I revisited the site where I had been spared a cobra attack and prayed a prayer of thanksgiving. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>VIPERS</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Bitis gabonica, rhinocerus, & nasicornis</i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tuJI1jCE3nVMtRyD3LcXjkG_Dy8aEajKDf2gFOamGCg-IcSFO6tpY6Tt8WkYhEGAKivc9QjGhusLjRmSNtlHIG_S-YNsh38bLbzPVVSnfr8sDWfMC1EYU3mpYdF7brGANew6QG3upbZT/s1600/Bitis_gabonica_fangs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tuJI1jCE3nVMtRyD3LcXjkG_Dy8aEajKDf2gFOamGCg-IcSFO6tpY6Tt8WkYhEGAKivc9QjGhusLjRmSNtlHIG_S-YNsh38bLbzPVVSnfr8sDWfMC1EYU3mpYdF7brGANew6QG3upbZT/s1600/Bitis_gabonica_fangs.jpg" height="430" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bitis_gabonica_fangs.jpg" target="_blank">GabonViper fangs</a><br />
by Brimac the 2nd<br />
CCA 2.0 Generic</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">The <i>bitis gabonica</i> or Gabon Viper is known as a 'Cassava snake' in Liberia. They supposedly taste delicious, but one doesn't just go hunting for them as they are very toxic. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">In a sad story, my Liberian Ma Sarah lost one of her daughters in the bush while hiding from rebels during the Civil Wars. She lost her daughter to a 'cassava snake' bite :-(</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYQw2ZlmpUGLOcXm0X_trNMEv6G_QcO-wWH9ri122ac8-sbxulfmlc-ln1dTqH05OvKFaXTQSfOEk0vCHsMBb-On9Q51H6Q0MLmLhwHXGNAW9E9xFH_ENWz86O_NFnwP6LRKx4RURq1ff/s1600/IMG_0413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYQw2ZlmpUGLOcXm0X_trNMEv6G_QcO-wWH9ri122ac8-sbxulfmlc-ln1dTqH05OvKFaXTQSfOEk0vCHsMBb-On9Q51H6Q0MLmLhwHXGNAW9E9xFH_ENWz86O_NFnwP6LRKx4RURq1ff/s1600/IMG_0413.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ma Sarah lost her daughter to a Gabon Viper while hiding in the jungle during <br />the Liberian Civil Wars. She was only 16. <br />RIP dear sister.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">The bad thing about these snakes is that they are rather sluggish and not apt to skirt away when they hear something approach. They also camouflage themselves rather well. This all makes stepping on one a very real and possible threat.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1M89HJTXN-kBdvol9PL40jRHYx_Voqqa-B32z6x12sColzeog9OFGHK2nmF-lJbRWEJlFSE7Gu1ddmB9X6_aXt9FZ11mbGCmUxqAwS_9geM2-IROD18_PNJuaB4EPQF8krWTRTErVxzUm/s1600/Bitis_gabonica_rhinoceros.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1M89HJTXN-kBdvol9PL40jRHYx_Voqqa-B32z6x12sColzeog9OFGHK2nmF-lJbRWEJlFSE7Gu1ddmB9X6_aXt9FZ11mbGCmUxqAwS_9geM2-IROD18_PNJuaB4EPQF8krWTRTErVxzUm/s1600/Bitis_gabonica_rhinoceros.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gabon Vipers can be very difficult to see!<br />by Tom Vickers<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bitis_gabonica_rhinoceros.JPG" target="_blank">Public Domain</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I could go on, but I think you get the idea... There are snakes in Liberia! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Do you have any Liberian snake stories to share?</span><br />
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<br />HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-55289000996909699252013-11-18T18:51:00.000-06:002013-11-18T20:05:40.155-06:00Wake Up Call - Why Liberia Still Needs Clinics<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJShfw-xVJvyJqXi-EKXXgKQQ8DfTUr6SuBmkjbyxwEM5t-FVRoJ6ABiG28OGRwODM2VPHUOi-sjPE4NeWdJxfi_7LJgeC7F7YNpohfqVKqNtsxHvfEfytrVqQMcbOQ5bjWtMNGpzfPLF/s1600/IMG_0484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJShfw-xVJvyJqXi-EKXXgKQQ8DfTUr6SuBmkjbyxwEM5t-FVRoJ6ABiG28OGRwODM2VPHUOi-sjPE4NeWdJxfi_7LJgeC7F7YNpohfqVKqNtsxHvfEfytrVqQMcbOQ5bjWtMNGpzfPLF/s400/IMG_0484.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Current Clinic under construction in Johnsonville <br />near our Heart of Grace School</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">We've been working with clinic building since the mid 1980's in Liberia (<a href="http://www.eocumc.com/3Cs/liberia_camphormission_clinic.html" target="_blank">Camphor Clinic</a>), but since the devasting Civil Wars that ended in 2003 clinic development has been slow. Roads are coming and clinics are being built, including a new one in the village of <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/04/spotted-man-of-zondo-and-his-ancient.html" target="_blank">Zondo</a> of which I've previously written. We have also been blessed to help another organization build "True Life Clinic" in Grand Bassa and are currently working on another clinic in Johnsonville in the City View area of Monrovia on our school campus. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiRjazL9Nzdl34VKlzxEBJs7pVggGRu3TrxVw7ZStPqIg2uxeUcAf3qZgLgqMTLJloH8nL2vG52qA9zivWJFRHwY-yEJ2TAxHytbPYVXThOkiBp8Uoh7JTgxvmT1_VjUZ1J2_Oucg4J-v/s1600/Camphor+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiRjazL9Nzdl34VKlzxEBJs7pVggGRu3TrxVw7ZStPqIg2uxeUcAf3qZgLgqMTLJloH8nL2vG52qA9zivWJFRHwY-yEJ2TAxHytbPYVXThOkiBp8Uoh7JTgxvmT1_VjUZ1J2_Oucg4J-v/s640/Camphor+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Building the Camphor Clinic in Grand Bassa County circa 1985</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8NZccX9UyarCuUPlrzIjT7J_CNdfVBoxCRuJxwVkvjeAbQKQoCbhOIx606oz9ghHy2pUu515ur4TjUw8ShmAkipFwlkFNj0_uX2eebCFpI8njmr2Ldu-C2Vj6m9-OYY0bXeH7FdUXsmk/s1600/Camphor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8NZccX9UyarCuUPlrzIjT7J_CNdfVBoxCRuJxwVkvjeAbQKQoCbhOIx606oz9ghHy2pUu515ur4TjUw8ShmAkipFwlkFNj0_uX2eebCFpI8njmr2Ldu-C2Vj6m9-OYY0bXeH7FdUXsmk/s320/Camphor.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall building Camphor Clinic<br />
GBC, Liberia (c. 1985)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">However, these can all just seem like projects when we're sitting over here Stateside where we have great hospitals and clinics with EMTs, first responders, and life flight helicopters all on standby. I just received an email from a friend that shook me. It brought things back into focus on the reality of the desparate needs in Liberia. Sometimes we just need to see one of our own US citizens in the situation that Liberians are in every day to bring home the Liberian's plight. One </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">brave lady was chosen to be just such an example to us. I will share her story below in a moment. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7TzbTrtYm-wyGfz5Qj70HrbyrLVqD8xoMzGQNSBldnCu7E6kBP_aedyqgi9CkearLSVc0TTMpp9Q3UBpvez_vTbSeBWAmT12Ds7tg0sfbbFBYjriZqBXEiRHj8qOAsnDyt6p1UZwemBX/s1600/Camphor+Carolyn+Vogel+giving+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7TzbTrtYm-wyGfz5Qj70HrbyrLVqD8xoMzGQNSBldnCu7E6kBP_aedyqgi9CkearLSVc0TTMpp9Q3UBpvez_vTbSeBWAmT12Ds7tg0sfbbFBYjriZqBXEiRHj8qOAsnDyt6p1UZwemBX/s640/Camphor+Carolyn+Vogel+giving+shot.jpg" width="440" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">No, mom isn't smoking a cig - it is the syringe cap in her mouth!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAESyk0he_Oo8ZiptIWUs9FLVlHAtN4klx7xBsUWZLSoETNTNaffjjJ5KnYcj5_zl2fX4c1Z8SD3zwba6uhwH0ItQ83FPd-4JH5gUZxzHKfF1eWGLygr5hnpsb2EeRS_eApOk2EM_H9hE/s1600/IMG_0372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAESyk0he_Oo8ZiptIWUs9FLVlHAtN4klx7xBsUWZLSoETNTNaffjjJ5KnYcj5_zl2fX4c1Z8SD3zwba6uhwH0ItQ83FPd-4JH5gUZxzHKfF1eWGLygr5hnpsb2EeRS_eApOk2EM_H9hE/s320/IMG_0372.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clinic sign ready to advertise<br />
Compound 2 GBC, Liberia<br />
(Funded through <a href="http://www.bfccliberia.com/" target="_blank">BFCC - NGO</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Before I do I just want to say that these clinics are not just projects or fundraising campaign goals that we can reach so we can pat ourselves on the back. Great things are happening in our organization (<a href="http://canintl.org/" target="_blank">Change Agent Network</a>), but there are living and breathing children of God in Liberia (and all around the world for that matter) who face life threatening situations like the following story everyday. With the author's permission I've re-posted her email below. It is quite the harrowing ordeal, and I am grateful this dear sister is still with us:</span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_1_1384802951238_43445"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Making the journey home from Liberia is always difficult. We are leaving "family" behind and the trip itself takes over 24 hours and 4 flights to complete. However, my return trip this year included extra challenges.</span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_1_1384802951238_43450"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The team left Sunday, November 3rd but I needed to conduct some Change Agent Network business so I stayed behind for 5 days. When I boarded my flight alone on Friday, November 8th, everything went smoothly. As I flew the 1.5 hours from Liberia to Ghana, I was tired from the last two weeks and was hoping no one would occupy the seat next to me when we picked up passengers in Ghana. The stop in Ghana is an on-plane layover during which some passengers disembark, the security/cleaning crew prepare the plane for the 11-hour flight to JFK and new America-bound passengers board; all while those of us in transit remain on the plane and visit. The turn-around takes about 1.5 hours.</span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_1_1384802951238_43454"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I was fine when we landed in Ghana at 8:30 pm. I pulled my carry-on luggage out of the overhead, spoke to the flight attendants and visited with passengers. As the new passengers boarded, my stomach didn't feel well so I went to the bathroom. That was when the trouble began.</span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_1_1384802951238_43456"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In a 20-minute window of time, I went from visiting with passengers to being so sick and weak after 3 trips to the bathroom that I could not get up off the floor of the airplane. I could not sit up, I had to lie down. Then I heard the captain's voice announcing that the flight would be delayed because they had to get a sick passenger off the plane. It was surreal to know he was talking about me. The America-based Delta crew surrounded me and told me the Ghana crew would take good care of me. When the wheelchair arrived I could not get up off the floor, so a strong African crewman reached down and deadlifted me into the wheelchair. The next thing I knew I was sitting on the tarmac with the giant plane looming over my head, and two Ghana crewmen were telling me they had my luggage. Seriously???</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span id="yui_3_13_0_1_1384802951238_43459">Thankfully, children in Ghana learn to speak 3 languages including English; but I can assure you we don't speak the same language as the word "urgency" is not in their vocabulary. The American in me was expecting some sort of "emergency vehicle" which never </span>arrived. I am not sure how long I sat on the tarmac but I could feel screaming and/or tears coming. I resisted both because I knew neither would do any good. Finally, a shuttle bus pulled up next to us. Then, it simply took us to the back of the airport and the two men began to slowly push me through the most disjointed airport layout I've ever seen. I still couldn't sit up in the wheel chair and had to ask twice for them to find me a bathroom. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_1_1384802951238_43474"><span style="font-size: x-large;">We finally got to the front of the airport and stopped on the sidewalk to wait for something. I start saying "I have to lie down." The next thing I knew I felt like my throat became 6 inches wide and the next phase of my sickness began. </span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_1_1384802951238_43477"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Another shuttle bus finally arrived and took me to a private clinic that was on airport property. Once inside, the nurses tried to admit me but I became so weak that I started climbing out of the wheelchair to lie on the floor. They reluctantly gave up and started moving me into a little room with 5 beds and told me to take the one in the corner. They helped me into that bed and I started saying out loud "Thank you Baby Jesus, thank you for this bed. I am so happy to be here." At that point, my body began shaking so violently that I was coming off the surface. I reached for one nurse's arm and all I could softly whisper was "help me, help me." I knew I was going down.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I am not sure who taught African doctors and nurses to run I.V.s but they have the impression that you must nearly break someone's arm with tourniquets and needles to get the job done. They started alternately running saline solution and Cipro and trying to take my blood pressure - 70 over 40! The next day the nurses told me "Our women's ward was closed when you arrived so we were not going to take you, but you were so sick your face turned blue and we thought we were going to lose you so we put you in the men's ward."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">That first night was tough. I was so sick I could barely get out of the bed and my stomach continued to empty itself in all directions. They continuously ran I.V.s wide open but as quickly as they would get fluid in, my body would get it out. By 8:00 the next morning, I felt a little better but that was short-lived. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">My blood pressure was now 70/50 but the bacteria must have been fighting back because I became sick all over again. The two women who saved my life the night before were now off duty and I asked the new nurse for Cipro for 2 hours before he brought it. When I needed it again, the doctor decided to switch to Flagyl which was a mistake. About a minute after it dripped into my body I had some sort of reaction to it and I started going down. I knew it was bad and again started begging for help. They quickly switched the I.V. back to saline solution and ran it wide open. A few minutes later my body was stable again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I asked "What is wrong with me?" The response - Cholera. When I tried to think about what I had eaten the previous day I was told that the bacteria was probably in my body for 2 - 3 days before I got sick. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_1_1384802951238_43484"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I spent 2 days in a clinic with sick people all around me who were suffering from different symptoms but were receiving the exact same treatment. The clinic consisted of a women's ward and men's ward with 5 beds and 1 toilet in each, a small pharmacy, a business office and no cafeteria. Patients’ families are supposed to bring food. My only lifeline to home was my cell phone. My family and closest friends started calling, texting, crying and offering to get on a plane. Truthfully, I was a world away and there was nothing anyone could do to help me.</span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_1_1384802951238_43481"><span style="font-size: x-large;">However, the Lord provided everything I needed, big and small. They hit me with so many I.V.s and medications that I had no idea how much the medical bill was going to cost. The day I left Liberia I had $100 to my name. Right before I departed, our driver asked if I would help him get money to his sister in the U.S. and handed me $1,700 in cash. I always travel to Liberia with protein bars and had 4 of them left. I didn’t think I would need them but decided to put 2 in my purse “just in case” which is what I nibbled on for 2 days in the clinic. Since I was alone, towards the end of my stay I gave the clinic staff $10 to buy me 2 hard-boiled eggs and 2 pieces of toast from a nearby Holiday Inn. </span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_1_1384802951238_43486"><span style="font-size: x-large;">By the end of the second full day, I was very ready to go. I called Delta to upgrade my flight to first class because I could not sit up for any period of time; and I requested wheel chair assistance. I was so wiped out that I slept 10 hours of the 11-hour flight and could not lift my carry-ons. About 4 hours away from New York my stomach started acting up and I started to panic. But thankfully I found an expired prescription in my American medicine bag that calmed my stomach and allowed me to continue sleeping. During my 4-hour layover in New York, I had to find a seat next to the wall so I could lie against it. It is difficult to express the relief I felt when I saw the lights along New York's coast line because I knew I was home, that I would receive the best medical care possible and that I would be OK.</span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_1_1384802951238_43493"><span style="font-size: x-large;">This was more than an adventure; it was a life-experience. We've been talking about the need for medical clinics at our school locations but now I have a much better appreciation for the urgency. The people we serve are hours from the nearest hospitals in Liberia and don't have the funds for transportation or medical attention. The total bill for saving my life in the clinic - $200; outrageously cheap by American standards; impossible for Liberians.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I interviewed the clinic staff and learned that they primarily treat 6 conditions: Malaria, Gastroenteritis, Urinary Tract Infections, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure and Lumbago. The most urgent of these are treated with I.V. fluids. We don't need American size hospitals; we need small clinics stocked with 20 - 30 medications and we will save countless lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">However, that is not the most important lesson I learned through this. As I sat on that tarmac and looked at that plane I realized I was stripped down to nothing and could not count on any of my business achievements, any of my friends or family members or even the body that supports me on Earth. In that moment I started praying "Lord, it is just you and me. I have no idea where I am going or what is going to happen but I am too sick to handle this so you are going to have to." </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">For whatever His reasons are, the Lord saved my life that night. If I had fallen ill 20 minutes later, the plane would have taken off; and since severe and sudden dehydration are symptoms of Cholera, the doctors in Ghana and the U.S. tell me I probably would not have survived the 11-hour flight. Also, if I had gotten sick earlier in the day, I am not sure we could have found the medical attention I needed in Liberia on a timely basis. The Lord put me in the place I needed to be, at the time I needed to be there, and surrounded me with people who could help me, all of whom were complete strangers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">My Mom picked me up in New Orleans and immediately started campaigning: "You are never going back to Liberia. You are never traveling alone again." But here's the problem; my mother’s pleas are counter-intuitive to what I learned through this. When you have an encounter with the Lord on that level it teaches you that He truly does have you in His hands and you trust Him even more. Believe me; I hope to never get that sick again. But I would not trade the misery of the illness for anything because it stripped me down to nothing and forced me to trust Him and only Him.</span></div>
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HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-39458817428804528582013-09-30T18:13:00.000-05:002013-10-01T12:28:35.664-05:00Remember Me When You Eat<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfzvZ_w6HLGfCFzpobBNfajnELjzOqQlao2WsPTY_fEwieme29B2dmJAlwXgAt28txTasb33WH_OBCvo6PoIrmyAifROUucr4g_L6NEPiCXIb40GXb0nOwAzQTePW67SxfclCt4icL_2V/s1600/IMG_0705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfzvZ_w6HLGfCFzpobBNfajnELjzOqQlao2WsPTY_fEwieme29B2dmJAlwXgAt28txTasb33WH_OBCvo6PoIrmyAifROUucr4g_L6NEPiCXIb40GXb0nOwAzQTePW67SxfclCt4icL_2V/s640/IMG_0705.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wooden bowl and two spoons from Zondo, Liberia</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"What if you gave your friends a bowl and spoon to take home with them whenever they left your house?" </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">This question was asked to a curious group of children last week during a presentation on Liberia. They laughed and giggled. They were curious about the bowl and two spoons I had received from the people of <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/04/how-i-became-white-citizen-of-liberia.html" target="_blank">Zondo</a> in Liberia.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">"Why would you do that? Why would you give someone a bowl and spoon when you say 'goodbye'?" That was their question. It is a good question. They had good answers:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">"Maybe your friends will get hungry on the way home."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">"They may not have bowls and spoons so you want them to have some to eat with."</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">"So they can remember eating with you."</span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xhZgbzza8c-v-HrlzDTr13mnn0xudzgD2M-JeTWn4bqhgX1vOOwPoO6PhAzqPtF-mQw8NW5mXzz4DORgpGWI33b6VV82ZHZJopkv_KC8S-26Bzlvex-NEseN_TtWq_FnCxsf6mFUOWTW/s1600/Zondo+Bowl+Presentation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xhZgbzza8c-v-HrlzDTr13mnn0xudzgD2M-JeTWn4bqhgX1vOOwPoO6PhAzqPtF-mQw8NW5mXzz4DORgpGWI33b6VV82ZHZJopkv_KC8S-26Bzlvex-NEseN_TtWq_FnCxsf6mFUOWTW/s640/Zondo+Bowl+Presentation.jpg" height="330" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The presentation of the bowl and spoons in Zondo. 2011</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Symbols have this ability to make us rethink common things like eating food and they provide us with new and powerful perspectives that can change how we view the world, ourselves, and others. For example, these symbols from Zondo caused me to ask things I wouldn't normally ask myself like, "How do I eat nice with others?", "What does it mean to hang out with friends?", "Is it OK to share a spoon with someone even though my mom said I shouldn't?", and even "How do I say goodbye?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"Bowl and Spoon" Means What?</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mslVzzMFhOJ7WAoFEKKkRMFxoeEv82jorEvUv2yTcvPVzQekn_V2d1ZxLgjWHWVwg0674lnfUblFy39AyJRqStJ_QPbIV40EwigNPbJ8ToWy-U0J5lRPftWEgefMoL6qJ9_tOr4EX0Oj/s1600/IMG_0714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mslVzzMFhOJ7WAoFEKKkRMFxoeEv82jorEvUv2yTcvPVzQekn_V2d1ZxLgjWHWVwg0674lnfUblFy39AyJRqStJ_QPbIV40EwigNPbJ8ToWy-U0J5lRPftWEgefMoL6qJ9_tOr4EX0Oj/s640/IMG_0714.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">To us a bowl and spoon are usually just tools. They aid us in ingesting our Count Chocula or clam chowder. They can be styrofoam or plastic and thrown away. However, upon further investigation we find that we also practice a symbolism of bowl giving in our culture. For example, bowls of china or crystal are often given as gifts at weddings. Why? Because we hope in some small way that the newlyweds will remember us when they use them or look at them. We hope that as they set the table for Thanksgiving perhaps they will remember us and even mention us in a brief prayer like: "God, I hope those guys are doing alright. What nice people."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Perhaps something similar was meant with this Liberia goodbye-gift of Bowl and Spoon. Perhaps it would be best though to hear why they did this in their own words. Fortunately, we videotaped the Bowl and Spoon ceremony at Zondo and had translators who explained to us the meaning of the Bassa words. Here is what giving a Bowl and Spoon mean to the Bassa.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_X2zR0GVRB2LCcsgKKBqcRF3W20o1JhV701eAoMKDQG_PjQECYj_4w0VyJ_DNlHaKEe-in2xE5Dii6JsinMh1kc2S7NFHrz8caoiAnUuT3-HkYesMhq60b8cREcCoO2ByY3x9ha7Xt8d/s1600/Zondo+Bowl+Presentation+Spoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_X2zR0GVRB2LCcsgKKBqcRF3W20o1JhV701eAoMKDQG_PjQECYj_4w0VyJ_DNlHaKEe-in2xE5Dii6JsinMh1kc2S7NFHrz8caoiAnUuT3-HkYesMhq60b8cREcCoO2ByY3x9ha7Xt8d/s640/Zondo+Bowl+Presentation+Spoon.jpg" height="504" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Explaining the meaning of the spoon</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Bowl and Spoon in Bassa Tradition</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>A Bowl and Spoon Presentation</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">There were two sets of "Bowl and Spoon" handed out to us by the wonderful people of Zondo. Each presentation included a speech. First, the translation of the speech giving in the presentation of the bowl and spoon to my mom and dad:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">"Our own Liberian way of telling people goodbye. This is a
eating bowl. This is what our fathers used before people began using rubber
bowls or manufactured bowls. In our culture we show that we are of one accord,
that we have fellowship with one another when we eat together from the same
bowl. Your visit to us shows us that you love us and so on your way back we are
giving you this bowl. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">We want you and us to be one family eating from the same
bowl. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The spoon also symbolizes something in our own culture. You have your
family, your children. You feed your children to grow up to become man and
woman tomorrow. As you dish out your food to your children, or to your family,
or to your friends, we want you to remember us as you do so when you use this
spoon."</span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cOsgMcM5NVdYCNJgYAbbu6dSxbnHE3Hxu3Pscqe91nftDoXYbVv-KG9SJA6bSWaj_YFIRHUClZeCHUwqx6qabRXl_KKbQhAplxk39ifNJBvzayXx9RBRK9JxQlJMQ4WJqyFZrJXDK0r4/s1600/Zondo+Bowl+Presentation+Ken+and+Carolyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cOsgMcM5NVdYCNJgYAbbu6dSxbnHE3Hxu3Pscqe91nftDoXYbVv-KG9SJA6bSWaj_YFIRHUClZeCHUwqx6qabRXl_KKbQhAplxk39ifNJBvzayXx9RBRK9JxQlJMQ4WJqyFZrJXDK0r4/s640/Zondo+Bowl+Presentation+Ken+and+Carolyn.jpg" height="450" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My parents receiving their own bowl and spoon set from Zondo</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Bowl and Spoon Bassa Speech #2</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">A second presentation was made from the people of Zondo. To help the following make more sense I was in Zondo by invitation of my childhood friend Floyd Morgan. With that in mind, the following is a translation by my friend Arthur Crusoe:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6T1U7RUhHd6YV6WFF0kj_ohKw_88FiFxsfeLcGP8gPGi0h1JIXaWeVB2Na_CtPWAWiPPPXQUlodsU0YzDyC_mS1k9Qp4KQ8nlboQ_5tnlijqvwxCnbJDuFr_VX2akJmeHE0kUYmzr8HIB/s1600/Zondo+Bowl+Presentation+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6T1U7RUhHd6YV6WFF0kj_ohKw_88FiFxsfeLcGP8gPGi0h1JIXaWeVB2Na_CtPWAWiPPPXQUlodsU0YzDyC_mS1k9Qp4KQ8nlboQ_5tnlijqvwxCnbJDuFr_VX2akJmeHE0kUYmzr8HIB/s400/Zondo+Bowl+Presentation+2.jpg" height="400" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Arthur Crusoe handing off the bowl and spoons</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">"Significance of the bowl. We eat together so we will be closely united. Since you came here we are very happy. We don’t have words to express our feelings. Now you are going home. You will want to say, “I have been to Floyd’s home.” So you should have some artifact, some symbol to take with
you from Floyd’s home. Our forefathers ate in something like this. Bowl and spoon made of these materials. We are happy. We are happy! Since you are going to your family and
when you go and are seated, when you take this spoon and you eat with it,
remember us from Floyd’s home. Praise God!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Remember Me When You Eat</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I was a bit confused and nervous when I was asked to respond to the community after receiving these amazing gifts. For one, I don't deserve this royal treatment, and for two, I wasn't quite sure what it meant. I mustered a few words in reply and realized it didn't matter how eloquent I was in response. The people were happy to clap and say 'amen' to just about anything that came from my mouth. They were simply happy I was there. I was happy to be there too and have remembered them often.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLareNay1QhUl83u8cUEeZojnmQ5c4BWe3t2wfr1AAB-kC_vRFkezvYK4TA9RMzEl-sJstaZbdxbxh33yyPWJzD_o0hBRKJht8g16Vr3MIOR_K4oDunH93-E2HSyQ3Hs8bcBlAxFbv1GPZ/s1600/Zondo+Bowl+Presentation+response.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLareNay1QhUl83u8cUEeZojnmQ5c4BWe3t2wfr1AAB-kC_vRFkezvYK4TA9RMzEl-sJstaZbdxbxh33yyPWJzD_o0hBRKJht8g16Vr3MIOR_K4oDunH93-E2HSyQ3Hs8bcBlAxFbv1GPZ/s640/Zondo+Bowl+Presentation+response.jpg" height="412" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stumbling through some words in a short response speech.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">After two years of reflection I realize I have not yet plunged the depths of this Bowl and Spoon symbolism. Perhaps I never will. However, as a Christian this whole concept seems rather at home to my worldview. I mean, who else has said, 'goodbye' through the use of symbols relating to food? For me the words of Christ, 'eat this bread in remembrance of me' and 'drink this cup in remembrance of me', have taken on new meaning because of my Bassa friends. As also His promise that one day we will share in the same cup when He returns. And so remembering is a part of fellowship. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja31LZmK8yq1os3AnXxITgoZvlZXD8gG1P1U0rkIcmkQT_8m8sptU8GiSUZYrXjXzx-LXNHmqsCrkYBrzAZD3h5BVi95RFYgUr1qN9IpBGhs2R-t0uw7aBwKeCIxG3l88x0BZSBDfnndbY/s1600/IMG_0649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja31LZmK8yq1os3AnXxITgoZvlZXD8gG1P1U0rkIcmkQT_8m8sptU8GiSUZYrXjXzx-LXNHmqsCrkYBrzAZD3h5BVi95RFYgUr1qN9IpBGhs2R-t0uw7aBwKeCIxG3l88x0BZSBDfnndbY/s640/IMG_0649.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sharing bowl and spoons with Zondo brothers</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Power of African Theology</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I say all of this to re-emphasize what I hope is being communicating through out all of this blog: we need to hear from Africa. In fact, the whole world suffers when African voices are silenced. Whether they be silenced through wars, disease, poverty, </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">neo-colonial corporatization, </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">or even </span><a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2013/09/who-is-helping-whom.html" style="font-size: xx-large;" target="_blank">aid organizations who aren't interested in listening</a><span style="font-size: x-large;">; the fact of the matter is that their silence hurts us all. Their oppression oppresses us all. We all suffer when their voices do not inform us. We need more African theology informing our walk with God. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Every tongue and tribe?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">As Christians we know our holy text tells us that the body of Christ is diverse and made of every tongue and tribe and is therefore not defined by Western traditions, songs, or theological perspectives alone. In practice however we tend to want to use our current positions of power to usurp other traditions, stories, and perspectives. We silence them to our own poverty. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Who is really oppressed?</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">In fact, I would say that the church in the States is experiencing a deep poverty of fellowship with Christ as a result of our blindness to other cultures even within our own borders. Like the proverbial Laodicean; we think we are rich, but we are poor. We think we see, but we are blind. We tend to think we know best for Africa and other 'third world' cultures. Yet it may very well be the voice of those that our culture has historically oppressed that can teach us how to finally break free from our own chains. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I don't desire that we degrade our own perspectives, nor that we adopt everything African, but rather that we include the perspective of our African brethren like they have included us. They have invited us to share the same bowl with them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>From the mouth of babes</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Consider again the children who asked such good questions about the Liberian bowl and spoon. What did they see in these African symbols? I think they can teach us a few things about remembering Christ, considering one another, and true fellowship. Why would anyone do something so strange as give someone a bowl and spoon when they say goodbye? Listen again to the children (and the African wisdom behind it):</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">"Maybe your friends will get hungry on the way home."</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">"They may not have bowls and spoons so you want them to have some to eat with."</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">"So they can remember eating with you."</span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bYhj_UxxavGeKGSgRg9OW0gRtjc8-uvwd5aQ4Dbl580Zlu25eGu9vux7vWhq5V1zhNWR9KqI7po_InnXZAt8dzpKbOrlBxkd-Z72HOc3nB6LliqFqrNjBuQdWt0ucUWuHzzG8ud0Np3N/s1600/IMG_0708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bYhj_UxxavGeKGSgRg9OW0gRtjc8-uvwd5aQ4Dbl580Zlu25eGu9vux7vWhq5V1zhNWR9KqI7po_InnXZAt8dzpKbOrlBxkd-Z72HOc3nB6LliqFqrNjBuQdWt0ucUWuHzzG8ud0Np3N/s640/IMG_0708.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-16747813346753764052013-09-25T17:37:00.003-05:002013-09-27T22:39:00.791-05:00Who Is Helping Whom?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBZOYE5nWDxOFBpidCKd33mHWWuXq-7MQA68-bXtRZcsDqarhiFWWLmdXF4huCZLZxVjtRiJphr7J8_eomb5yuUAIEhs3FLEmvMmqqFqGgE0hUchFVqFMgl1uX04DoLlVAWxemTU3uOUt/s1600/helping+hand+log+bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBZOYE5nWDxOFBpidCKd33mHWWuXq-7MQA68-bXtRZcsDqarhiFWWLmdXF4huCZLZxVjtRiJphr7J8_eomb5yuUAIEhs3FLEmvMmqqFqGgE0hUchFVqFMgl1uX04DoLlVAWxemTU3uOUt/s640/helping+hand+log+bridge.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Junior Bob helping me across a log bridge. Was I there to help him? Was he there to help me? <br />---- Yes.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Liberia is scattered with empty school buildings, broken
wells, and rusting equipment. These things stand as monuments to the twin failed
philosophies of ‘we know best for you’ and ‘money fixes everything.’ So while t</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">he immediate crisis in Liberia may have ended a decade ago, the long lasting and pervasive re-development crisis lingers. Why?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"We Know Best For You"</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">In Ernesto Sirolli’s recent <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/ernesto_sirolli_want_to_help_someone_shut_up_and_listen.html" target="_blank">TEDtalk</a> he tells the humorous
story of how his Italian NGO knew what was best for ‘those poor Africans’ and
decided to show them how to plant their wonderful Italian tomatoes and zucchinis
in the fertile soil near their village river. He expressed frustration at how
they couldn’t get these Africans to work this farm that was 'for them', and how they actually had to
pay them to work it (although many still did not show up to work). In the Western
superiority model of ‘we know best for you’ he admits to thinking, ‘thank
goodness we’re here to help these people!’ Fully expecting to change public
opinion with a wonderful harvest of Italian vegatables, Sirolli’s plan came to
a screeching halt one night. Just before harvest, a herd of hippos ate the
entire farm!</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>‘We knew that all along’</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Sirolli goes on to say that the villagers were not surprised
at this unfortunate event. In fact, while Sirolli expressed surprise at this
event the villagers stated that they had known about these hippos all along,
which is why they never planted crops in that otherwise fertile soil. When
asked why they didn’t let the aid workers know about this they answered, “You
never asked.” </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">One of the reasons that Liberia is home to so many monuments of
failed ‘aid’: Aid workers seldom ask Liberians what is best for
Liberians. The philosophy has usually been: ‘we know what is best for you.’</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNVUI7CsRykq8orj-hwt1K9FbzSk0pKqSGpit_wqCWT3-MKcUPp2eXemirTugUFH0pEfM9pFqyPIzcxaLs6iqKJlua3RugRH7xP1GzwnM9gqgxOHgxS1CptLNnfM7DUDW1xGycS7iMGfm/s1600/Nathan+somewhere+with+some+people.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNVUI7CsRykq8orj-hwt1K9FbzSk0pKqSGpit_wqCWT3-MKcUPp2eXemirTugUFH0pEfM9pFqyPIzcxaLs6iqKJlua3RugRH7xP1GzwnM9gqgxOHgxS1CptLNnfM7DUDW1xGycS7iMGfm/s640/Nathan+somewhere+with+some+people.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My brother learning the concept: Raised by a Village. :-)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"Money fixes everything"</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Another failed philosophy is that money fixes everything.
Any absentee father who has tried to win his children’s hearts through the
bribery of gifts knows that money is no substitute for real relationship. Whether
you agree or not the 2009 book “Dead Aid” by African economist Dambisa Moyo at least brought up
the elephant in the room that no one wanted to discuss. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>The Elephant In the Room</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">“Dead Aid” was willing to talk about the fact that trillions
of dollars in aid have been spent in Africa for over 50 years and yet Africa is
still struggling with wars, famines, unclean water, death from easily treatable
diseases, etc. If money were the answer, Africa would be ‘fixed’ by now! Surely
Africa would be sitting in a much better position at the worldwide table, but
this is not the case. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>What If Bill Gates Wanted to Help You?</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">The reality is that those receiving aid without input are
not dumb. They will say whatever they think the one giving money wants to hear.
What would you say if Bill Gates said, “I think we should build a playground in
your town for the children.” I’d say “great idea!” Why? Because I think HE is
going to do all the work building and maintaining it. Too often aid workers come in and say, “I
think we should build a clinic, or school, or whatever.” And the people respond
“Great! Let’s do it!” Why? Because they think the Aid organization is going to
do everything and build, staff, and maintain it after completion… empty clinics
in Liberia tell us this is not the case. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Now while some will allow ‘aid’ to take advantage of them in
order to get some sort of benefit, often people receiving handouts will
manipulate the giver as well by playing the game. Once the giver is gone it is
back to business as usual. This is why we see weeds growing in empty school
rooms in Liberia, aid workers build schools because locals tell them they want
it, not realizing that locals tell them that because there are other benefits:
pay for construction, meals, small gifts on the side, whatever. There is no ‘buy in’ from the community, only community
meetings where people said, “Please do it!” with hopes of getting something
small for themselves. I can’t say I blame them. I’d do the same thing if Bill
Gates said, “I’d like to help you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqNaNGK2dqGGyrbZXaehLYa_x9ejDOCYj3UH4wzWrJcIcNputVj1HzK9JWuHs_xzogoQ7SWhls8xSUiOyupg4dIj3iI07AROk1bWpv-2oHucYveQiwst5mR6kRGmEAK5qqFoyv4juZflJ/s1600/Ken+Vogel+digging+well.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqNaNGK2dqGGyrbZXaehLYa_x9ejDOCYj3UH4wzWrJcIcNputVj1HzK9JWuHs_xzogoQ7SWhls8xSUiOyupg4dIj3iI07AROk1bWpv-2oHucYveQiwst5mR6kRGmEAK5qqFoyv4juZflJ/s640/Ken+Vogel+digging+well.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My dad helping to dig a well by hand for a school in Liberia. It isn't just about telling people what they should do, but sharing in what the community knows needs to be done. </span></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Arrogance of Patronizing</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">So often we hear about people being ‘touched’ by the
situation in Liberia. When pressed you often hear that underlying these
statements is a sort of patronizing: “Those poor people! If only we could
educate them to be smart like us then their problems would go away. If only I would
come in and save the day for them by providing health care, clean drinking
water, agro-techniques, microloans, or whatever; then their communities would
thrive like ours.” While all of these things may be great --- what if the
community doesn’t want them? What? People don’t want what I know is best for
them? Yes. Anyone who has ever offered advice knows this happens. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">But why is it that aid workers often see those in a time of need as needing hand outs instead
of realizing that people in general just want a hand up? It’s because much aid
work (specifically 're-development' work) lacks the most important ingredient: deep relationships. In times of emergency it is common sense that people need water, food, medical attention, but re-development needs relationships. More on that in a
moment, but first…</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>What I’m Not Saying</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AniaMORv_Gm72Vm1MvUdjUuzUVInzehPz1-KRkcdVe4XbvHRM1eizIfLhR9LgnNB6TQhGLWzFCw3PUaXqFuIxeTmNqYqrWsHKHSO_D4dhVRpD95hsRtTiwnAF0zTXpAf1nC9MEPCO74U/s1600/Carolyn+twin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AniaMORv_Gm72Vm1MvUdjUuzUVInzehPz1-KRkcdVe4XbvHRM1eizIfLhR9LgnNB6TQhGLWzFCw3PUaXqFuIxeTmNqYqrWsHKHSO_D4dhVRpD95hsRtTiwnAF0zTXpAf1nC9MEPCO74U/s400/Carolyn+twin.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Love is being there in a time of need.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I am not saying that (all) Westerners are stupid and uncaring, nor that money should never be shared with those in need. I am saying that (most) Africans
are extremely intelligent and true wealth is not measured in possessions. The
fact is that Westerners do know things that could be very helpful to Africans
and vice versa. It is also true that while money doesn’t fix everything, it can
empower projects that are viable as well. What I believe is needed most in
Africa (and every corner of the world for that matter) is for people to love
one another; to see past one another’s ‘problems’ and ‘handicaps’and ‘differences’
and view each other as people. You see, sometimes they will be in need,
sometimes you will be in need, but we all need one another. Which brings me to
this…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMN4VapqutYw0qMlaT71ds7pOp0LgDCXKOKCavPPDjIN9z_ETuK8mNr-RkJifGHppM2a-0HrLZ5BETFQ1PzJjOoSqK1-YC5eP_mTo7E8aDvmDkV5PK9XPrF4cauKGLp_rRyqsbaQPCbJr/s1600/IMG_0598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMN4VapqutYw0qMlaT71ds7pOp0LgDCXKOKCavPPDjIN9z_ETuK8mNr-RkJifGHppM2a-0HrLZ5BETFQ1PzJjOoSqK1-YC5eP_mTo7E8aDvmDkV5PK9XPrF4cauKGLp_rRyqsbaQPCbJr/s640/IMG_0598.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Liberian Handshake. Traditionally one black and one white. Why? Depends on your perspective, but what I see is a desire for deep, genuine friendship between our two cultures. Not one better than the other.</span></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Who Cares? We Have Enough Problems Here</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">In fact, all of what I’ve said so far comes back to the oft
heard statement I get when trying to raise funds for various projects in
Liberia: “We should help our own first.”
This misses the whole point on so many levels. First, who are your own?
Secondly, those who have said this to me usually aren’t even involved in helping
‘their own’ at the local level. Yes, there is poverty and problems in the US;
and yes, we should be doing something about it. If that is what is on your
heart just do it! Don’t criticize someone for helping someone who doesn’t look
just like you and who sleeps in different GPS coordinates. We all need help
sometimes and when it is in your power to help, help! Wouldn’t it be great if
we were all too busy providing loving help to those in need that we were unconcerned whether
someone else was helping the ‘wrong’ person?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Why I Want To Help In Liberia</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXuBzHtvj7RzlP9iJxQyrLlZ7haC5FTgjw8h-24ayOBT600xBcR9OWvBtl3oYx40YJZn-uuCWofX8nj3Iw9kfm-nn9PR5eXX1fdoFkkVDAnk0qs_jqSjo4VVOhC4JdhNh5eBkBcm_qv5y/s1600/Morgans+and+Me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXuBzHtvj7RzlP9iJxQyrLlZ7haC5FTgjw8h-24ayOBT600xBcR9OWvBtl3oYx40YJZn-uuCWofX8nj3Iw9kfm-nn9PR5eXX1fdoFkkVDAnk0qs_jqSjo4VVOhC4JdhNh5eBkBcm_qv5y/s640/Morgans+and+Me.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Me and my Liberian brothers. To see us <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/05/remembering-to-move-forward.html" target="_blank">35 years later click here.</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>The Missing Ingredient</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Here is where we get back to the missing ingredient in many
Aid Organizations: Deep Relationships. So often what I see in these NGO’s (and
short term mission trips for that matter) is a lack of deep relationship.
Relationships take more than just concern, they take time. They take more than
just annual hugs and handshakes, they take presence. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">NGO’s are corporations and
by their very nature can’t have relationships with people. However, people
working for them can and I’ve read great stories online about NGO workers who
got it and have deep friendships with Liberians. To you I say, “Thank you for your friend-ya!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTfhFWoKBKN5_2arrtNbkxuwIvsVDgDBXee0JSIAPPhdEZWCZtogDP1CtTzk1uW44RwiGS1ZcLMIYU3wmJAEr5WbdGn0uetXPIfbvCAUaw4w0pGxe3e5eevNj4ZJsbcVZCnsiXAfcfIVs/s1600/Mark+Hubers+unloading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTfhFWoKBKN5_2arrtNbkxuwIvsVDgDBXee0JSIAPPhdEZWCZtogDP1CtTzk1uW44RwiGS1ZcLMIYU3wmJAEr5WbdGn0uetXPIfbvCAUaw4w0pGxe3e5eevNj4ZJsbcVZCnsiXAfcfIVs/s640/Mark+Hubers+unloading.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My friend Mark Hubers lending a hand in rolling textbooks shipped from the US to a school in Liberia (c. 1985)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Also, Short-term mission work by its very nature does not allow opportunity for true deep relationships. Surface friendships? Yes, but
deep relationships? Just like marriage; it is one thing to date someone, and
quite another to live with them. I have great memories and made great contacts on short term trips, but short terming tends to focus on projects, not people, and if they get a well dug or a wall built then it is a success. A success for
whom though? It may not really provide any lasting help to the people. The broken wells and empty school buildings attest to this fact. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASYCKL7FfaAHndUxk8YR2Z6zKFv4snf9dJ9EXC8hJ3OLtjvGP9UmgiZvNF-bE5SqcngGASuVKweNewU6T1zC-I79cbdDZnLqqyNQC5OaME5AVZIXzXwnhGx7j-HOjFuEdTp9fBKmySIGe/s1600/100_1750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASYCKL7FfaAHndUxk8YR2Z6zKFv4snf9dJ9EXC8hJ3OLtjvGP9UmgiZvNF-bE5SqcngGASuVKweNewU6T1zC-I79cbdDZnLqqyNQC5OaME5AVZIXzXwnhGx7j-HOjFuEdTp9fBKmySIGe/s640/100_1750.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A once beautiful school campus that now lies empty in Grand Bassa County, Liberia.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">However, some agencies are happy to have some pics of finished projects and smiling faces so that they can raise more money
to send more short termers, but what happens day in and day out in the lives of
these people they call friends? Most short termers don’t know the daily life and true needs of their ‘friends’
because they’re not there living with them. Usually when they are there it is a burst of project-focused energy and surface relationship connections. Don’t get me wrong, I think there is a place for short term
work, but their main strength comes from reinforcing relationships that are already
present on the ground. If short-termers want to participate in those deeper
relationships however all they need to do is go on over and live with them! I'm sure you'll hear, "Ya ah welcome!"</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPuaZKgHEjdKRpWp6X57yYLP7PLOPGcy27Zj6mB0mAE0u7Vj8wE7eKKpQvM2eF6n4vFm4opjl6AVX2kTypW_ce0PzP7piijgyQTHfVbvJCNlQAEmzqGxgCHmnLXy8Isbfzk2_V2dlP8yd/s1600/Ken+Vogel+concrete+work+LCC+second+term.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPuaZKgHEjdKRpWp6X57yYLP7PLOPGcy27Zj6mB0mAE0u7Vj8wE7eKKpQvM2eF6n4vFm4opjl6AVX2kTypW_ce0PzP7piijgyQTHfVbvJCNlQAEmzqGxgCHmnLXy8Isbfzk2_V2dlP8yd/s640/Ken+Vogel+concrete+work+LCC+second+term.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Concrete work at a school in Liberia. c. 1985</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Not Rocket Science</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I don’t want to help Liberia because I think I know what is
best for them. I’m not doing it because I feel the need to throw away guilt
money towards the people we’ve help impoverish through wanting cheap Firestone
tires, or diamonds for brides, or palm-oil based soap, or iron ore, or gold or whatever
else we’ve stolen ‘by the book’. I help Liberia because of Liberians. I help
Liberians because they are my family. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-Lg5Y3m1uj3j9fMP6DqMatZh6DgJgKAjo4UU-ejYtiBm-Z7bE_1lp-5uzAdxJJr10MU2WA1s6su6WIDbBRJGc1Fjv4BSecmrau1tjxkTJpo-VGy31H99cUNol40Z33OIUugdVN2ueYJm/s1600/IMG_0416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-Lg5Y3m1uj3j9fMP6DqMatZh6DgJgKAjo4UU-ejYtiBm-Z7bE_1lp-5uzAdxJJr10MU2WA1s6su6WIDbBRJGc1Fjv4BSecmrau1tjxkTJpo-VGy31H99cUNol40Z33OIUugdVN2ueYJm/s640/IMG_0416.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My Nephew Alex who just recently graduated with an Associates in Engineering. He fell victim to the recent Entrance Exam/fee scam </span><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/epic-fail-all-25000-students-fail-university-entrance-exam-in-liberia-8785707.html" style="font-size: medium;" target="_blank">debacle</a><span style="font-size: small;"> at the University of Liberia. That is 2 weeks pay ($25 USD) spent for nothing!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Just like every child born in Liberia: I
did not choose Liberia, Liberia chose me. What child doesn’t feel a deep responsibility
to help their mother or father in a time of need? What about my brother, my
sister, my nephew, my uncle, etc. in their time of need? Aid work shouldn’t be
rocket science. This desire to provide a hand up should be as simple as
breathing and as natural. There is no
formula for correct aid, just like there is no formula for love.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8gkwc_IHMSSa23irYen5dNQsR8JzBYZZHmyY-nvhD7-5cBgoSi9n0avNGzfu-9_2xJ8G0F9lvME-L2YLVZYGu1MvKibaJTYSqMnZ3mqZ3pn4QWqg94qA-DEXaaeFxeSnTsRmTNMDSvDC/s1600/Chandra+Ma+Sarah+Mimi+back+porch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8gkwc_IHMSSa23irYen5dNQsR8JzBYZZHmyY-nvhD7-5cBgoSi9n0avNGzfu-9_2xJ8G0F9lvME-L2YLVZYGu1MvKibaJTYSqMnZ3mqZ3pn4QWqg94qA-DEXaaeFxeSnTsRmTNMDSvDC/s640/Chandra+Ma+Sarah+Mimi+back+porch.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My Liberian mother: Sarah Toe (c. 1985).</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYQw2ZlmpUGLOcXm0X_trNMEv6G_QcO-wWH9ri122ac8-sbxulfmlc-ln1dTqH05OvKFaXTQSfOEk0vCHsMBb-On9Q51H6Q0MLmLhwHXGNAW9E9xFH_ENWz86O_NFnwP6LRKx4RURq1ff/s1600/IMG_0413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYQw2ZlmpUGLOcXm0X_trNMEv6G_QcO-wWH9ri122ac8-sbxulfmlc-ln1dTqH05OvKFaXTQSfOEk0vCHsMBb-On9Q51H6Q0MLmLhwHXGNAW9E9xFH_ENWz86O_NFnwP6LRKx4RURq1ff/s640/IMG_0413.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My Liberian mother Sarah Toe - Summer 2013</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">My parents brought me to Liberia when I was 3. I didn’t
choose it. I was adopted by several Liberian ladies who I now call Ma. I didn’t
choose it. I ate termites in the mud with my Liberian brothers because that is
what we did. I didn’t choose it. Liberia chose me. I didn’t ask the people of
Zondo to make me a citizen of their village. They chose to do it. I didn’t ask
God to make me think about Liberia every day of my life. He chose for me to
think of her. I just do it.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>When “Helping” Hurts</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">However, if Liberia hasn’t chosen you, you are probably
better off leaving her alone. In fact, I would invite you to go fix some other problems in the world. There are other
problems happening than those happening in Liberia. I say this because so much
of what is wrong with Liberia is based on people trying to “help” Liberia who
really didn’t love her. For example just consider the following “help” that my
own US of A has provided for Liberia so far:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Help” freed slaves in the US by purchasing huge amounts of land from Bassa
and other tribal chiefs under gunpoint for a few hundred dollars.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Help” those in the US that won’t be able to integrate into
society (read freed slaves or “mulatto” offspring of slaveholders) and hide
them in Liberia under the disguise of a humanitarian work called the <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/05/bit-of-us-south-in-africa.html" target="_blank">AmericanColonization Society</a>.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Help” these Americo-Liberian colonists who in turn enslaved
many of the native Liberians, by sending US warships every time the population
rises up against their oppression.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Help” Liberian economy by giving them “jobs” at Firestone
after forcing the Liberian government to take a loan it can’t repay and forcing
tribal people without a voice off their land (1 million acres).</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Help” Liberia by forgiving her “debts” with clauses that
force Liberia to accept foreign companies to work there who won’t help provide
any community service.</span></li>
</ul>
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</div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Enough “Help” Already!</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I think we’ve already done enough to ‘help’ Liberia! Why don’t
we instead simply shut up and listen like real friends do. Let Liberians tell us what they believe their
true needs are. Even today the UN is trying to force Liberians to have ‘needs’
that they themselves could care less about (they often only say they do care because
they know the ones who hold the money want them to care about it.) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>A Case In Point</i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">For example,
never once did I hear a Liberian say that they wanted same sex marriages
recognized by the state until the UN came in and began making this an issue. I'm not sure if these outside voices are aware of it or not but they sound like they are saying that these poor, dumb, uneducated Liberians should wise up and embrace their worldview in order to be
properly civilized and worthy of aid. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I understand there are many issues under the surface here, but when it comes to lending a hand, a guiding issue in my opinion has to be: can any of us love anyone who is
different than us? Should I trust a ‘gay’ advocate who preaches others must
accept them for who they are in the name of love, while
at the same time being willing to withhold love to Liberians who on the
whole think differently than Westerners on this and a great many other issues?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Love Embargo?</i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">What sort of ‘love’ would be willing to withhold malaria
medicine from a child because his parent’s Poro African tradition holds that
homosexuality is taboo? Do you hate African tradition? The child? The parents? Even the main solicitor of international aide, President Sirleaf, has made the following </span><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/liberia/9153890/Liberian-president-Ellen-Johnson-Sirleaf-defends-law-criminalising-homosexuality.html" style="font-size: xx-large;" target="_blank">statement</a><span style="font-size: x-large;"> concerning homosexuality: "We've got certain traditional values in our society that we would like to preserve." Do you feel that pushback? Is anyone listening to Liberians? So
much to say here, but I digress…</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>In Whose Image?</i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">The bottom line is that I cannot make you attracted or not attracted to the same sex any more than I can make you accept or not accept another person attracted to the same sex. I can't do this anymore than I can make you a believer in Christ, or a Muslim, a Poro initiate, or have you born as a Gio, a Bassa, a Vai, an Americo-Liberian, or a Cajun, Texan, Hillbilly (Ozark boy here!), or whatever else for that matter. My belief is that God made us all and we are all made in His
image, you are not to be made in my image any more than I am to be made in yours.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>So Who Is Helping Whom?</b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I care deeply if you are hurting my Liberian family even if you are calling it “help” while doing it. I’m not saying that we
won’t ever hurt each other. Lord knows I’ve hurt my Liberian family, but we are
family and we work this out. Lord knows I have abandoned them in their time of
need. We continue to work this out. Family does that.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaixEdBIfIcbyMndIFEoZOhtOPMq7mwKbyJy8IHnskg28jBCTsTTcK-0zI1_25WGy_tS799LRcUpKLnkegIeJtvmfsfI2ehmly1VTKeub01x8hIbGmAO8ee2GR0hyqu0UMVmKzGww-1eUL/s1600/Ma+Augusta+Carolyn+Heath+Otis+Spot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaixEdBIfIcbyMndIFEoZOhtOPMq7mwKbyJy8IHnskg28jBCTsTTcK-0zI1_25WGy_tS799LRcUpKLnkegIeJtvmfsfI2ehmly1VTKeub01x8hIbGmAO8ee2GR0hyqu0UMVmKzGww-1eUL/s640/Ma+Augusta+Carolyn+Heath+Otis+Spot.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My Ma Augusta (RIP). She taught us her <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/11/recipe-ma-augustas-shortbread.html" target="_blank">recipe for Liberian Shortbread</a>. My mother intends to pay it forward by sharing this recipe with other Liberian women in the bread business.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDiphSZTNhVPk1jxQNpPMNPXd2QZ1Wlbib4tWNVpVYnRPsIF-KNgLTUl_q8TrFjoA_jXWmx3-eLrp89lX4gyNDQnyULBA0zdivRqLBXdQpZreuJyPE9WMpDHRKvgxzTJfqiZBTex_H8BL/s1600/Vogel+kids+and+Emmanuel+and+perhaps+Omise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDiphSZTNhVPk1jxQNpPMNPXd2QZ1Wlbib4tWNVpVYnRPsIF-KNgLTUl_q8TrFjoA_jXWmx3-eLrp89lX4gyNDQnyULBA0zdivRqLBXdQpZreuJyPE9WMpDHRKvgxzTJfqiZBTex_H8BL/s640/Vogel+kids+and+Emmanuel+and+perhaps+Omise.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Buchanan circa 1985 with big brother Omise (RIP) and my brother Emmanuel (Ma Augusta's son)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">At the end of the day I’m not even sure that I can actually ‘help’
Liberia, however one thing I do know: Liberia helps me. I’m not sure I have
anything to teach Liberians, but one thing I do know: Liberians teach me. I’m
not sure I have anything of value to give Liberians, but I do know this:
Liberians have given me their very best and I as their brother will try to do
likewise.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2ipE1Z5NUxf8dd_VIZI7-I-FXCKDBHVRgQNPLa-fHnsBDHuGxc_F1DDh6QalpgpuaOgkiemfPshFFzyQaRxcck9FwULurfGcv-7tnRlnOTkLNstuuftdjJe1x54pywC7kqv3PMkLOr9R/s1600/Heath+and+Junior+Bob+Liberia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2ipE1Z5NUxf8dd_VIZI7-I-FXCKDBHVRgQNPLa-fHnsBDHuGxc_F1DDh6QalpgpuaOgkiemfPshFFzyQaRxcck9FwULurfGcv-7tnRlnOTkLNstuuftdjJe1x54pywC7kqv3PMkLOr9R/s640/Heath+and+Junior+Bob+Liberia.jpg" width="440" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Junior Bob, wherever you are, I wish you well my friend. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">You helped me cross the bridge. This means more than you may know.</span></td></tr>
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<br />HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-76626091524408492462013-08-24T12:53:00.001-05:002013-08-24T16:30:04.577-05:00Last Days Of The Coo Coo Cafe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhcc8d7OimKr8yX1kgXlmhRU8PLdqVaCcxcOt4Ex9czRaYpuQXD_sqb8z0SbkFxw21kkIwWV2kBJb2Dk34qRMcDtRkkc1hsz-dZ-8yA9fTVLiryYW6dDqIE5MA04dFRO329Y9z2clJsLp/s1600/100_1856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhcc8d7OimKr8yX1kgXlmhRU8PLdqVaCcxcOt4Ex9czRaYpuQXD_sqb8z0SbkFxw21kkIwWV2kBJb2Dk34qRMcDtRkkc1hsz-dZ-8yA9fTVLiryYW6dDqIE5MA04dFRO329Y9z2clJsLp/s1600/100_1856.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Coo Coo Cafe is marked by the MPW for destruction in order to expand the sides of the road from Monrovia to Gbarnga</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>THE YELLOW MARK</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I remember traveling the road to Buchanan in 2011 and I kept seeing all of these yellow marks on the buildings as we drove by, which naturally led me to ask, "What do those yellow marks mean?" </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZqWSbKgmXsAYhKgXKqQjQRvzYd7cEBSi7gbeSIrlBkZemvwobGA_xrB4x0KXAOuoAnEIm9280_NEoALyoIPYXdQjsLH7cXEKTe3RgbLO0IQ2s4ZpbGKya4J6Yvel7FoRhxxehcJXAEj_/s1600/100_1851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZqWSbKgmXsAYhKgXKqQjQRvzYd7cEBSi7gbeSIrlBkZemvwobGA_xrB4x0KXAOuoAnEIm9280_NEoALyoIPYXdQjsLH7cXEKTe3RgbLO0IQ2s4ZpbGKya4J6Yvel7FoRhxxehcJXAEj_/s640/100_1851.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Yellow 'X' on the Coo Coo Cafe signals her last days</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">In short, it means that those structures are marked for destruction so that roads can be built. In practice it means that the MPW (Ministry of Public Works) goes around and decides how much money a person will get for the building they are about to destroy and then spray paints it with a yellow mark. Many churches, homes, businesses, structures, etc. have met their fate due to the notorious yellow X. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgeYGTl_EX-r_SrQAgO52MLTJL9G0ge7G_GxiptXjmdU4JHoRBMvm1h40OvWGokOMyFxDl_65zC8Btc78ZtzD-F30Gbi1Znst8M_8l5pdjmsjDAzoAw6nBlSG-JAK7KyhQQ-o5k768jpe4/s1600/100_1852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgeYGTl_EX-r_SrQAgO52MLTJL9G0ge7G_GxiptXjmdU4JHoRBMvm1h40OvWGokOMyFxDl_65zC8Btc78ZtzD-F30Gbi1Znst8M_8l5pdjmsjDAzoAw6nBlSG-JAK7KyhQQ-o5k768jpe4/s1600/100_1852.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Across the street from the Cafe one can see the yellow 'x's on the gate and fence in front of the Coo Coo Nest Hotel</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>Liberian Historic Sites Marked For Destruction</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I was saddened to learn that the Coo Coo Cafe and some of its surrounding structures were also marked by the MPW for destruction. This is an area of great historical significance to Liberia as it represents the glory days of the Tubman era. In this spot just south of Totota President Tubman had his 6,000 acre rubber tree farm, his getaway </span><a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-richest-man-in-africa-inside-his.html" style="font-size: xx-large;" target="_blank">mansion</a><span style="font-size: x-large;">, a hotel named after his daughter which was called the </span><a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2013/06/you-are-hereby-admitted-to-coocoo-nest.html" style="font-size: xx-large;" target="_blank">Coo Coo Nest</a><span style="font-size: x-large;">, and this restaurant: The Coo Coo Cafe.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKswnacdUvig1WaGzl1cclR9O-KBv78ZJdkSTgDT9GOtofETbKzCSpICeg8RiHE1hmyzzaOuQXm7qAUWnM-25Yj5cNHJMkCMqxdogm-lVYFGKvsO4QBVEzKolST0Wp9jjoUH9Do8erUM2/s1600/100_1859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKswnacdUvig1WaGzl1cclR9O-KBv78ZJdkSTgDT9GOtofETbKzCSpICeg8RiHE1hmyzzaOuQXm7qAUWnM-25Yj5cNHJMkCMqxdogm-lVYFGKvsO4QBVEzKolST0Wp9jjoUH9Do8erUM2/s640/100_1859.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Coo Coo Nest Fountain and Tower are also marked<br />the dreaded yellow 'x'</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Besides the Coo Coo Cafe, several other Tubman era structures are also marked for destruction. This includes the fence and gate to the Coo Coo Nest, the tower sculpture and fountain in front of the Coo Coo Nest (which was sculpted by Tubman's son), and the Elephant Tusk Gate and guard house that leads up to the mansion and the one-time </span><a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/08/old-tubman-farm-in-totota.html" style="font-size: xx-large;" target="_blank">zoo</a><span style="font-size: x-large;"> that I visited as a child. I overheard that the total payout by the MPW appraisers for all of these structures is $300,000 USD. I doubt it will go to revitalize what is left of this beautiful property, but who knows? </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mRLTwsz7c9v7PouqzSewI19OJQI4pWd5gj31Pp_t155x58oPbGxC7sbtCMeSXVM3OPFKBveI96ucrXxtUs1mb0yQ89dnh-a_8_sVA89RlN3KteBpmRUzuJYIGTwpvfrMOv9Pv-M61JUX/s1600/Tubman+Farm+Tusk+Gate+2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mRLTwsz7c9v7PouqzSewI19OJQI4pWd5gj31Pp_t155x58oPbGxC7sbtCMeSXVM3OPFKBveI96ucrXxtUs1mb0yQ89dnh-a_8_sVA89RlN3KteBpmRUzuJYIGTwpvfrMOv9Pv-M61JUX/s640/Tubman+Farm+Tusk+Gate+2013.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Me standing by the yellow 'x' on the Elephant Tusk Gate that leads to the Tubman Mansion and abandoned zoo.<br />The Guard House behind is also marked for destruction</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>Has Liberia Spoken on the Tubman Legacy?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">It might seem that Liberia has spoken about how she feels about president Tubman. Several of his magnificent structures are today in disarray. His </span><a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/05/african-queen-in-mourning-part-1.html" style="font-size: xx-large;" target="_blank">Center for African Culture</a><span style="font-size: x-large;"> in Robertsport was in shambles when I visited it in 2011. I have no idea how bad it looks now. His zoo was looted and/or shipped out of country to the Ivory Coast. His mansion lies vacant and is a home to thieves, rotting taxidermy, and bats. And lastly his 'eternal' flame on his grave has long since been extinguished. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This picture shows the entire Elephant Tusk Gate in her last days. June 2013</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">However, an opposing case could be made that Liberia loves Tubman in that they commemorate him on their <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/07/liberian-history-on-currency.html" target="_blank">$20LD bill</a>, they have a High School named after him in Monrovia, and a University in Harper. Whatever the case, he was a powerful force that one is unable to ignore when studying Liberia's history and even current events. Tubman may have left his mark, but today many of his structures find themselves marked for destruction.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbW7uA2rNpi8YCLHVwW52v0vpFolu-A9mJlYo4WDKM7UXEV6aSzmc6gwOskm14YRpJGwVDMyupg4LNByI1_LeVt3mWNjQE5hs3Woqt6RntaKSe9lxIh2Cu69xeZLW-tCsQwdijtp3Q2ree/s1600/Buchanan+Welcome+Sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbW7uA2rNpi8YCLHVwW52v0vpFolu-A9mJlYo4WDKM7UXEV6aSzmc6gwOskm14YRpJGwVDMyupg4LNByI1_LeVt3mWNjQE5hs3Woqt6RntaKSe9lxIh2Cu69xeZLW-tCsQwdijtp3Q2ree/s640/Buchanan+Welcome+Sign.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The old metal Buchanan Welcome Sign was also removed when the road to Buchanan was paved.<br />Some say it will return but time will tell. Picture taken in 2011</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">In summary, that road I mentioned from Monrovia to Buchanan is now completely paved and the travel time is even comparable to US standards! (As a side: I hope that the road lasts through this rainy season as there was water just feet from it at the beginning of the season in June and I saw no drainage system. It was lowest bidder, Chinese construction from what I've been told.) Now it is the road from Monrovia to Gbarnga that is underway. Liberia seems to be saying, "full steam ahead!" and also that some of her past is something she would rather just pave over. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">On the road to Gbarnga June 2013</span></td></tr>
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HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-63440995521903271332013-08-08T16:50:00.000-05:002013-08-08T18:38:30.187-05:00Push-ups And Rainbow Lizards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggX_lnKPkGMdtz_NOtZ-DJIv6AC9zTDuBXzqOCICRYlb9Ou8GT6GDsip8ltwAf76BYZOFM66PlPCLa1mIM01W0PQ5Za_wtjgmaMCFn2iIUw_VQSppWU4W0gCYaPL0Db0eru3S7u7V5zn0M/s1600/IMG_0456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A male agama agama " border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggX_lnKPkGMdtz_NOtZ-DJIv6AC9zTDuBXzqOCICRYlb9Ou8GT6GDsip8ltwAf76BYZOFM66PlPCLa1mIM01W0PQ5Za_wtjgmaMCFn2iIUw_VQSppWU4W0gCYaPL0Db0eru3S7u7V5zn0M/s640/IMG_0456.JPG" title="A male agama agama with orange head and tail in Liberia" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Rainbow Agama of Liberia</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">One of the first things that welcomed me on my return to Liberia in 2011 was an orange-headed lizard doing push-ups on a rock just outside Roberts International Airport. He bobbed his head up and down like he was excited to see me and when I saw him the childhood memories suddenly flooded over me. I actually found myself smiling as I whispered aloud, "hello, my friend." </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>Introducing Mr. Agama Agama</b></i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYS2gEqlC73ii9E7meVAzkNj2Gf0sIlvEeS4rn8qBYr0SQ40788vZ9Bvt5j2CxIMFQmmiYJJ3aGoCL1HFSJFImtEiLMRCNpcUUAYeSPw4Tvms_Rnhz2t41A5h77NNMeJwYG9XZet3e5Obu/s1600/IMG_0454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Male agama agama looking at the camera" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYS2gEqlC73ii9E7meVAzkNj2Gf0sIlvEeS4rn8qBYr0SQ40788vZ9Bvt5j2CxIMFQmmiYJJ3aGoCL1HFSJFImtEiLMRCNpcUUAYeSPw4Tvms_Rnhz2t41A5h77NNMeJwYG9XZet3e5Obu/s640/IMG_0454.JPG" title="male agama agama peaking over a concrete wall" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr. Agama poking his head over a concrete well base</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Technically these lizards are called <i>Agama Agama</i>, but like Gandolf they go by many names: Common Agama, Red-Headed Rock Agama, or Rainbow Agama. In my sophistication I like to refer to them as "lizards" or "those lizards with orange heads". </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>..And He Made Them Male and Female...</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">There are actually two types of Agama one will see; one is just more or less brown and one has an orange-ish colored head (and sometimes a dark blue body). Like many species in the animal kingdom the males are the prettier ones here. I guess they need to show off in order to get the ladies' attention as this practice of turning color only happens during mating season. As if this weren't enough they also like to climb up on rocks during this season and start busting out a massive amount of push up reps. It ends up looking like they are headbanging or be-bopping if you ask me. Hey, if it works....</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkqsd94XuM0lfvv9HPrWL9axgGgL7FmWEfFuojq-_3bZkt-Mkv4s1vTSVW99T7o7RszNgTgJovmEJJ-7C0QyP8d63s22_v_8pPVYICYNyqNg0mnd81rb_FMvDszRVNgRrJbNexZTmVbHY/s1600/IMG_0455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Juvenile agama agama lizard" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkqsd94XuM0lfvv9HPrWL9axgGgL7FmWEfFuojq-_3bZkt-Mkv4s1vTSVW99T7o7RszNgTgJovmEJJ-7C0QyP8d63s22_v_8pPVYICYNyqNg0mnd81rb_FMvDszRVNgRrJbNexZTmVbHY/s640/IMG_0455.JPG" title="Juvenile agama agama lizard in Liberia" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I see a little orange on the body here so I don't know if this is a juvenile male or a female agama. My guess is a male juvenile. There are some that are even more brown, but they all have this sort of 'cryptic' patterning.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The males are also territorial and will fight to keep their hood. It is fascinating to watch them fight. They do a lot of side winding and tail whipping. It is quite the sight! The loser is sent away to another patch of area to set up his domain, and the winner presumably gets to continue flaunting his pretty head while doing push ups in front of all his neighborhood ladies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>These Things Are Everywhere!</i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1egrfz1NYu4PrTANyG66gzrfxeJPI_GIjX_1CRiOL8H_hnut3oCv9NS3bTF9txTv0rpl-DekY4HORubltYuJDJVCeR-AnqoHAQVKVFVzwNLmfxydbom2Pr0IEE4RZgcTQ8D4o1ZNTvDla/s1600/agama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1egrfz1NYu4PrTANyG66gzrfxeJPI_GIjX_1CRiOL8H_hnut3oCv9NS3bTF9txTv0rpl-DekY4HORubltYuJDJVCeR-AnqoHAQVKVFVzwNLmfxydbom2Pr0IEE4RZgcTQ8D4o1ZNTvDla/s640/agama.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A male is perched upon the tin roof (rather blurry -- sorry). Two females climb the walls running away as I approach</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">It is not uncommon to see scores of these lizards all scurrying across a rock landscape or the side of a heated concrete wall (as if there were any other type of concrete wall in Liberia). It can be a little startling at first when you see a group of agama scurry; it almost looks like the wall is alive until your eyes focus and you make out the small village of lizards running in all directions. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-asr0yt0LcXjUP8RjL_q5lXdr7GfEg3IZXYb3V5LJw-yr26VR57ZJr7Ve_-TFvEKiWruQQQceB-V3n28M7fDXyI3qILjzsCobAeuOrNidvL0bb_PK32YrgfjXLMe2E-k4Eo8UxVPWxnRd/s1600/agama2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-asr0yt0LcXjUP8RjL_q5lXdr7GfEg3IZXYb3V5LJw-yr26VR57ZJr7Ve_-TFvEKiWruQQQceB-V3n28M7fDXyI3qILjzsCobAeuOrNidvL0bb_PK32YrgfjXLMe2E-k4Eo8UxVPWxnRd/s640/agama2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Three agama watch with suspicion as I bring the camera closer</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">For the most part these lizards do seem to be skittish. Perhaps it is just my "kwee-poo" clumsiness but the agama tended to run away from me whenever I got within just 10 feet. This is why I kicked myself for not having a good zoom on my camera in 2011. This past trip I had a better zoom and so I snapped a few pics of them in my free time. I also included a few of my older pics in this mix that are not of the best quality, but I just wanted you to get a glimpse of these fascinating Liberian lizards. In my opinion they are part of what makes Liberia, Liberia; even though my Liberian friends laughed at me for 'wasting pictures' on lizards! :-) Hope you have enjoyed!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilV3V7CCDckWmIy8t7NWV214pp2EozU2hYDTAWVmeSad67PvXTbPcpoyqxLri9Q9d8_AmSFNGVMnwaiBDQKvpOMwjPztKcyHggI3420b9Y3lUWiLfq_bwMtKhFlX0soBsndcJyyXe_Yo1D/s1600/agama3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilV3V7CCDckWmIy8t7NWV214pp2EozU2hYDTAWVmeSad67PvXTbPcpoyqxLri9Q9d8_AmSFNGVMnwaiBDQKvpOMwjPztKcyHggI3420b9Y3lUWiLfq_bwMtKhFlX0soBsndcJyyXe_Yo1D/s640/agama3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">They also seem to have an almost chameleon like quality which makes it a challenge to photograph. Can you see the one male blended in just to the left of the hole in the wall?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">There are actually 3 agama in this pic. Can you spot them?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My friends here found it very humorous that I wasted pictures on lizards. They figured themselves to be better subject matter. I agree! God bless Liberia!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-90085854203821761102013-08-03T15:58:00.001-05:002013-08-03T15:58:26.613-05:00The Liberian Teddy Bear<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Teddy Bears chilling on the living room curtain rod</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">There is hardly anything that can put a smile on my face like the ubiquitous Liberian "teddy bear". In Liberia all stuffed animals are called "teddy bear" (pron: </span><i style="font-size: xx-large;">teh day beh</i><span style="font-size: x-large;">) whether they are actually a bear or not, and these guys are found everywhere! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Elmo is watching you!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">In fact, whenever you enter a Liberian home do not be surprised to find these 'teddy bears' being used as a form of interior decor in many of the main living areas. In other words, these 'teddy bears' are not relegated to the bedroom of children as is often the case in the States, but rather they are proudly put on full display in prominent places all throughout many Liberian homes. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">I for one have to say that there is something about seeing Sonic the Hedgehog chilling out with Boots, Scooby Doo, and Elmo on top of a window curtain in the middle of Liberia that just brings out feelings of awesome and childhood glee. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Scooby and Eeyore look forlorn. Is it because they mourn the ineffectiveness of these non-functioning donated CRT monitors?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUi-h9B51JRtZbjIvr3O8fxL56xup3qqGTt-z4YFRtl2QBNQ8coj1GpAGUYB1qJA8sC-O4F3xcZWTZJmgHxsVJHnBT9dM5KNm5Mi4b5AepweZhQkj48HudgAtIp3XYeDt3bHxq7uhapzEb/s1600/IMG_0420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUi-h9B51JRtZbjIvr3O8fxL56xup3qqGTt-z4YFRtl2QBNQ8coj1GpAGUYB1qJA8sC-O4F3xcZWTZJmgHxsVJHnBT9dM5KNm5Mi4b5AepweZhQkj48HudgAtIp3XYeDt3bHxq7uhapzEb/s320/IMG_0420.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing can keep you company<br />quite like a giant purple<br />dinosaur!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm not sure of the cultural significance or the feng shui of this phenomenon, but I have to tell you I really enjoy seeing Liberian 'teddy bear' decor and hope that you have enjoyed this brief taste of it as well. And you know, at the end of the day, who doesn't want to come home to some colorful, huggable</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">, soft, fluffiness? I hope you've enjoyed these decorating ideas straight from the Land of Liberty...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MrP8PHzyEPArCFDQN69Srkoz_qQ9N8SJWQg4QtdpVJK3WGHhkr-1wTigs95UsW_v5KpsZCZ92tiJE3bg5YyoQDIdfI_4_GFnjlnJ-OLW-9nFMeHU3IDp2nkrEvsviX_bkf5GBP6Fg8va/s1600/100_1686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MrP8PHzyEPArCFDQN69Srkoz_qQ9N8SJWQg4QtdpVJK3WGHhkr-1wTigs95UsW_v5KpsZCZ92tiJE3bg5YyoQDIdfI_4_GFnjlnJ-OLW-9nFMeHU3IDp2nkrEvsviX_bkf5GBP6Fg8va/s640/100_1686.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yes, this frog and bunny would both be called 'teddy bear' in Liberia.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqISIbYaMHtHbyPo8DhVBqXiIOpHNFvfJig1yCXJZe0sYZ9uGsCAdKldZ4IMDZV9IylZLZhbtQcnmdBaKI8KoQnt9R-swSpLnpUHXiX8lKRf3DkLaURRrSm7n664FjPn_4fc-U9sP868wF/s1600/100_1681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqISIbYaMHtHbyPo8DhVBqXiIOpHNFvfJig1yCXJZe0sYZ9uGsCAdKldZ4IMDZV9IylZLZhbtQcnmdBaKI8KoQnt9R-swSpLnpUHXiX8lKRf3DkLaURRrSm7n664FjPn_4fc-U9sP868wF/s640/100_1681.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Boots!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQGE1Lt3CBenftILB3iWP82ioOm0RCj0v87oDuoc3e_aEzl_54UVpVa4qv7VVpAG-vO6o4-3o6Dt-zt1Q005jhWOAKPng5MjfYHL-p58q8fVxL2OHsggVDmXbR_89e8YX6x1rnlPSLkwP/s1600/IMG_0429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQGE1Lt3CBenftILB3iWP82ioOm0RCj0v87oDuoc3e_aEzl_54UVpVa4qv7VVpAG-vO6o4-3o6Dt-zt1Q005jhWOAKPng5MjfYHL-p58q8fVxL2OHsggVDmXbR_89e8YX6x1rnlPSLkwP/s640/IMG_0429.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Strawberry Shortcake TV dust cover goes with the theme.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil0P2M_faiAAYQhptVL9CkyDCLTSS-9EgLKqAqHY6gXLXWmUsND-E9YoCwZg1_GLYX_gwnHracvWXL10NaGlH5ciKo2EVq3oMmjZNpCMtEzgnHtW-amcSDm3Qyrx2fXl5XXl6D_WOeE0O8/s1600/100_1683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil0P2M_faiAAYQhptVL9CkyDCLTSS-9EgLKqAqHY6gXLXWmUsND-E9YoCwZg1_GLYX_gwnHracvWXL10NaGlH5ciKo2EVq3oMmjZNpCMtEzgnHtW-amcSDm3Qyrx2fXl5XXl6D_WOeE0O8/s640/100_1683.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This purple guy always put a smile on my face when I walked into the room, although I somehow felt some uneasiness (perhaps for the safety of the Easter chicken on the stereo speaker?).</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">As a side note: pay no attention to calendars on the wall in Liberia. They are often just there for decoration as well and are usually several years old.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Relaxing with friends is always best done with teddy bears around you! Peace to Liberia!</span></td></tr>
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<br />HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-8682269873809408252013-07-30T17:25:00.005-05:002013-07-31T16:56:01.668-05:00Breakfast in Liberia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Liberian pineapple would rival any worldwide!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">There are a great many options when it comes to the first meal of the day in Liberia. The Lone Star Republic offers some of the best pineapple in the world, also banana, mango, and oranges; actually the list of great fruit options goes on and on... There are also specialty breakfast dishes like "</span><i style="font-size: xx-large;">moe nee kalah mah</i><span style="font-size: x-large;">" (the ready-made Mandingo inspired breakfast in a bag) and farina that are definitely worth trying. Today I want to share my two favorite Liberian breakfast dishes: Gaaree and/or Calla.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Garee</u></b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A packet of 'Gaaree" straight from market and ready to prep for breakfast</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What is gaaree? Gaaree is yet another Liberian dish made from the cassava plant (see <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2013/03/fufu-and-dumboy.html" target="_blank">fufu and dumboy</a>). Gaaree is made by grinding the cassava root into a coarse flour and then drying. They are often sold in little plastic bags on the street. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Here is what I do with that bag of gaaree: add hot water, a few scoops of Nido (my favorite of the powdered milk options; which are used since milk is practically non-existent in Liberia), and sugar to taste; all going into a bowl and then stirred. <u><b>Note</b></u>: depending on how the gaaree is dried it may take some getting used to. Often it is dried over a fire and leaves a smoky taste that is not one that you may desire first thing in the morning. I've gotten used to it, but it is a little intense for breakfast. Indirect heat drying will leave you with a delicious flavor that resembles a hearty cream of wheat sort of experience.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Calla frying in boiling oil... the smell is divine!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Calla</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">By far my favorite breakfast is about 3 - 7 warm calla (depending on the size). Calla are made out of some sort dough that is a cross between a doughnut and a funnel cake. It is formed into balls and dropped into a pot of boiling oil. You have two main kinds of calla: red oil calla and argo calla. These names derive from whatever oil they are deep fried in: red palm oil or vegetable oil (argo). I like them covered in granulated sugar while still hot out of the oil. A great breakfast treat! My mouth still waters whenever I think of the market caller singing: </span><i style="font-size: xx-large;">"Swee kah lah! Geh yah swee kah lah!" </i><br />
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<b style="font-size: xx-large;"><u>...Can't forget about the coffee!...</u></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sweet Calla is served! I think I could<br />finish this bowl full no prob :-)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">To wrap up: I enjoy both of these meals with a cup of hot coffee. Due to lack of electricity you will usually be making this with hot water from the charcoal stove and a french press or instant coffee. Coffee snobs may actually enjoy the french press process and might want to try to find Liberia's very own indigenous coffee (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffea_liberica" target="_blank"><i>coffea liberica</i></a>). Another option is Starbuck's Via packets which are known to create a nice cup of coffee. I actually found the local market offers a "3 in 1 instant coffee" packet that really isn't all that bad! My people, I tell you.... Nothing beats sipping a cup of hot coffee and filling up on gaaree and/or calla while there is a nice Liberian rain starting outside and beating on the "zinc" overhead.</span> <span style="font-size: x-large;"> :-)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Coffee, Nido, and mango while we wait for calla.</span></td></tr>
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HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-45962928967670630802013-07-27T20:11:00.003-05:002013-08-08T18:41:01.846-05:00The Richest Man In Africa: Inside His Mansion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmHLL7EN0hyrQ7yXXM1pWgIMkAjbp5V8hYNyQZRRverTOvnxLKGRgJ1WmWB3R-9_pSMObATpyDNUdl6CVA3otut6TuTZQ_laDL16juPikjhM4PkqoF2yXOaSFJ02i1CymiPdyzWNJoizq/s1600/IMG_0518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Portrait of William Tubman" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmHLL7EN0hyrQ7yXXM1pWgIMkAjbp5V8hYNyQZRRverTOvnxLKGRgJ1WmWB3R-9_pSMObATpyDNUdl6CVA3otut6TuTZQ_laDL16juPikjhM4PkqoF2yXOaSFJ02i1CymiPdyzWNJoizq/s640/IMG_0518.JPG" title="Portrait of President William Tubman displayed in his mansion near Totota, Liberia" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Portrait of President William Tubman displayed in his mansion near Totota, Liberia</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Liberian President William V.S. Tubman was once considered by some to be the richest man in all of Africa. Who knows how much money he actually had, but when he died in 1971 his known assets were equivalent to $1.3 billion in today's dollars. In a nation that today averages app. $1000 in annual income he was by all comparisons one of the super rich in his neck of the woods. However, it is this comparison that leaves many wondering, "what is his true legacy?" and even "what could have been in Liberia?" There is a lesson in President Tubman's life for all of us and I believe it asks us, "Will we leave behind a better place or try to take it all now for ourselves no matter the consequences to others?"</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnrbJbR-sSwINSqvOOIMxXb-XgnxJt0s1V7CSNF6QgjiErRrLOIKhQUrMc4XzazHdO6_-XJcqeZElR3hk2GKa39l4bKnN0wC87WAD9zBE1KOg1GLkeGsMKU-mqkYx83irYVUdEkuZAbuB/s1600/100_0110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Plaque welcoming visitors to William Tubman Museum" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnrbJbR-sSwINSqvOOIMxXb-XgnxJt0s1V7CSNF6QgjiErRrLOIKhQUrMc4XzazHdO6_-XJcqeZElR3hk2GKa39l4bKnN0wC87WAD9zBE1KOg1GLkeGsMKU-mqkYx83irYVUdEkuZAbuB/s640/100_0110.JPG" title="Plaque outside the William V.S. Tubman Museum near Totota, Liberia" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Plaque outside the old Tubman residence stating 'W.V.S. Tubman Museum<br />Tubman's birth and death dates are given as well.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Today I want to show you some of what President Tubman left behind. His now abandoned mansion near Totota was a place I remember visiting as a small child in 1976 or 77. There was a <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/08/old-tubman-farm-in-totota.html" target="_blank">zoo</a> there that was managed by the Tubman family. However, sometime in the late 70's the animals were shipped out to Ivory Coast before Tubman's successor, William Tolbert, was assassinated by Samuel Doe and his cronies. This is contrary to the popular belief that rebels ate all the animals in the zoo during the Civil Wars.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The now empty bird cage that once housed birds during zoo days.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">What is left of a stuffed lion<br />guards an entrance to the<br />Tubman mansion</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">During the Civil Wars, rebels loyal to Charles Taylor made headquarters here at the Tubman mansion and Taylor even kept a pair of lions gifted him by the president of Niger on these premises. One interesting story about this is that during one long stint of fighting the rebels were not able to feed the lions for 25 days and the male lion died. The lioness was slowly nursed back to health and eventually UN workers came on site and tranquilized her and took her to South Africa. Today she supposedly is doing well and has even had a cub since moving.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Remains of a stuffed, headless lion guards the Tubman mansion</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Today some of the Tubman family still come by and visits but no one lives there. There is even a Tubman cousin that remains in the area 'managing' the property as best as can be without the needed funds to keep it properly maintained. He reports that today's President Ellen has even stopped by the <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2013/06/you-are-hereby-admitted-to-coocoo-nest.html" target="_blank">Coo-Coo Nest</a>, but she has not crossed the street to visit the old mansion. She did however ask about it's condition. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Climbing the stairs to the side entrance of the Tubman mansion</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The mansion's condition is that it simply sits on the edge of the jungle slowly decaying. The day I visited a 'rouge' had pried open one of the doors the night before and had entered in, probably to find shelter and/or look around for things to take. There is not much left to take after years of looting. I also recall having to duck several times as a bat swooped down close over head. It would seem that now these presidential premises are left to be inhabited by thieves, rats and bats. And so this is the legacy of a president bent on increasing his wealth at the expense of his nation.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">These dusty display cases used to be filled with artifacts of Tubman's presidency that have long since been looted</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFf8md2QcSd_Ho9VVTtFmGuC3udSiWHu8xzy4fN1SzJR4hr12SI13xq8JSxs2PWbyxxPSkgo-1xFFiZIcNWTT2vqdLsWTOrJher6vSU4awYvUu-N4UfeBuJ9VZdTDZzw8EjKX2WGfsokS/s1600/IMG_0542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFf8md2QcSd_Ho9VVTtFmGuC3udSiWHu8xzy4fN1SzJR4hr12SI13xq8JSxs2PWbyxxPSkgo-1xFFiZIcNWTT2vqdLsWTOrJher6vSU4awYvUu-N4UfeBuJ9VZdTDZzw8EjKX2WGfsokS/s320/IMG_0542.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stairwell inside the Tubman mansion</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Liberia by all accounts should be one of the richest nations in the world per capita. The natural resources are off the charts (gold, diamonds, iron ore, timber, rubber, palm oil, crude oil, etc.). The entire population of the Republic is only the size of mid-level US city. Had Tubman developed Liberian infrastructure and trained Liberians with skills, today Liberia would be flourishing and perhaps the now extinguished eternal flame on his grave site might still be burning. This mansion in the jungle would be maintained as a museum honoring a great giver who lifted up Liberia. Instead it beckons those who would seek power in Liberia to come and visit and see. Look around at this transient 'glory' and hear the question, "Who wants to do this next? Who wants to leave a pile of neglected and decaying rubble in the jungle?" This is Tubman's legacy, but I hope there are better legacies yet to be left for the wonderful people of Liberia. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ID645cT-qummcRVSFL52ve3kEGXotFbVWHyXkdRSCQ6lxkK50zzOC5LGrB4fnb7N4QQZ78vSsaqpWDYoFs9nPMXGzF33qBZ4bXtO77yEX97hmYcmeEMdke_KYuWjN5bT-zSeQJSiYFvW/s1600/100_1848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ID645cT-qummcRVSFL52ve3kEGXotFbVWHyXkdRSCQ6lxkK50zzOC5LGrB4fnb7N4QQZ78vSsaqpWDYoFs9nPMXGzF33qBZ4bXtO77yEX97hmYcmeEMdke_KYuWjN5bT-zSeQJSiYFvW/s640/100_1848.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The faux ivory tusks at the driveway entrance to the Tubman mansion is now used as a taxi stop</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNb2C3NnbB_LzVCYZkIQ2XCkj3vNVZ45gW74fGwk5VQEEeIHro21a3C_JUOykCfOyv0E0kVaNrECViHqreNvW63ISZUp7WoJ09WNjCyXtHiGVp7vf2VBItyNsog-7mJWWcGZ6GKTR391Z-/s1600/IMG_0516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNb2C3NnbB_LzVCYZkIQ2XCkj3vNVZ45gW74fGwk5VQEEeIHro21a3C_JUOykCfOyv0E0kVaNrECViHqreNvW63ISZUp7WoJ09WNjCyXtHiGVp7vf2VBItyNsog-7mJWWcGZ6GKTR391Z-/s640/IMG_0516.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">What is left of a beautiful piece of furniture sits exposed to the tropical humidity and rots</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfWdCmxJ9I74Bv5XZyjkIm3N5KkRkcs976avbtf3nXxhQVYfidBCudkIgi4fk58re0AiJAP4GbCRKIOoL6_PEQGxZlcJVWzSUV4KfrLFxUn-03lmCrlHm1s_CEPS_GdYmpwoqNZouJJYk6/s1600/IMG_0517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfWdCmxJ9I74Bv5XZyjkIm3N5KkRkcs976avbtf3nXxhQVYfidBCudkIgi4fk58re0AiJAP4GbCRKIOoL6_PEQGxZlcJVWzSUV4KfrLFxUn-03lmCrlHm1s_CEPS_GdYmpwoqNZouJJYk6/s640/IMG_0517.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A hallway full of empty display cases</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EDtG8tmzGBpF1re0N2Z5l6RTAlXx2mxyLPVYmBdW7h9Zm9m9_x4KD8I6CCrZPslLwuo0oZOFBJBs5Jy3SiT7-_beBQj_PNmgfvC2WLhUTMmQ1z9EDWrY6wJcMJxxjQ5z3V8-GHrIwH7K/s1600/IMG_0519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EDtG8tmzGBpF1re0N2Z5l6RTAlXx2mxyLPVYmBdW7h9Zm9m9_x4KD8I6CCrZPslLwuo0oZOFBJBs5Jy3SiT7-_beBQj_PNmgfvC2WLhUTMmQ1z9EDWrY6wJcMJxxjQ5z3V8-GHrIwH7K/s640/IMG_0519.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A beautiful table frame sans table top</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zmCsFqlE4D610WrXcj48ZNeoJ0rIcnOmohaDbXnaJ4dZWu9dOgLH3bURLdzbLfH9hpxlDArC4jtWIWPhyphenhyphenFbMj-ppqCdRYynF-l8_pz3D5_yYGuI0XUK_r5ovCns1R2ToH8LoaxtbKt5J/s1600/IMG_0520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zmCsFqlE4D610WrXcj48ZNeoJ0rIcnOmohaDbXnaJ4dZWu9dOgLH3bURLdzbLfH9hpxlDArC4jtWIWPhyphenhyphenFbMj-ppqCdRYynF-l8_pz3D5_yYGuI0XUK_r5ovCns1R2ToH8LoaxtbKt5J/s640/IMG_0520.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of the pieces of a cow horn furniture set given to President Tubman by the president of Kenya</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YrXQKegpiVJblltKdq3Y0Vj9dzpbq6_yhOoC9df-6N2NfbPZHh4G2APH42n0RXfDwUnWmk_JRFthMU9XAkdfMpNaHMVwF8Fh8whpJ7ngEwwk-fqLCVtbEwtmXD_RYKlIpUDDWkpYtwtY/s1600/IMG_0521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YrXQKegpiVJblltKdq3Y0Vj9dzpbq6_yhOoC9df-6N2NfbPZHh4G2APH42n0RXfDwUnWmk_JRFthMU9XAkdfMpNaHMVwF8Fh8whpJ7ngEwwk-fqLCVtbEwtmXD_RYKlIpUDDWkpYtwtY/s640/IMG_0521.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Where Tubman slept</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2jYZ5uNeAHSEtnMOtZgbNtlN3OX50McIXf18KpyLRqg0wmgUGMK0gDBsvSia-QWLoMNpZzNvAv5XCKr2TF2Cn19d7FUR5oMDdV3weaestcFMtmpuh-HBoWwiqnTcDdxAa8kkS56nprWC/s1600/IMG_0522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2jYZ5uNeAHSEtnMOtZgbNtlN3OX50McIXf18KpyLRqg0wmgUGMK0gDBsvSia-QWLoMNpZzNvAv5XCKr2TF2Cn19d7FUR5oMDdV3weaestcFMtmpuh-HBoWwiqnTcDdxAa8kkS56nprWC/s640/IMG_0522.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Where Tubman pooped</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildtZj89gjDecwf8mdBhrvsaVvu-4KKep6Cg0MbUu-TQmQpx-jV_p7_o5RhKU386k41tUogoQZI3oD0XwlAyLQSKDvDFtuD1ogxQaXWGr7Cfrrb7UUudm5yvm0DT6WXfNYtJ38mAa9RPau/s1600/IMG_0524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildtZj89gjDecwf8mdBhrvsaVvu-4KKep6Cg0MbUu-TQmQpx-jV_p7_o5RhKU386k41tUogoQZI3oD0XwlAyLQSKDvDFtuD1ogxQaXWGr7Cfrrb7UUudm5yvm0DT6WXfNYtJ38mAa9RPau/s640/IMG_0524.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beautiful desk near the bedroom at the end of the hall</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WZJ2j8o-5Jm9Iy54YaCxmwqGW6zYcn0FJBKX-T8jgvQjxk3ZTzhyphenhyphen6ndVIWJV69pS3JF5JoxfJiscngkn7ALvoTc9h-bgrRqe4HijHR9Y7MioiXopiNMqV8MX7McEoYrOd-HW7ALkTJKG/s1600/IMG_0529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WZJ2j8o-5Jm9Iy54YaCxmwqGW6zYcn0FJBKX-T8jgvQjxk3ZTzhyphenhyphen6ndVIWJV69pS3JF5JoxfJiscngkn7ALvoTc9h-bgrRqe4HijHR9Y7MioiXopiNMqV8MX7McEoYrOd-HW7ALkTJKG/s640/IMG_0529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The trophy room holds nothing</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfI-pex-Shslp0nFutTDX85aZfBjFDCVqQjTRs32RWdYPttnxJzdW18N4PeYmjyEJCti12daDiQSXG0-_TdreeWKr1hMJ47fTqcgluUd7YtoQocji8GwrOgxK5Gn9TVQS4wObG1zvpMF9/s1600/IMG_0530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfI-pex-Shslp0nFutTDX85aZfBjFDCVqQjTRs32RWdYPttnxJzdW18N4PeYmjyEJCti12daDiQSXG0-_TdreeWKr1hMJ47fTqcgluUd7YtoQocji8GwrOgxK5Gn9TVQS4wObG1zvpMF9/s640/IMG_0530.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">More empty trophy cases lining the halls</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIjk3FZG3hKsrv56Mxq5vhVM7uJzgE1SOltzxFONJgy2NHXnOebpNIe_28de_Yh2jiUDPmAFoHXa3iUi_4_kdec8pVAbT9aWPBjbhwQLw_AhX27BbzlnDeRj1RKIRiPEA3oqmod6aAZEJ/s1600/IMG_0533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIjk3FZG3hKsrv56Mxq5vhVM7uJzgE1SOltzxFONJgy2NHXnOebpNIe_28de_Yh2jiUDPmAFoHXa3iUi_4_kdec8pVAbT9aWPBjbhwQLw_AhX27BbzlnDeRj1RKIRiPEA3oqmod6aAZEJ/s640/IMG_0533.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not your typical Liberian light fixture.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwdp8bJyXU0Qv4K2UOdlTByQMI2MRfcaFD0QCFgtLzsiv7_3y-nAIW2zQId2dZY-P8w_129PMuffK5O27BidLqrwKFgz0AS02U6Jgd9u7aBEEMYogk6bGpJxwOvoSZjKf8Jg9UnxFcf75/s1600/IMG_0534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwdp8bJyXU0Qv4K2UOdlTByQMI2MRfcaFD0QCFgtLzsiv7_3y-nAIW2zQId2dZY-P8w_129PMuffK5O27BidLqrwKFgz0AS02U6Jgd9u7aBEEMYogk6bGpJxwOvoSZjKf8Jg9UnxFcf75/s640/IMG_0534.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">What is left of Tubman's personal library located in the basement. Notes housed at Indiana University state that this library once contained 1202 books. It doesn't look like the rebels stole too many -- perhaps they weren't given to much reading?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0wKZYDUuQFXyKGJ-cTUKY-DsEIGy-_BlQeJmA8iL5A3Q5En9grwyLl8LEgLQj13xQxtlDEWHYk61TF2Kt_RVF5exaph1SfCD6jPLHppTBBfyNIxsT1j1XYeaASVBNw9qBMERNrwOMhj0/s1600/IMG_0535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0wKZYDUuQFXyKGJ-cTUKY-DsEIGy-_BlQeJmA8iL5A3Q5En9grwyLl8LEgLQj13xQxtlDEWHYk61TF2Kt_RVF5exaph1SfCD6jPLHppTBBfyNIxsT1j1XYeaASVBNw9qBMERNrwOMhj0/s640/IMG_0535.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This stuffed flamingo looking creature was the library decoration</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXa_sZz1yr9FtRI6sMVsLxY7w4nzw10-UnIA1t4AomCgzAUeTeWhy0MFBWR2mpi1iG02gcDT8D43DGLIZnHxdfOivWp1qfWChRdjcumY5S3h-nafBG91QGvGUcw7bmCz_5LYExbJU5Swh/s1600/IMG_0536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXa_sZz1yr9FtRI6sMVsLxY7w4nzw10-UnIA1t4AomCgzAUeTeWhy0MFBWR2mpi1iG02gcDT8D43DGLIZnHxdfOivWp1qfWChRdjcumY5S3h-nafBG91QGvGUcw7bmCz_5LYExbJU5Swh/s640/IMG_0536.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Close up of what Tubman liked to read</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIRBb9Jk8iGTHVZZhL91F_zjrYlBnanZC5L0Xg6tsCWWyVQrvU50uADTzq21k3yb4eZTfH2Xxc47K9BacTed-W7HolabgLOfuaqGgJ2MPLpv5XHf8ESzCp6uXUP24iLOMaBuA6cRpvpY6f/s1600/IMG_0537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIRBb9Jk8iGTHVZZhL91F_zjrYlBnanZC5L0Xg6tsCWWyVQrvU50uADTzq21k3yb4eZTfH2Xxc47K9BacTed-W7HolabgLOfuaqGgJ2MPLpv5XHf8ESzCp6uXUP24iLOMaBuA6cRpvpY6f/s640/IMG_0537.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The trophy case hallway with lion at the end</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Carving next to Kenyan cow horn furniture in Tubman's private meeting room</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDNCrlgNbsn_DxZ8vZxuyOxoBpzb-GRDUAQtlUYu1N2XhktExxeE721vR-tnVwWNpOlnuKcC5VsbThOGy4QD9C1A8QUgSvvNJXlOITmx7S6Y2JK8amG9OxStJlkrflzF9aoOQZ_OZQcDK/s1600/IMG_0545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDNCrlgNbsn_DxZ8vZxuyOxoBpzb-GRDUAQtlUYu1N2XhktExxeE721vR-tnVwWNpOlnuKcC5VsbThOGy4QD9C1A8QUgSvvNJXlOITmx7S6Y2JK8amG9OxStJlkrflzF9aoOQZ_OZQcDK/s640/IMG_0545.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of the few trophies remaining. <br />There was also a letter from Nixon's office on display but my flash washed out the image :-(</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECaZ8XeRMvvtrazeAOqpVRSe-7LBrEx980shqt0CIMRab5xMUCitUpaSUE86nIh8Kl2wNxsN7rUEIQnGUaozdhWY-xAgwp0tDvfphS1fnwnUrIwgBNruqGnJiFkW2DtVRLwo37gFKgfKw/s1600/IMG_0549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECaZ8XeRMvvtrazeAOqpVRSe-7LBrEx980shqt0CIMRab5xMUCitUpaSUE86nIh8Kl2wNxsN7rUEIQnGUaozdhWY-xAgwp0tDvfphS1fnwnUrIwgBNruqGnJiFkW2DtVRLwo37gFKgfKw/s640/IMG_0549.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A beautifully carved desk with Africana and a family (?) portrait. Not sure if this is Tubman's mother or Harriet Tubman the famous freer of slaves in the US that president Tubman claimed relation to.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2rRoNYu5iXLKNEdlUUimSYykqmExzy6tnpsU01bkD_KXmPEIJ4H5KO39tZpVFHfV9COCSnj_RfsubmvjFAGNNeP_mp9BY5UDAS8fud6n4qo05zdqE7BGaDK_GvfYhcyXZJcSAokjNL8v/s1600/IMG_0551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2rRoNYu5iXLKNEdlUUimSYykqmExzy6tnpsU01bkD_KXmPEIJ4H5KO39tZpVFHfV9COCSnj_RfsubmvjFAGNNeP_mp9BY5UDAS8fud6n4qo05zdqE7BGaDK_GvfYhcyXZJcSAokjNL8v/s640/IMG_0551.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A couple of busts in Tubman's private meeting room.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-m1qTSlLCFmuel-yZSmytKGt_ChgbHZ8Vp8q9s2CnKyFFDzILbsK6jPZEdtek84smkaZ5NEOGOalCYcHqJvkEw0Mvsv_936x7g3YlXxvWenSPZiiT6dmiKTAIxh38meM9qfC6vXP4kWJ7/s1600/IMG_0555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-m1qTSlLCFmuel-yZSmytKGt_ChgbHZ8Vp8q9s2CnKyFFDzILbsK6jPZEdtek84smkaZ5NEOGOalCYcHqJvkEw0Mvsv_936x7g3YlXxvWenSPZiiT6dmiKTAIxh38meM9qfC6vXP4kWJ7/s640/IMG_0555.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Heading back downstairs from the meeting room</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6p_J_oTLCVJRJhWDIu3fFRklFxXwrqXVPsv914arJdjs3sVXXtMDH2uB78ytlhMvYIrvCQ_Gf0Ek6hJhPtSyJMq3xiuKed-H_XuCAKxouJqmSsylbBOD630PGRDVQf31pUjdAO3T5OhS/s1600/IMG_0557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6p_J_oTLCVJRJhWDIu3fFRklFxXwrqXVPsv914arJdjs3sVXXtMDH2uB78ytlhMvYIrvCQ_Gf0Ek6hJhPtSyJMq3xiuKed-H_XuCAKxouJqmSsylbBOD630PGRDVQf31pUjdAO3T5OhS/s640/IMG_0557.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The trophy head guarding the stairway</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQerT8nzN50XEYij5DEny-J9mraQWWz5ahk0nvzUFS6e6KDf2QBoQxofrxCIZBTwzXG1XhP1gp6IUtEZA9hCSIcuxQwo0kJLCyQLO2MLf3G79KbEsYbXLKts7aZ4Seh7biWbgHmr8V5L-/s1600/IMG_0556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQerT8nzN50XEYij5DEny-J9mraQWWz5ahk0nvzUFS6e6KDf2QBoQxofrxCIZBTwzXG1XhP1gp6IUtEZA9hCSIcuxQwo0kJLCyQLO2MLf3G79KbEsYbXLKts7aZ4Seh7biWbgHmr8V5L-/s640/IMG_0556.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Tubman monogram logo that emblazoned the stairwell guardrail system</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Appears that he had central air</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0PjhNKq4apmx98nuCdRKbCO3TN6Kehi2fB2XRaisaX5u_mWKfn_T-ivF01DFotc-fZ_PQSSgwvnLrIFRMuLw5Bv_hWpzkoV-0I2PgcL9uTCuutGlrbAPuo8fjb0TTItF7FPry9i30MWx/s1600/IMG_0560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0PjhNKq4apmx98nuCdRKbCO3TN6Kehi2fB2XRaisaX5u_mWKfn_T-ivF01DFotc-fZ_PQSSgwvnLrIFRMuLw5Bv_hWpzkoV-0I2PgcL9uTCuutGlrbAPuo8fjb0TTItF7FPry9i30MWx/s640/IMG_0560.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The front door</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBG2KQubmnleJ3pn8YHfJyaw0_p_pc3D3sWUOI6cpIOZPcgToMj6u6quvxnY14Ui6K4poLHixTH_mJBYF2xzyc9Uwlf9tml-Sj3HU6cZQlmmjST-sGsfUABu8c01Gd-50Sgztz3FME4qGU/s1600/IMG_0562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBG2KQubmnleJ3pn8YHfJyaw0_p_pc3D3sWUOI6cpIOZPcgToMj6u6quvxnY14Ui6K4poLHixTH_mJBYF2xzyc9Uwlf9tml-Sj3HU6cZQlmmjST-sGsfUABu8c01Gd-50Sgztz3FME4qGU/s640/IMG_0562.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The generator that powered the mansion. Rebels stole needed parts from it during the Civil War</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJKS5TWwqdh4wYl6OmGhCM-0hpG6lJcD2I5FhaqyKZ1gTlhgOO_uOWHdjlrtsFSUQluN9jlSJXyM5pRAp65n3mpfKEy-Me090ri48sJTq9Vfiqzbj_47TXa-FcE4X3Zc72QNx-GagBTjL/s1600/100_0095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJKS5TWwqdh4wYl6OmGhCM-0hpG6lJcD2I5FhaqyKZ1gTlhgOO_uOWHdjlrtsFSUQluN9jlSJXyM5pRAp65n3mpfKEy-Me090ri48sJTq9Vfiqzbj_47TXa-FcE4X3Zc72QNx-GagBTjL/s640/100_0095.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Looking down to the elephant tusk gate from the driveway</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Viewing the mansion from the driveway. Tennis courts are to the right just out of view</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Walking up the drive</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another empty trophy case</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tubman with Liberian pastors praying -- nice PR</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">United Beh Mah Association One Cent Certificate</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">It appears Tubman was a 33 degree Mason. <br />This plaque was in his private meeting room.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A few carvings on the marble floor of Tubman's private meeting room<br />There was a kitchen with service window to the right</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Author with our tour guide Alex Tubman (President Tubman's 2nd cousin and property manager)<br />Alex was great to talk with and a wonderful guide!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-10053590251601246402013-07-22T18:51:00.000-05:002013-07-22T18:51:04.772-05:00How to Throw Hand Signs in Monrovia<span style="font-size: x-large;">In the greater Monrovia area you will notice people on the side of the road waving at taxis and buses in strange ways that resemble karate chops or athletes celebrating a home run. What may appear to just be strange or random behavior is anything but. Upon further investigation you will discover that each particular wave or gesture has a particular meaning attached to it. They have to do with communicating your desired destination to passing taxi drivers. I've posted a few pics here to help you decipher some of the most common hand signals used in the Monrovia area for hailing a cab...</span><div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you are on Broad Street and make this signal it means you want a ride to Red Light Market. If you are at Red Light Market it means you want a ride to Broad Street.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you are at Red Light Market this signal means you want to go half way --- meaning you want to go to Duport Raod or ELWA Junction. Sometimes you will also see people moving their finger around in a circle when making this sign. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigItI2a1zqwIuBAesZJhPIJCZR5X8P5bt9ksWabrwsBEqGbT-O3pe_0AR0HSzXHtxguPWX-6R9VJM4anbkbyV2hFPRXT3uzbEKywFjL02r7y5zXkjVIwBd7XucrNyGpOzHDTiZYruE1euz/s1600/100_1772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigItI2a1zqwIuBAesZJhPIJCZR5X8P5bt9ksWabrwsBEqGbT-O3pe_0AR0HSzXHtxguPWX-6R9VJM4anbkbyV2hFPRXT3uzbEKywFjL02r7y5zXkjVIwBd7XucrNyGpOzHDTiZYruE1euz/s640/100_1772.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is one of my favorite signs as it means you want a ride to the Airport (RIA) -- makes sense! However, you must be on Broad Street for it to mean you want a ride to Robertsfield.Airport, otherwise this sign simply means you want a ride to a place nearby. When the taxi pulls over you state your desired destination and he'll tell you whether you can take you now or not.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZsfENPbxIOhoKpfFbpfK407dbRJdDuTNWlcslbMT60EpWGJIUgo-73EGdMbLLUl85OKhwMnbG_1dO_FL-r6T3xxREAyekeI0tZyJ-2nkNpvRbu4iGbOcszV3CPPs9nu2_IL4A7zDAxBYO/s1600/100_1773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZsfENPbxIOhoKpfFbpfK407dbRJdDuTNWlcslbMT60EpWGJIUgo-73EGdMbLLUl85OKhwMnbG_1dO_FL-r6T3xxREAyekeI0tZyJ-2nkNpvRbu4iGbOcszV3CPPs9nu2_IL4A7zDAxBYO/s640/100_1773.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This signal means you are going to the Old Road or surrounding community, that is if you are making this sign while at the ELWA Junction.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> However the best way to get a taxi in Liberia is to go to one of the main taxi stations (where you see all the taxis gathered together). There are several of these stations at main destinations like Red Light, Duwala, Robertsfield, etc. When at a station you can actually "charter" the whole taxi so that the driver won't stop to pick up anyone else alongside the road making this signs. It is not uncommon for taxis to cram seven people into one small 5 passenger car and believe me if you thought it was hot in Liberia before this happens, you ain't seen nothing yet! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You going Old Road?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">So next time you're cruising around Monrovia and see people waving and pointing in all sorts of peculiar ways, you'll have a better idea of what is being communicated. Until then... you going Old Road way my man?</span><br />
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HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-12902470061855230372013-07-04T14:44:00.000-05:002013-07-04T14:54:21.492-05:00Join Me In A Liberian Parade!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ready for the start of the LCHS Homecoming Parade through Buchanan</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy 4th of July! In keeping with the festive spirit of the day I invite you to join me for a few fun filled moments in a parade through Buchanan, Liberia. We were recently invited to join a parade through the streets of Buchanan by the Liberia Christian High School Alumni Association. For you Bucktown people... The parade began on Tubman street near the old Welcome Sign (which has apparently been temporarily removed until road & sidewalk construction is complete); It continued to the main Market road and then went by the old Army Barracks all the way to Liberia Christian High School. Quite a hike!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of the Standard Bearers getting ready to march with the LCHS Banner</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The parade was in celebration of the LCHS Homecoming. There was a Homecoming Queen, speeches, a small brass band, a confrontation with a <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/05/pen-pens-new-way-to-get-around.html" target="_blank">peen peen driver</a>, a rain storm, dancing children, marching, chants, banners, food, singing, and an overall amazing Liberian experience. Let the pictures, captions, and videos tell the story...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The Parade begins:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">...And the band begins to play...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">...On Tubman Street...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The streets remained active during the parade! I wonder if they got their city permit?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nasser's Supermarket on Tubman where I used to get comics and candy as a kid is still in operation after all these years!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gas Station on the side of Tubman --- Notice that parts of Buchanan now have sidewalks!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Students from Bassa High School enjoyed the parade as well.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Parade on Tubman -- Notice the newly paved roads complete with dividing lines that were actually sometimes even used!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The interaction with the people on the street was mostly yelling hello and people dancing to the music and/or saluting</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/05/bit-of-us-south-in-africa.html" target="_blank">Congo-style house</a> in Buchanan on the Parade route</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">....And then came the rain!!!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The guy leading a lot of the underclassmen chants and songs asked me to take his picture</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">St. Mary's Catholic Church in Buchanan</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Off Tubman Street the roads are back to washed out dirt roads</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">...Finally arriving at the LCHS Campus...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Taking a short break after a long march through Buchanan</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Band chills under the old shade tree</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">...Then on to the Homecoming Ceremonies, Speeches, and food...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Homecoming Queen was crowned after being "sashed" with the words: "I sash you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Homecoming Queen is escorted back to her seat </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">on the platform after her speech</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dad was re-united with an student from the 70's!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Banner is retired post-parade against the main hall of the LCHS Campus</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">*** For some pics of another Parade through Buchanan back in "Normal Days" check out this <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2013/02/graduation-liberian-style.html" target="_blank">earlier post</a>.</span></div>
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HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-18816738483383740842013-06-29T17:21:00.002-05:002013-06-29T21:30:41.974-05:00You Are Hereby Admitted to the CooCoo-Nest<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMFviSL7QiHs0gKtdRs_zdWmv_snSeGwm0ZgrOoL38O9wN9C37WFu3Z7VjQQozViI6L_CEORFzz3W43ZAmKznuT7z7OETMYbHRKcW4vtZvA6p75bA_YFHzcRX9Q6MZt6QDEV9iyqkwOf_/s1600/100_1879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMFviSL7QiHs0gKtdRs_zdWmv_snSeGwm0ZgrOoL38O9wN9C37WFu3Z7VjQQozViI6L_CEORFzz3W43ZAmKznuT7z7OETMYbHRKcW4vtZvA6p75bA_YFHzcRX9Q6MZt6QDEV9iyqkwOf_/s640/100_1879.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">CooCoo-Nest sign on top of the rocket shaped concrete tower in the fountain in front of the hotel. The sculpture is by President Tubman's son</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">There is a place in Liberia whose name may remind you of the famous novel by Ken Kesey that was later made into the Academy Award winning film starring Jack Nicholson. The similarities between the fictitious "Cuckoo's Nest" ruled by Nurse Ratched and the actual place in Liberia end at the name however (at least I assume). The place in Liberia called the "CooCoo-Nest" is an actual hotel that is steeped in Liberian history and is found on the Gbarnga road coming out of Monrovia near a town called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totota" target="_blank">Totota</a>. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The CooCoo-Nest Hotel as seen from the playground/swimming pool area</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The CooCoo-Nest is named after Liberian president William V. S. Tubman's daughter, whose name was <a href="http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/images/item.htm?id=http://purl.dlib.indiana.edu/iudl/lcp/tubman/VAA7927-1869" target="_blank">Wilhelmina "CooCoo" Tubman</a>. On the other side of the road from the Nest is the CooCoo-Nest Cafe and both of these sit just south of the elephant tusk gate of her father's famous mansion where there was once a zoo. (I visited the <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/08/old-tubman-farm-in-totota.html" target="_blank">Tubman Zoo</a> as a child during Tolbert's presidency). All of these properties together were called "Tubman Farm" and they still are today so known as there is presently an active rubber tree plantation on these 6,000 acres of land (2,000 acres still undeveloped). There are some interesting research papers to be found about this farm at Indiana University's <a href="http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/findingaids/view?doc.view=entire_text&docId=VAB6923" target="_blank">William V.S. Tubman Papers Collection</a> (check out boxes 17, 18, & 19 for documents on the farm).</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I would hold that the CooCoo-Nest pool hasn't been cleaned or chlorinated in quite some time.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of the CooCoo-Nest pool accomodations</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pool with Hotel in background</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">CooCoo-Nest Pool house</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">CooCoo-Nest Pool with the elephant tusk gate entrance to the Tubman Mansion in the background.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Front porch of the CooCoo-Nest Hotel</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Today the property is owned by the Tubman family and the plantation part is managed as well by Tubman cousins. However, the CooCoo Nest and Cafe are being leased by the Tubman family to a Lebanese businessman name Tony Hash. During recent UN involvement in the area there were some UN police force trainers from the US that stayed at the CooCoo Nest and another Lebanese hotelier that ran the place. Both the cafe and hotel did good business even after the Civil War, but since the UN forces have pulled back resources the place is extremely quiet and low key just slowly decaying in the heat of the Liberian humidity. One local told me that the hotel hasn't had a guest in about 5 months. I've been told that many dignitaries have stayed at this hotel in the past and in recent history President Sirleaf-Johnson has stopped by on several occasions to eat and ask about the welfare of the Tubman family.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The front gate to the CooCoo-Nest Hotel is currently barricaded. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The storage building behind the hotel is slowly fading into the jungle</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Front doors to the CooCoo-Nest hotel</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The CooCoo-Nest Fountain</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The fountain at the Hotel has a sculpture at the top of a bird's nest along with the words "COOCOO-NEST". It appears to be bronze and was supposedly sculpted by one of President Tubman's sons who was an aspiring artist. He was called "Mollie" Tubman by the locals and I wonder if he might be the William Eli Tubman who passed before his father? His widow, President Tubman's daughter in law, is the "Old Ma" at the Cafe across the street. She prepared some food for us that we had purchased at the Totota Market and was very friendly. Her husband, the President's son, had died after complaining of pains one Thursday night after a day of drinking palm wine. That Friday morning he was rushed to Monrovia from his home not far from the CooCoo-Nest and expired some time after. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The CooCoo-Nest Cafe is across the road from the Hotel</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My dad and Eric Wowoh of <a href="http://canintl.org/" target="_blank">Change Agent Network</a> chilling at the CooCoo-Nest Cafe. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">There was only Nescafe instant coffee for breakfast and all food on the menu was unavailable. Fortunately we had brought our own food from market and President Tubman's daughter in law was very hospitable in preparing us our lunch.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8mhJmydPbOkpHuSV6qh2CthvMP-grNus7R1hWjI8DehcImpwXZoknvs73MrK4G5YjHlxcpQ_fbBhA5MKrYkUkXT9ELlUUhJ3cjwRTEefar_z__Iw-APOSFnQCXZrOTNLtTDUV6i8WCPP/s1600/100_1852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8mhJmydPbOkpHuSV6qh2CthvMP-grNus7R1hWjI8DehcImpwXZoknvs73MrK4G5YjHlxcpQ_fbBhA5MKrYkUkXT9ELlUUhJ3cjwRTEefar_z__Iw-APOSFnQCXZrOTNLtTDUV6i8WCPP/s640/100_1852.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The CooCoo-Nest Hotel as seen from the Cafe across the road</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Like so much of Liberia's historical treasures it appears this site is destined to decay along with other crumbling Tubman era edifices like the <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/05/african-queen-in-mourning-part-1.html" target="_blank">Tubman Cultural Center</a> in Robertsport. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">If you want to stay at this historic site there are rooms available so I'm told and they actually have "air cool" as air conditioning is called in Liberia. If you want to eat at the cafe you better head over soon as it has the infamous yellow X of the MPW on the side. I'll post more about the MPW "X" at a later date. Until then, I hope you enjoyed these pics of Liberian glory as it slowly melts away under a fog of tropical heat, foliage, and neglect...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This jungle gym is becoming more jungle than gym. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">This was taken at the children's playground near the pool at the CooCoo-Nest Hotel.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJG8Zt-MqxMylOU6OEBAhBqK9rBXTrAdZuiUDCD8Hj8M8sB0WphEBqqLnVPvp9GegT0egvj2f94xKVydAzKo98ZYumrRyAEz0MyHfbCRpNLBHY5OiE74AcvCOzcbaHSeuLlH-UEMmP_bz/s1600/100_0085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJG8Zt-MqxMylOU6OEBAhBqK9rBXTrAdZuiUDCD8Hj8M8sB0WphEBqqLnVPvp9GegT0egvj2f94xKVydAzKo98ZYumrRyAEz0MyHfbCRpNLBHY5OiE74AcvCOzcbaHSeuLlH-UEMmP_bz/s640/100_0085.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Swing set sans swings (say that 3x fast) at the children's playground near the pool at the CooCoo-Nest Hotel.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6d-rBvIziao7Dile-PyoiYCMxZEvQlUrWwmb26g0Xn9_PedCKZXKfe2HmbiZs2IZHpiXnv-H28VySBndk1y2TSUx-EPMmemlM1CLmKZ0JPVQQfFkYUPSpVqmexiZdQxMitLo7ZrKgMPXk/s1600/100_1871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6d-rBvIziao7Dile-PyoiYCMxZEvQlUrWwmb26g0Xn9_PedCKZXKfe2HmbiZs2IZHpiXnv-H28VySBndk1y2TSUx-EPMmemlM1CLmKZ0JPVQQfFkYUPSpVqmexiZdQxMitLo7ZrKgMPXk/s640/100_1871.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">View of the front gate of the CooCoo-Nest Hotel</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGzyuXJEPj9PkNeWow69J-GaWMWlaszJFTnhgZ86iO7lmCDRm5AaUKMRC7-LbVyphkyisvL0T1fAmAMWxIhxh1mKx-pzDt32GN6DmHsXB6uE-3DsA_4GnY2-K8T0oNdD9GpRwjog5EwLB/s1600/100_1873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGzyuXJEPj9PkNeWow69J-GaWMWlaszJFTnhgZ86iO7lmCDRm5AaUKMRC7-LbVyphkyisvL0T1fAmAMWxIhxh1mKx-pzDt32GN6DmHsXB6uE-3DsA_4GnY2-K8T0oNdD9GpRwjog5EwLB/s640/100_1873.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Possibly an area that once greeted guests to the hotel. Located by the circle drive in front of the CooCoo-Nest Hotel.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8kRjiTpgOR_MIgCRtPrUFo1_NybOlufknWNqoNxvexxcDcnXTzQxW8uOlnL1W2plsU-Au-gnjBV1b_ma5kaiO7jLy7-79gI_hQmxcjYSDKpSrqWFIGMW9ueV1i2X-2umbc1bt6FswqPc/s1600/100_1881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8kRjiTpgOR_MIgCRtPrUFo1_NybOlufknWNqoNxvexxcDcnXTzQxW8uOlnL1W2plsU-Au-gnjBV1b_ma5kaiO7jLy7-79gI_hQmxcjYSDKpSrqWFIGMW9ueV1i2X-2umbc1bt6FswqPc/s640/100_1881.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The CooCoo-Nest Fountain appears to have been dry for quite some time</span></td></tr>
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<br />HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-1605564307773969672013-05-15T16:41:00.000-05:002013-05-18T13:58:06.571-05:00Masks That Wear People<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rpNbZdzuLI8h3ZTfZ77wCTpxLjkklHdlDbl83U1Ocdizq34JvPgvh5Ku3-DhL2LCyXk_uej_8gHY_CG9mWBV7OAtlY6FSBKg02ft9CE-FXY7pByzw0UubSW6Vtk6slXbRIdozIujW5Do/s1600/IMG_0078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rpNbZdzuLI8h3ZTfZ77wCTpxLjkklHdlDbl83U1Ocdizq34JvPgvh5Ku3-DhL2LCyXk_uej_8gHY_CG9mWBV7OAtlY6FSBKg02ft9CE-FXY7pByzw0UubSW6Vtk6slXbRIdozIujW5Do/s640/IMG_0078.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Liberian Mask - Unknown function. Probably a woman's mask.<br />Samuel B Wrisley Collection</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">To most Americans the West African mask is African folk craft, or works of 3-D sculpture that helped inspire Picasso's cubism, or perhaps simply a collectible to be acquired and put on display. To many West Africans the mask is much, much more than this. While Americans may tend to think of masks as objects that are worn on Mardi Gras or Halloween or just something that we label and put in a museum somewhere; to many Liberians the mask is instead considered to be a living being that actually wears the person behind it. One could say that the person behind the mask is filled with the spirit of the mask and it is the mask that is acting and not the person. In fact it is not uncommon for a masked person to still be seen in Liberia dancing and twirling while said to be under the influence of the spirit of the mask. When Christians first encountered these concepts in the early 1800's they labeled these masked dancers "devils" supposing them to be possessed of a demonic force. This term is still used in Liberia today and "devils" can still be seen performing in the street of Liberia to this day. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Liberian Mask. Resembles a mask worn during times of plague to cleanse village<br />Samuel B. Wrisley Collection</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">In some ways the mask is akin to our notions of the police uniform, judge's robes, Santa suit, and priest collar all rolled into one. Think about this for a moment.... What is it that allows otherwise normal American parents to allow their children to sit on the lap of a strange man taking pictures of them? Why, it is the Santa suit of course! And how can a soft-spoken, middle-aged woman tell a muscular, millionaire, mafia-man that he must pay a hefty fine and give up his freedom in prison and then see that man obey her? Why, her judge's robe gives her that authority. Of course there is a vetting system in place before one can don these suits and badges and costumes, but the same is true of West African society. Masks are specifically made or handed down to specially vetted members of society in order to fulfill different roles that need performed in that society. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Christmas in Liberia.<br />Who is that masked woman?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9pYEaBPkRo0F2klPb_TeKCZFBA2Y3soEw29NTWvJIrLTXQaGgVqtXqOSI0MPKEkEv3yY3y6nWtgjdpj1neqGfvOrR092yIvufGZ4NVqvb6R4LEgZxpDVBTnHewiKuSpcg4842GBlVbJp1/s1600/Gio+Great+Spirit+of+Bush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9pYEaBPkRo0F2klPb_TeKCZFBA2Y3soEw29NTWvJIrLTXQaGgVqtXqOSI0MPKEkEv3yY3y6nWtgjdpj1neqGfvOrR092yIvufGZ4NVqvb6R4LEgZxpDVBTnHewiKuSpcg4842GBlVbJp1/s640/Gio+Great+Spirit+of+Bush.jpg" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A Gio mask representing the <br />"Great Spirit of the Jungle"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">It hints at the features of the gorilla </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">and the </span><span style="font-size: small;">crocodile </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">And so it is with West African society that many of the societal roles are fulfilled by individuals wearing particular masks. There are masks worn for judging between disputing parties; masks for retrieving debts; masks for performing sacred ritual; masks for celebrating special days. What gives these masks authority is not that the wearer has earned a degree from a respected university and passed some standardized test, but rather that the mask itself has the power to perform this particular task. In this way the wearer of the mask does not take blame for doing what is done while wearing the mask, but rather the mask is simply doing his job and what needs to be done. The same sort of mental gymnastics are performed by the masked executioners of our own Western tradition or uniformed soldiers who simply obey orders whatever the spirit of that order may be. The uniform somehow convinces the wearer that they can do things they otherwise would never do. The mask functions much the same way.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Plaque showing the 16 major tribes of Liberia <br />and the masks associated with each tribe.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Speaking of soldiers, in Liberia's recent civil wars there was much press given to the strange "costumes" worn by the combatants in the various rebel factions. Notice was given to warriors wearing wedding dresses, wigs, toilet seats, Halloween masks, ad nauseam. The idea was that by wearing these objects the wearer was imbued with certain powers that were found in that object. (I'm not sure I want to know what power lives in the toilet seat!) While this object wearing tends more towards what is called "fetishism" there is an overlap here with the concept of the mask. The mask is similar to this idea but it is also much more than that. The mask is actually a living being that must be fed and prayed to as a living being. Children have been taught at a very young age to pray to their mask every morning and seek its council. When they prove themselves competent to handle a true mask, after passing through </span><a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/06/societies-within-society-secret.html" style="font-size: xx-large;" target="_blank">Poro or Sande</a><span style="font-size: x-large;"> initiations for example, either a new one was made for them or an ancestral mask was handed down to them. The "feeding" of these masks involves sacrifice and the smearing of the blood and/or fat of the sacrifice on the mask. Depending on the task to be done by the mask or the power and significance</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> of the mask that sacrifice could either be animal or human.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Liberian mask. Probably associated with the Snake Society<br />(Notice the snakes for hair and the snake coming from the mouth.)<br />Snake Society members are known for carrying around<br />a vial of venom that they lick daily to build up their immunity<br />They are known as master snake handlers and some are said to be able<br />to transform themself into a snake.<br />Samuel B. Wrisley Collection</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of the Snake Society mask's mouth (see above).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up on "Snake Hair" on the Snake Society Mask (see above)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seashells are woven into the back cloth of the Snake Society mask (see above)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_9ZTnsTNR6MBnhmQKaxIkIhCyoYxKFwyVxzfI5r-Ucjf6_NU8ln0iPbWcImbPJ2aUxzT946ExA6DA8GNZC_R1CEfrLvN1vr8TwkP_CS4A5hx1N1VUJiVSJHTsDbRDakxCtCf8vwADx7g/s1600/IMG_0125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_9ZTnsTNR6MBnhmQKaxIkIhCyoYxKFwyVxzfI5r-Ucjf6_NU8ln0iPbWcImbPJ2aUxzT946ExA6DA8GNZC_R1CEfrLvN1vr8TwkP_CS4A5hx1N1VUJiVSJHTsDbRDakxCtCf8vwADx7g/s400/IMG_0125.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Back of Snake Society Mask<br />A cloth has been nailed to the back<br />which covers the back of wearer's head</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">There was a very scholarly work done by Dr. George Way Harley on the masks of West Africa and particularly Liberia. The name of this work is "</span><a href="http://ia700600.us.archive.org/15/items/masksasagentsofs00harl/masksasagentsofs00harl.pdf" style="font-size: xx-large;" target="_blank">Masks As Agents of Social Control in Northeast Liberia</a><span style="font-size: x-large;">." Dr. Harley was a Christian missionary in Ganta, Liberia and even met Graham Greene on his famous trek through Liberia that resulted in his ground breaking book "Journey Without Maps" to which this blog pays homage. If you are interested in learning more about the function of these masks I highly recommend his paper on the subject. Much of his collection of masks was given to the </span><a href="http://140.247.195.10/col/shortDisplay.cfm?StartRow=1" style="font-size: xx-large;" target="_blank">Peabody Museum</a><span style="font-size: x-large;"> at Harvard University and can be seen there or online at the provided link. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4XgjEznixLwwzZQXP8EdyR8cdNUXYBpY8_orpDASBuqGf1y5Tbc5Qnh7pssqsjNYoqe68EfO12vr_QcO2_K3PE2iepfxMJizC7flGWcww9zt-2Z2YdisQSs-b7DMzjVEkSW6n6l8NZDwx/s1600/IMG_0082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4XgjEznixLwwzZQXP8EdyR8cdNUXYBpY8_orpDASBuqGf1y5Tbc5Qnh7pssqsjNYoqe68EfO12vr_QcO2_K3PE2iepfxMJizC7flGWcww9zt-2Z2YdisQSs-b7DMzjVEkSW6n6l8NZDwx/s640/IMG_0082.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A souvenir Liberian mask<br />Samuel B. Wrisley Collection</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">If you travel to Liberia, more than likely the only contact you'll have with Liberian masks are from the "charlies" (traveling salesmen), wood carvers (these are souvenirs</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> and not true "living" masks) or the occasional masked street performer. True masked "devils" are not to be seen by outsiders and the ones that dance in public are more touristy than anything. However, one major faux pas is to try to touch or see behind the costume of the dancer even if he is just doing it for tips. This traces back to the fact that true masked "devils" could punish the unauthorized person that saw him with death. This is also why most masked dancers will be seen with a partner that keeps the raffia dress brushed down so no skin is showing and will also prevent any other inadvertent exposure on the part of the dancer. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5pci5m5Lpm2VrXD17ON61TLlWSkNyYq-H7K4sQvKjVQzhH3IzO-r9AwlNGZXo7KlC1rniVp4tozpPEAVG6ak1NvZc8IO_bPG7K1JpX2TD7K1evUt7L7ZsB-2R1E7ge81Rlri0aDSw4so4/s1600/Devil+Dancer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5pci5m5Lpm2VrXD17ON61TLlWSkNyYq-H7K4sQvKjVQzhH3IzO-r9AwlNGZXo7KlC1rniVp4tozpPEAVG6ak1NvZc8IO_bPG7K1JpX2TD7K1evUt7L7ZsB-2R1E7ge81Rlri0aDSw4so4/s640/Devil+Dancer.jpg" width="442" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A masked "devil" performing.<br />Spectators believe the devil will bring them good fortune.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-n7un9RZvpc1_E0SeEaOdUbR1OV_OZfUg57sWutMnn3_AIpnmxuoNgDgImRzjnz9_wo1OPDDdH38dRNYoSY9lUilHugZpg5bYROPx8Ud-ni1z3kD_8W7qVD7UaJmz6hX2_bfvcSwars4j/s1600/IMG_0079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-n7un9RZvpc1_E0SeEaOdUbR1OV_OZfUg57sWutMnn3_AIpnmxuoNgDgImRzjnz9_wo1OPDDdH38dRNYoSY9lUilHugZpg5bYROPx8Ud-ni1z3kD_8W7qVD7UaJmz6hX2_bfvcSwars4j/s400/IMG_0079.JPG" width="300" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">There are numerous types of masks and Dr. Harley's work does a great job in explaining many of them. To sum, there are masks for every society and sub-society imaginable. There are small masks for children and/or to be used as "passports" between tribes. There are masks for the women and even one that supposedly makes the woman that wears it a man and able to go into the men's sacred grove. There are masks for administrating sassywood ordeals or other such vicious ordeals to settle disputes. There are death masks made especially to cover the face of a deceased yet important person. There are masks worn by the circumciser on the day of ritual, the zoe while performer special ceremonies, the chief when handling certain situations, the town jester when things just need to be lightened up a bit. The list could go on and on. To sum, the mask is a concept that is much different to a Liberian than it is to an American and you would be better prepped to understand this culture by investigating those differences for yourself. </span><br />
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<br />HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-20495201455384323632013-04-17T00:26:00.000-05:002014-05-05T12:37:08.335-05:00How to Prepare for a Trip to Liberia<span style="font-size: x-large;">The following preparations are for a US Citizen traveling to Liberia, however much of it will apply to everyone who is getting ready to travel to Liberia. This is for a trip scheduled for June of 2013 and may be dated at the time of your reading so you may want to verify with more authoritative and current sources concerning any possible changes. However, as a general overview for your trip to Liberia here are the things you'll need to get in order...</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Step 1: US Passport</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">If your passport is set to expire in the next 6 months you'll need to get a new passport. Your total cost for obtaining a US Passport should be roughly $80 - $200 depending on whether you are renewing are getting one for the first time. I broke down these costs below:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Passport Renewal fee is $60. (More information is found on the US State Department's "<a href="http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds82/ds82_843.html" target="_blank">Passport by Mail</a>" webpage). </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">If it is your first passport the fee is roughly $150. (It has been awhile since I got mine but I found some <a href="http://travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_837.html" target="_blank">Passport Fees on the US DOS site).</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">Passport photos are approximately $20. (I got mine at Walgreen's photo center for about $17 if I remember right).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">I believe you will also need to send in your birth certificate and Social Security card (or a copy of it I can't remember) along with the required form to get your passport, but again it has been awhile since I did this. If you don't already have those documents you'll need to get those first.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">You will also incur some postage fees when you send in your documents which I wouldn't think should be over $15 - $20.</span></li>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Step 2: Tickets/Ins.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Along with your ticket I recommend getting traveler's insurance. You usually get your travel insurance at the same time you purchase your tickets. The insurance would cover things like flying your body back in case of death and/or getting you to the nearest hospital (not too many options in Liberia for this so you would possibly be taken to another ECOWAS nation or to Europe) for your sickness or injury. It would also cover your medical care while there.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-k6h0iR0Iua8z5Pw2uR0ZRC41H-CihfUaEryYAjKxyRN4cI5FAolEKsicdgkUd16kn-KARkkqLChyphenhyphenkf26JpVfPZgWq9_e178S49ykueDUnXpykdIC1F8QJ-2am8Uo_Uc6IsjHRoGZI_Y/s1600/IMG_0157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-k6h0iR0Iua8z5Pw2uR0ZRC41H-CihfUaEryYAjKxyRN4cI5FAolEKsicdgkUd16kn-KARkkqLChyphenhyphenkf26JpVfPZgWq9_e178S49ykueDUnXpykdIC1F8QJ-2am8Uo_Uc6IsjHRoGZI_Y/s320/IMG_0157.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Me and my mom heading to Liberia in 2011<br />in cramped Delta seats</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">One used to be able to take a direct flight from Atlanta, Georgia to Accra, Ghana and then connect to Monrovia with Delta Airlines. That service has been discontinued although Delta still leaves from DC. I didn't like the lack of leg room on Delta and so perhaps a better way to get to Liberia is to connect with Brussels Air in Belgium. I suppose this would be sponsored by the Belgium diamond market - who knows? Anyway the trip from St. Louis, MO to Monrovia would take me about 20 hours in the air with 7 - 12 hours of layover for connecting flights. A typical round trip to Liberia from the US will take a solid 2 days of travel when you add both there and back. If you intend to go anywhere deeper inside Liberia than around Monrovia it would not be unusual to hear of it taking someone 3 days to get from their departure city to their arrival city in Liberia due to the conditions of many of the roads in Liberia.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cKPYVdi30AsHGevNLh6VsaYIAuNfEwyZNg6SQYAzCB7ROHK6KrOSRxS6-aN7nuHArvMxsbXm_MamSRs_gl0QGf_oTUenOdZxg2mOdaeuPywDxD7GK0orwcbqXAGoaKm6cPqcATnB-vb4/s1600/rainy+day+at+Roberts+field.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cKPYVdi30AsHGevNLh6VsaYIAuNfEwyZNg6SQYAzCB7ROHK6KrOSRxS6-aN7nuHArvMxsbXm_MamSRs_gl0QGf_oTUenOdZxg2mOdaeuPywDxD7GK0orwcbqXAGoaKm6cPqcATnB-vb4/s640/rainy+day+at+Roberts+field.jpg" height="352" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A rainy day at Robertsfield International Airport in Liberia</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Your ticket to Liberia will cost you approximately $2000 - $2300 in fees, broke down as follows:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">Round Trip ticket (economy class app. $2000)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">Travel Insurance (roughly 5 - 6% of ticket cost)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">Luggage fees (depending on airline but $50 for one extra bag might be worth it if you're taking a lot of supplies for whatever aide work you might be doing)</span></li>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Step 3: Accommodations </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">You will want to arrange your accommodations in Liberia before heading over there. The range in price depends on whether you are a guest of someone or if you are spending several hundred dollars per night at beautiful looking places like <a href="http://rljkendejaresort.com/#/" target="_blank">Kendeja Resort & Villas</a> or the <a href="http://www.libassa.com/pages/index.html" target="_blank">Libassa Ecolodge</a>. I've been to neither place but they both look nice and expensive. (There is also a <a href="http://www.liberia101.com/accommodation/hotels/" target="_blank">Hotel Listing</a> for the Monrovia area online from the Liberia 101 site.)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvkYNPqgKq6xUx8vYZUCQvfJsZsMOD0tCWaBzQ_ndIOhen6gby8_Xpp1JeW348GfU3Sf0LrnGx61a2qDxG5SgM5ermCYJRK8kUzSQ7JYRZH1EpSBWDqEgq8ee81NJyeKFkSBnkZlLJ9w4/s1600/IMG_0918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvkYNPqgKq6xUx8vYZUCQvfJsZsMOD0tCWaBzQ_ndIOhen6gby8_Xpp1JeW348GfU3Sf0LrnGx61a2qDxG5SgM5ermCYJRK8kUzSQ7JYRZH1EpSBWDqEgq8ee81NJyeKFkSBnkZlLJ9w4/s640/IMG_0918.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I stayed one night at Club Piso in Robertsport in 2011. <br />Unfortunately there were still mice (or rats as Liberians call them),<br />however I'm not sure if there are many places in Liberia without them.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">If you are staying as a guest at a guest house or in someone's home it would be proper to provide money for fuel for the generator to charge your electronics (see below) and possibly work something out for food money if they are also fixing food for you. The range for accommodations</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> in Liberia is a wide margin between $200 - $2000 for a week depending on where you are staying and what your needs are. Also, remember to bring mosquito nets wherever you're staying! Which brings us to...</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Step 4: Medical Prep </span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DCq5Sbp_6WImffwctnpZisWiY165xTfw5EVH20BMizYJ4EHYhDHaDsS-5TMYaWWVyjwKqIx4dFHx_a3N_TtjnjrtLvHUsUQnVLoUcNw2RH7oLK_6Wz9VUh0Nj6qeXJIcJ1SEM0W6fONv/s1600/Yellow+Book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DCq5Sbp_6WImffwctnpZisWiY165xTfw5EVH20BMizYJ4EHYhDHaDsS-5TMYaWWVyjwKqIx4dFHx_a3N_TtjnjrtLvHUsUQnVLoUcNw2RH7oLK_6Wz9VUh0Nj6qeXJIcJ1SEM0W6fONv/s640/Yellow+Book.jpg" height="606" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My "Yellow Book". Required to enter Liberia.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Your total cost for vaccinations and medications for Liberia is going to cost anywhere from $350 - $800 depending on your consultation fees and types of medications you and your health consultant choose to purchase. However, after getting some of these vaccines you won't need to get them every time you go over to Liberia but rather every 5 - 10 years or in some cases never again. My cost for going over this time around would only be about $8 </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">+ my physician's consultation fee. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yellow Fever Vaccine Sticker<br />in my "Yellow Book"</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Yellow Fever Vaccine</u>. This is required to enter Liberia and you will receive an appropriately colored Yellow Vaccine Book which records this and your other vaccinations. The cost for this vaccine depends on how you get it. If you go through a world travel organization you will have to also pay a consultation fee of anywhere between $25 - $75. Once you've met with your consultant though all further vaccines are included under that consultation fee. The cost of the actual vaccine is roughly $80 - $150 and is good for 10 years. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Hep A & B</u>. I highly recommend getting these vaccinations as well. Most health workers already have them and their company paid for it, but if you aren't vaccinated you really need to be. This is a bit more complex as there are several different ways to administer the vaccine. I got TwinRex which included both A & B in the same vaccine. There is also a schedule of vaccinations to follow here as you'll get one vaccine on one day and have to wait a period before your next and then get your last one some 6 months later. I got my last one after returning from Liberia so I do know you don't have to run through the whole gauntlet of Hepatitis vaccinations before arriving in Liberia. You'll need to consult with a health professional for how this actually works but as far as costs go it was roughly $25 - $40 a dose for each type of Hepatitis. The whole regimen is roughly $140 - $300. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Typhoid</u> - This comes in shot or oral dosage form and is also highly recommended for a visit to Liberia as there have been reported breakouts of typhoid there. Because I'm a chicken I got the oral dose, but actually the oral dose is better in my opinion also because it lasts longer (5 years) while the shot only lasts for 2. The price is roughly $75 for this vaccine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>A Malarial Prophylaxis</u> - This is just a fancy way of saying "<i>a medicine that helps to prevent you from getting malaria.</i>" The CDC has a great chart on the various different kinds of drugs you can take to help prevent malaria on their "<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/travelers/drugs.html" target="_blank">Choosing a Drug to Prevent Malaria</a>" webpage. When we lived there in the 70's and 80's we used to take Chloroquine, however now the malaria in Liberia has become chloroquine resistant. On our more recent trips we have had people taking both Malarone & Doxycycline with mostly positive results. Lariam has too many side effects in my opinion & I've not heard much about Primaquine. All of these meds have side effects and this is one of those things where you have to choose whether the side effects of the medicine are worse than the side effects of contracting malaria. I've had malaria several times and survived, but it can cause permanent organ damage and even death. I take a prophylaxis on shorter trips. For those staying long term you have to weigh the risks of long term use of the prophylaxis against the risks of getting malaria. Malarone was at one time $9/pill and it is taken once a day and continued for one week after getting out of the "malaria zone". Doxycycline is much cheaper and is also taken daily. Cost can range from $0.25 - $9/day for a malarial prophylaxis. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4H7imfMP57yU_NmNf1J7CWEsbQUMU2gIzhSsxqqq7FN1PW0kGAUA5x_n0Wjk4XYBFZxgs3sd853kvzj2zXoCCP8zG7xLAWc7oDuttrUSc412_6fZWT3eud_Pgo9QpOG7OXfxnZ-rG2C8W/s1600/IMG_0624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4H7imfMP57yU_NmNf1J7CWEsbQUMU2gIzhSsxqqq7FN1PW0kGAUA5x_n0Wjk4XYBFZxgs3sd853kvzj2zXoCCP8zG7xLAWc7oDuttrUSc412_6fZWT3eud_Pgo9QpOG7OXfxnZ-rG2C8W/s640/IMG_0624.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A mural in Zondobli, Grand Bassa. Diarrhea can be fatal if not treated.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Diarrhea treatment</u> - We have typically taken Cipro (ciprofloxacin) in order to treat diarrhea if we get it while in Liberia. Cipro is relatively inexpensive and is one of the $4 Walmart prescription drugs. You'll have to tell either your doctor or your world travel consultant (see Yellow Fever above) in order to get the prescription, but after that fee the cost is not prohibitive. You might also want to bring an electrolyte supplement and/or an over the counter diarrhea medication to re-hydrate and stop the dehydration process respectively. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PwYBzlCMEWRPf1m9ilSnJvLkLNlzad9msp2FCHsFwRKbdOeuKtgaFEW_L5qrjbRsvQnDgxlPk5mx5U0r1IyJkFCycwOXIaSwsK-3QvKg9R0iKSG70-7V7qqZmu4u2cKQ4GeVk8CGSLg3/s1600/breaking+out+the+ciplox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PwYBzlCMEWRPf1m9ilSnJvLkLNlzad9msp2FCHsFwRKbdOeuKtgaFEW_L5qrjbRsvQnDgxlPk5mx5U0r1IyJkFCycwOXIaSwsK-3QvKg9R0iKSG70-7V7qqZmu4u2cKQ4GeVk8CGSLg3/s640/breaking+out+the+ciplox.jpg" height="640" width="472" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">In need!</span></td></tr>
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<u style="font-size: xx-large;">Other Meds</u><span style="font-size: x-large;"> - You will also need to make sure you are up to date on your tetanus shot and definitely make sure and bring any meds with you that you would normally take in the States. You will also want to take some extra aspirin, ibuprofen, sunburn medicine, allergy meds & a small first aid kit. You might also want to bring some supplements like vitamins or probiotics or whatever else gets you going like Via instant coffee packs :-) Also, I've heard that taking Vitamin B-1 will help to reduce the amount of mosquito bites you'll get. I took it last time I went over and think it might of sort of worked somewhat perhaps? I also used eucalyptus soap to keep them away. All in all it seemed I had relatively few bites especially for rainy season.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Step 5: Liberian Visa</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsdT9u2TGBJpw_9AeCS8HKqB04gXPa_hEDSQlvUH0lnKFk_gVNdtI1VE0WVUyF10OoF1ZiJhsod-SbnacJsBTCqVsPIa5zAOXTvuTJX1CiZckASy2Qk0LbKKCRJ2zi93-ImZlD_gfcTx1/s1600/Liberia+Visa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsdT9u2TGBJpw_9AeCS8HKqB04gXPa_hEDSQlvUH0lnKFk_gVNdtI1VE0WVUyF10OoF1ZiJhsod-SbnacJsBTCqVsPIa5zAOXTvuTJX1CiZckASy2Qk0LbKKCRJ2zi93-ImZlD_gfcTx1/s640/Liberia+Visa.jpg" height="144" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">You'll need a visa to enter Liberia. There are many different types of visas. I'm discussing here the 1 - 3 month stay visa which is typical of a short term visit by a US Citizen. There is quite a bit of prerequisite tasks to complete and paperwork to organize in order to get your visa. For example, you need to have already gotten your passport (see above), yellow fever shot (see above), & flight itinerary (see above) before sending off for your visa. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3EA1qnQpUe3dPCeBflAlE4s7Rrb3plMppLl3-HUE98x7uNKYwxysEizd76Xe4A1gATIwieI8C46WypQrFber1O1JFxoIQCJBnxl1t6IklHdmM_brerPtzGkPdY3Fxf_r8WMue-7djfRca/s1600/visa+pics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3EA1qnQpUe3dPCeBflAlE4s7Rrb3plMppLl3-HUE98x7uNKYwxysEizd76Xe4A1gATIwieI8C46WypQrFber1O1JFxoIQCJBnxl1t6IklHdmM_brerPtzGkPdY3Fxf_r8WMue-7djfRca/s400/visa+pics.jpg" height="400" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">You'll need more passport size photos<br />for your Liberian visa</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">You'll also want to have the names and contact info for a couple of people already living in Liberia in order to properly fill out your visa application. My total cost for getting a Liberian visa was about $160. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here are some of the other things you will also need and some of the fees required for obtaining a Liberian visa as a US Citizen:</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">You will need to send along a copy of your yellow fever shot record (again see above)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">You will need 2 passport photos (app $20)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">You will also need to send along your passport. (Yes, you must send your actual, physical passport to the Embassy of Liberia in order to get your Visa. I've never had problems getting my back and neither has anyone on any of our teams that have gone over to Liberia for the past 7 years.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">You will also place a self-addressed prepaid USPS/FEDEX/UPS envelope with tracking number in the envelope for return of your passport. (I also got a tracking number on my envelope to the Embassy and the total for both envelopes with postage paid was around $12).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">Optional: Same Day Processing ($75) / Next Day ($50). (I didn't get either one, but rather mailed my information out about 5 weeks before departure. I have heard of people not getting their visa because they didn't get their paperwork into the Embassy in time even though they mailed it a couple weeks before departure, however it was around Christmas time and that probably contributed to the delay. We've always gotten our visa on time and have usually sent in our paperwork 5 - 6 weeks before departure).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">All fees are to be paid in US Dollars via money order, cashier cheque or bank draft payable to the Embassy of Liberia. (I purchased a Postal Money Order for $131.00 while at the Post Office and there was a $1.20 fee attached to that. You simply fill out the money order like you do a check and make it out to the Embassy of Liberia. Also put your name and address on it in case their is a need for a refund. Then you tear off the upper Customer Receipt section for your records).</span></li>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Step 6: Living Expenses</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrH7L6_lcGWdMHfA_RpIOzObWiYD9eDV6cqDcL0IBz3Uvc3xZJoJP3r4u3rrp474Gbg2ZEgBbsTP0wTaR1Bzh1mHG4FUHpNcY8JsnoIImiHOErOrQnr-5jYUeuYpGugcJl3dbK2KSSMv7H/s1600/IMG_0671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrH7L6_lcGWdMHfA_RpIOzObWiYD9eDV6cqDcL0IBz3Uvc3xZJoJP3r4u3rrp474Gbg2ZEgBbsTP0wTaR1Bzh1mHG4FUHpNcY8JsnoIImiHOErOrQnr-5jYUeuYpGugcJl3dbK2KSSMv7H/s640/IMG_0671.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">You will want to gather together the necessary funds to cover your living expenses while in Liberia. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Food/Drink in Liberia</u></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_6J_OCaP32-KFap353mzaJDedq-D_KXL_eqLsn3AmBn_hx7qWVu0ONqCmBnqb0bBs_VS5VIEjuDGhZNAAMzishS8Zt1UDEK6m8MUkmwl4wJSvl049lJE86vV2BcE5M_-y2BEoTdLayWT/s1600/Soursop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_6J_OCaP32-KFap353mzaJDedq-D_KXL_eqLsn3AmBn_hx7qWVu0ONqCmBnqb0bBs_VS5VIEjuDGhZNAAMzishS8Zt1UDEK6m8MUkmwl4wJSvl049lJE86vV2BcE5M_-y2BEoTdLayWT/s640/Soursop.jpg" height="457" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The large fruit on the left is called a "Soursop"</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I am very out of touch with the Liberian food market prices. I feel fairly confident saying though that it will be cheaper to eat there than here if you eat local food. $10/day should more than cover your expenses. However, if you go to a "kwi" place to eat be prepared to pay perhaps even more than you do in the States for the food. I would just be sure to sample some of the famous Liberian gravies or soups that they pour over rice; especially palm butter. I would also highly recommend red oil fried grouper or smoked boney. Actually the list could keep going... Liberian food is great!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jLs4HvmCL9-CV5iGtmVCCttWUlXn0i4mA2x3Rqq2PuTyVMVH0lovQR57IkWwUuOZWUq2qjJMTue-7_eiuI34ns9KHnduXjmoSM5Pufu8cKVzVGcG_amqaLKEZkirEcOmahn37O_4-qt5/s1600/100_0272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jLs4HvmCL9-CV5iGtmVCCttWUlXn0i4mA2x3Rqq2PuTyVMVH0lovQR57IkWwUuOZWUq2qjJMTue-7_eiuI34ns9KHnduXjmoSM5Pufu8cKVzVGcG_amqaLKEZkirEcOmahn37O_4-qt5/s400/100_0272.JPG" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I drank Aqualife bottled water while in<br />Liberia to no ill effect</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The bottled water is usually safe to drink and I've had no ill effect from drinking these. The plastic bottle will be recycled multiple times in the market if given to the right people, but you may also want to bring a reusable water bottle and/or a water purifying bottle that has an actual water filter built into it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Transportation/Taxi fares</u></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvlJkKkdLew2fqUSQwKu-Inln9OnT9PB3sgggvYGGzltrr6dbqFxHKSpouPq_WqwiwfUgii3FwKWIsSMUZY78aFdYlvouaQvCQWyyD_3N4-JiVLJSefLzRre2iV9JSRUY9nEhf4mdWgHQb/s1600/Gods+Favor+Hold+it+Hold+it.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvlJkKkdLew2fqUSQwKu-Inln9OnT9PB3sgggvYGGzltrr6dbqFxHKSpouPq_WqwiwfUgii3FwKWIsSMUZY78aFdYlvouaQvCQWyyD_3N4-JiVLJSefLzRre2iV9JSRUY9nEhf4mdWgHQb/s640/Gods+Favor+Hold+it+Hold+it.jpg" height="352" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A typical "Hold it - Hold it" or money bus taxi driving down Somalia Drive in Paynesville</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">If you are going to be traveling a lot in Liberia this can really add up. Fuel is rather expensive but taxi fares are not that bad. If you will be reaching far I would budget $50/day and if you are staying put then perhaps a $5/day for going to market or wherever else you need to go nearby.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Electricity</u></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPePMzALYlwdPsF4A9IiISX6FHtNplQ-11OTzsMWLAk59GD8vgX_DUAkTObkAhRi02il29RXe_MFd6oHzazwdRJBwzk-OHVplHcXAssOT5KHkko4TJcm0cqdgN9uy3c0BW9PRvlWiC0Ge/s1600/IMG_0428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPePMzALYlwdPsF4A9IiISX6FHtNplQ-11OTzsMWLAk59GD8vgX_DUAkTObkAhRi02il29RXe_MFd6oHzazwdRJBwzk-OHVplHcXAssOT5KHkko4TJcm0cqdgN9uy3c0BW9PRvlWiC0Ge/s400/IMG_0428.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The nightly ritual of charging cellphones on a <br />surge protector plugged into a generator</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I have heard rumors of the "current" being back on in some areas of Monrovia. Even when I lived there in the 70's and 80's the current would "cut" very often and for extended periods. You will probably be relying on a small generator to charge up your cellphone, batteries, and other gadgets and will run it before going to bed to have a little night time light to unwind and set your rat traps. Fuel is rather expensive so depending on how many people can chip in on the generator it could cost you as much as $20/night depending on how long you need electricity to charge your items. I've never done so, but you could also pay to have someone else charge your stuff at a "charging station" (a generator powered booth that charges cellphones for people at a price). Personally I feel like too many things could go wrong with this scenario so I've never tried it.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXJyuITd15nLJiXHtkc_FTFEZ9y8zCFUEHES1jm4MVHckBVn1vh64DQTD6TKHJPhjEytgKRB_gHZPMLfot6sIhClq4UwnWgC6mx1Z1MOxfkUoh2b9q1ux_Zm6Osp_D_wuE5mjqg_uRno3/s1600/IMG_0555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXJyuITd15nLJiXHtkc_FTFEZ9y8zCFUEHES1jm4MVHckBVn1vh64DQTD6TKHJPhjEytgKRB_gHZPMLfot6sIhClq4UwnWgC6mx1Z1MOxfkUoh2b9q1ux_Zm6Osp_D_wuE5mjqg_uRno3/s640/IMG_0555.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Christ Still Cares Charging Spot" in Buchanan, Liberia<br />for all your cellphone needs.</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Step 7: Personal Items</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">You will want to purchase some personal items to make your stay in Liberia more enjoyable. There is no limit to the amount of money that one could potentially spend on equipment and nick knacks for taking to Liberia. However, if you are like me there is a definite limit whenever I check my bank account! Here are some practical items that you might consider purchasing for your trip to Liberia:</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Clothes</u> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmL5cENx-kTtDq6CGQPXc6IvxxDj35h6jHcRAZVSeibwJx2PSOuM56dyHPLiDZXNKjRYd4vyXlyjJOgglXwXdPAXuaRlGyWSV_6YtQ6aFOUn8fYOEyi4wsyCVkq_rYmcX10Hx7_ZLwd_r/s1600/sunhatting+it+eyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmL5cENx-kTtDq6CGQPXc6IvxxDj35h6jHcRAZVSeibwJx2PSOuM56dyHPLiDZXNKjRYd4vyXlyjJOgglXwXdPAXuaRlGyWSV_6YtQ6aFOUn8fYOEyi4wsyCVkq_rYmcX10Hx7_ZLwd_r/s640/sunhatting+it+eyes.jpg" height="306" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">You'll want to cover your head and ears from the sun from time to time</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Clothes should be quick drying and light weight. There is a strong chance they will also be hand washed and scrubbed on washboards and wrung out and hung in the sun. So they should still be a bit sturdy and something you will not be too upset in getting torn or stained. There are all sorts of things to consider and new items being marketed</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> all the time for travel clothing. For example, </span><a href="http://www.exofficio.com/" style="font-size: xx-large;" target="_blank">Exofficio</a><span style="font-size: x-large;"> makes a brand of underwear that a dude supposedly traveled the world in by just washing and hanging up in his hotel bathroom at night. There are also Permethrin soaked clothing that supposedly stay mosquito resistant for up to 70 washing loads. </span><a href="http://www.scottevest.com/index_white.shtml?utm_expid=2567452-43&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F" style="font-size: xx-large;" target="_blank">ScotteVest</a><span style="font-size: x-large;"> makes a nice travel vest that you can store extra stuff in for carry-on and for Liberian walkabout. You might also need a sunhat, bandanna, neck gaiter</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">, sunglasses or whatever else to keep the sun off of you especially if you are the least bit sensitive to the sun. It is 6 degrees from the equator in Liberia and has some strong sun-o!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv89htm66eaFajDuDS5fHdXSbdeUv8x65kwy3B5Yvk0R0vPtFPTnH7XRvZFknyg8Eyy-Wh3jqqu-6jnBX-SKaeIAC-Rt6sbAXsdNt_TTRBHtjM_CnpBaMtVH5F_Gj4MF_BjnqhlwfjQEO3/s1600/obama+flip+flops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv89htm66eaFajDuDS5fHdXSbdeUv8x65kwy3B5Yvk0R0vPtFPTnH7XRvZFknyg8Eyy-Wh3jqqu-6jnBX-SKaeIAC-Rt6sbAXsdNt_TTRBHtjM_CnpBaMtVH5F_Gj4MF_BjnqhlwfjQEO3/s400/obama+flip+flops.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">These Obama "Slippers" I saw in Liberia surely have <br />a great politician flip flop joke in 'em somewhere</span></td></tr>
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<u style="font-size: xx-large;">Shoes</u><span style="font-size: x-large;"> - got to get some flip-flops ("Slippa" as they're called in Liberia) and depending on how long you're there at least 2 pair. Boots could be useful if you plan on going into the bush but light cross trainers would work fine otherwise. If doing business some more formal shoes are OK</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> and acceptable but most people will not be wearing these. Most of the chiefs and mayors and businessmen/women I met were all wearing sandals or flip flops, although a few wore comfy business shoes. I'd include some "wicking" or fast drying socks for your shoes as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Backpack/Luggage</u> - You'll need to conform to your airline's regulations on size and weight when bringing your luggage. You should consider this before purchasing new luggage. Also, the luggage will most likely see some wear and tear so make it rugged. You might want to invest in a travel vest, back pack, money belt, and a duffle bag (to fold up and pack on the way in and fill up on the way out if the logistics work in your favor to do so). </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJVBhyphenhyphenRHF3IftLEgYWVlrTHovvuHQj8ycFbzZAMiJQfYE0ODWtBf_QIWXSWARnVuUTDgv81gzQKuPsWDlYXPQpEJfz7Ce-_fzVKKCtIIRR1fRSiwjlIZPPrcueHxsaAR_czJCev1nYpQb/s1600/IMG_0334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJVBhyphenhyphenRHF3IftLEgYWVlrTHovvuHQj8ycFbzZAMiJQfYE0ODWtBf_QIWXSWARnVuUTDgv81gzQKuPsWDlYXPQpEJfz7Ce-_fzVKKCtIIRR1fRSiwjlIZPPrcueHxsaAR_czJCev1nYpQb/s640/IMG_0334.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you travel much around Liberia your luggage will get some wear and tear</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Hygiene</u> - I would pack a small portable mirror, your normal stuff in travel sizes, talcum powder, and some Boudreaux's Butt Paste (for chaffing). You'll also need some mosquito repellent I've got an earlier post written on what self hygiene might look like for you in Liberia <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/05/keeping-things-cleanish.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1I1_tFr4AXOqTF2diifofNi0yCnJKGXUeX5oLGgCA1Fn5RAtFPvkVrUqsDLC7PrBZ37hFcAoRz1zT09IQFzTPmxjbMy5V9HTGlh_REEzvGu2mvrxbOy-wq9uT6u8Uezg79rLVj3AJQBRf/s1600/IMG_0791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1I1_tFr4AXOqTF2diifofNi0yCnJKGXUeX5oLGgCA1Fn5RAtFPvkVrUqsDLC7PrBZ37hFcAoRz1zT09IQFzTPmxjbMy5V9HTGlh_REEzvGu2mvrxbOy-wq9uT6u8Uezg79rLVj3AJQBRf/s400/IMG_0791.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The beauty of Liberia awaits!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Camera</u> - There are many brands and set ups for camera and/or video. Whatever you do don't forget to bring one! The beauty of Liberia is breathtaking. I hope there are some brand spanking new Liberia pics to post here soon!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>To Sum:</u> </b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Your total trip costs for a 2 week trip to Liberia will set you back anywhere between $3000 - $5500 depending on what you need to purchase beforehand and what you purchase in Liberia. Hope you've found this information beneficial. Blessings to you all and God bless Liberia!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">And the tree waves good-bye for now...</span></td></tr>
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<br />HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-45128207624489446522013-03-25T16:29:00.003-05:002013-07-22T23:41:56.562-05:00Fufu and Dumboy<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijg0XQ-Ts1g5vWDRbUR5oHeID0rtVjSHUeYZCx-a0AvK3tAYj_G4k3rvW2Pz3ya-JAXQUB7qOAa2jN5sozb7Mrxt63luad-IdZC5o9cetVnGcW99aaI8uyPsud8gmeU8HXPEKUkjuxHypL/s1600/IMG_0325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijg0XQ-Ts1g5vWDRbUR5oHeID0rtVjSHUeYZCx-a0AvK3tAYj_G4k3rvW2Pz3ya-JAXQUB7qOAa2jN5sozb7Mrxt63luad-IdZC5o9cetVnGcW99aaI8uyPsud8gmeU8HXPEKUkjuxHypL/s400/IMG_0325.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bowl of fufu with soup</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzI5to-FMPchXOY9p4-hQ3E7zPdsOsHbCHjDZR2xHU5wYTS1AQ-DVzcDKVwkJTLby__krlPFq8HYsrXe_bSKiibdCaipD7bhnmBrPpDGpV-HpJVpdwdcVZKaIawF7SDDOadjTL6p2cgb00/s1600/Pounding+Fufu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzI5to-FMPchXOY9p4-hQ3E7zPdsOsHbCHjDZR2xHU5wYTS1AQ-DVzcDKVwkJTLby__krlPFq8HYsrXe_bSKiibdCaipD7bhnmBrPpDGpV-HpJVpdwdcVZKaIawF7SDDOadjTL6p2cgb00/s640/Pounding+Fufu.jpg" width="353" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bassa woman pounding dumboy in mortar with pestle</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Fufu (<i>or foo foo, fu fu, fu-fu</i>) is found all throughout Western Africa, while dumboy is more closely associated with areas around Liberia. Both dumboy and fufu are served as a doughy ball that has been pounded and strained from a starchy food like rice, semolina or cassava. The pounding is usually done in a large, wooden mortar and pestle and the straining with a cloth and a large bowl. In Liberia fufu is usually made from dried and fermented cassava root; while dumboy is made from fresh cassava. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzAGsYFZZDLYF8iUvH9KzbP1_E_RzGlGB9lecLRdmIx05R1lVcw1Mzax0r924a4WDdGqiJuPjEjCIoQyK5rayGgiFYBurVPxXsH-7iaeynySigs8qL_qi4yTaluyQe-POeqgHbE9CrM249/s1600/Cassava+into+the+Mortar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzAGsYFZZDLYF8iUvH9KzbP1_E_RzGlGB9lecLRdmIx05R1lVcw1Mzax0r924a4WDdGqiJuPjEjCIoQyK5rayGgiFYBurVPxXsH-7iaeynySigs8qL_qi4yTaluyQe-POeqgHbE9CrM249/s640/Cassava+into+the+Mortar.jpg" width="450" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pounded cassava from the mortar</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDal9Z7mWzPOC9HzlgiK959zQ2qm-j-2bB_M2QMWQNizoBb_z1Dm37po5Vb7jTfShvYfy4Rlb2LbIJ7pPoxEJCkYvHab1ss49i5KKBox6V8EkYV2vXp0AyK7MhIiajssqHqLVqNBtdsBd0/s1600/IMG_0242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDal9Z7mWzPOC9HzlgiK959zQ2qm-j-2bB_M2QMWQNizoBb_z1Dm37po5Vb7jTfShvYfy4Rlb2LbIJ7pPoxEJCkYvHab1ss49i5KKBox6V8EkYV2vXp0AyK7MhIiajssqHqLVqNBtdsBd0/s640/IMG_0242.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Boiling the pounded cassava</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXUXNOZedd8TYdIgWn4CXlAgXlm1uwWggF29DXCUFk9GKuraJgvYqe3RiYutYbbx1GWsdCk3AmbX0mDDOIVeUi4EucE15XFXGcPjgV7iqLPAKGcvKGA5w0Ia0N_rsxctloPVVZDKBPwLB/s1600/Straining+Fufu+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXUXNOZedd8TYdIgWn4CXlAgXlm1uwWggF29DXCUFk9GKuraJgvYqe3RiYutYbbx1GWsdCk3AmbX0mDDOIVeUi4EucE15XFXGcPjgV7iqLPAKGcvKGA5w0Ia0N_rsxctloPVVZDKBPwLB/s640/Straining+Fufu+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ma Sarah is straining the pounded and boiled cassava</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Both fufu and dumboy are usually served with a "soup" that is poured over these doughy balls of starch. My theory is that chicken and dumplings are a recreation of this old country fufu that enslaved Africans made with found ingredients in the US. Think one big dumpling in a bowl with the chicken soup poured over it and you have something rather similar</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> to this African dish. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzEs7yQpQf1_iZx_xBfp3G_vYAvwvNb1ifcSq_gaf_Rg87jtSVpQApwS82BgBh5-bd4zaxxwhURZhK9a44MmeVMTfPwOTKPdhFnzpJoZF5tqCvtXBo85NKBkSTgjsPxvUipFi46HXZ3eK/s1600/Fufu+balls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzEs7yQpQf1_iZx_xBfp3G_vYAvwvNb1ifcSq_gaf_Rg87jtSVpQApwS82BgBh5-bd4zaxxwhURZhK9a44MmeVMTfPwOTKPdhFnzpJoZF5tqCvtXBo85NKBkSTgjsPxvUipFi46HXZ3eK/s640/Fufu+balls.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Forming the pounded, boiled & strained cassava into doughy balls of fufu</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">In Liberia fufu and dumboy are not chewed, but rather swallowed in smaller balls that you pull off of the bigger dough ball. It used to be considered rude to chew the dumboy or fufu, but it is often overlooked when us foreigners do it wrong. However, if you get the chance to eat fufu or dumboy with a Liberian community see if you can just swallow a small ball of it whole like the Liberians do. I found it to be an enjoyable way to enjoy this particular dish. Also, people often use their finger to make a small indentation in the ball they pull off of the bigger dough ball and soup and put inside that indentation before you swallow it. That seems to help it go down more smoothly!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5Cic7FWcjYc4k4yK4_cImzCMoFPsZDKsQbBZIcbJiPnr-TxhlJNcJAEMtvZlpU6e3h71w3DxhXUc2FDBc566RpviB_nlLVpW-NcSjlzEqzi1x5w8BiOo9tKRl12ehY55TaG80q1LR8tZ/s1600/Dumboy+and+Goat+Liver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5Cic7FWcjYc4k4yK4_cImzCMoFPsZDKsQbBZIcbJiPnr-TxhlJNcJAEMtvZlpU6e3h71w3DxhXUc2FDBc566RpviB_nlLVpW-NcSjlzEqzi1x5w8BiOo9tKRl12ehY55TaG80q1LR8tZ/s640/Dumboy+and+Goat+Liver.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Getting ready to swallow some dumboy served with goat liver and pepper soup.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Now which do I prefer; dumboy o fufu? It seems like I should enjoy the dumboy more having been raised around the Bassa tribe (the Bassa in particular are associated with dumboy). However, if I am only to be in Liberia a short time I will usually go with the fufu as I trust the fermentation process to help kill harmful bacteria that are foreign to my sensitive stomach. I know of several Americans who have had problems after swallowing dumboy because they had not yet adjusted their innards to that which lives in dumboy. That being said, if you're up to the challenge and/or have acclimated yourself to Liberia, you should try swallowing dumboy as well as fufu. I swallowed both to no ill effect while in Liberia in 2011.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKroIgwu5u21LCtdiDyVFjBx8mw-33-LxWxpkE3BEZbQhmdjspaP3xHT3zUHDtrjMEBwQrOcxgwPXocJw4wOMnrokS3PDyrQu0WNawFttB3qYuzdMcsvoguLY4Lak-4Fo2S2jChz1gE1L/s1600/sis+pat+hot+fufu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKroIgwu5u21LCtdiDyVFjBx8mw-33-LxWxpkE3BEZbQhmdjspaP3xHT3zUHDtrjMEBwQrOcxgwPXocJw4wOMnrokS3PDyrQu0WNawFttB3qYuzdMcsvoguLY4Lak-4Fo2S2jChz1gE1L/s400/sis+pat+hot+fufu.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A Chop Shop sign in Monrovia advertising Fufu</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fufu covered with a meat loaded soup</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">To me the best part of the fufu or dumboy experience is the soup. The actual fufu/dumboy has little taste in itself, but when combined with the right ingredients it is an overall culinary delight! Here was my favorite Liberian meal when I visited in 2011: fufu covered with pepper soup with fish and some ground bennie seed paste put on top of that. Delicious! It was also kind of fun to say as the bennie seed (sesame seed) paste was called dudu in Bassa and so I would ask for dudu for my fufu (say that a couple times; it's fun to say!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">There is also a very hard fufu called GB that is served more in Nimba county (I believe it is associated with the Mano and Gio peoples). GB is traditionally served with what we would consider rotten meat in the soup and the hard blocks of GB are swallowed like large chunky pills. I saw several chop shops with the letters G & B painted on them and assume that is what was served there. I have not tried this yet and I'm a bit hesitant; but who knows? Maybe someday... and maybe someday you too will also be able to try and swallow some Liberian fufu or dumboy if you have not already. It is an experience you won't soon forget!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kitchen is almost closed after a long day of making fufu</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span>HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-28667526279839939912013-03-02T22:18:00.001-06:002013-07-22T23:39:10.619-05:00Furtermark Beach<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh44EEEDgoD-7rz6u1CKhEEBWK1oRyv9fo62AW07LbQSWhPvi4clV8okxN9rfgJl1xJS7Iw8sffUQp6bHg0IMLEcL2K8TQd2EdF0g1LZI40pEWSwN5Zf7J_8rIPZFv6T1dHn7weX2Dl8SR/s1600/IMG_0484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh44EEEDgoD-7rz6u1CKhEEBWK1oRyv9fo62AW07LbQSWhPvi4clV8okxN9rfgJl1xJS7Iw8sffUQp6bHg0IMLEcL2K8TQd2EdF0g1LZI40pEWSwN5Zf7J_8rIPZFv6T1dHn7weX2Dl8SR/s640/IMG_0484.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sand, trees, rock & sky at Furtermark Beach, Grand Bassa County, Liberia</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-kQxicAHFUXovbPhIGDWA-9teGCCV1lFGsF00gK_-ptukmUVF2y85v_pjtsa31C7hp2wJQur2bCRYTPOdGDkIThQxWhnnceODuLnPZjRnX1tXU3Tvv8Lekfdv8wpK5BTu0oH4xVgN8a9/s1600/IMG_0487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-kQxicAHFUXovbPhIGDWA-9teGCCV1lFGsF00gK_-ptukmUVF2y85v_pjtsa31C7hp2wJQur2bCRYTPOdGDkIThQxWhnnceODuLnPZjRnX1tXU3Tvv8Lekfdv8wpK5BTu0oH4xVgN8a9/s320/IMG_0487.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">If you make it to Buchanan while in Liberia you should checkout Furtermark Beach. I think this used to be an old LAMCO beach as I believe there was someone with the last name of Furtermark that worked at LAMCO at one point. I assume it is named after him for some reason. LAMCO (the Liberian-American-Swedish Minerals Company) has a fascinating history in and of itself and I have fond memories of visiting the old compound near Buchanan and the one up in Yekepa when I was younger. I'll have to see if I have some old pics of those places somewhere and do a post about all that, but for now I'd just like to share some images of one of the many beautiful beaches that are in Liberia: Furtermark Beach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">To get there I would "charter" a taxi in Buchanan and ask them to take you to Furtermark. (To charter a taxi means that you'll pay more but you'll have it for the whole day (or half day) and you won't have to find a taxi for the return trip) You'll go through the gates of the Arcelor Mittal property to get there. (Areclor Mittal bought up the old LAMCO properties in Liberia). The guards will ask why you're entering but an answer of "Furtermark Beach" was sufficient to let us through.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coconuts covered the ground below the coconuts trees all along the beach</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The restaurant/bar on the beach site is frequented by dock workers after working hours and things can get rowdy there in the evening from what I hear, but it was practically desolate when we went to visit in the late morning. Like many beaches in Liberia you also need to be careful of the strong rip tides, walking alone in desolate areas & standing out on the rocks that jut out into the waves (we almost lost a couple of people who went out to get a closer look at the crashing waves!). </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking the beach heading back to the Palavar Huts at Furtermark Beach proper</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As far as I can climb a coconut tree!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I have yet to get the courage to go surfing (or sliding as they call it in Liberia) and am not really able to read waves at this or any beach for surfing purposes. However I will say that they seem a little rough and choppy to me and you actually get waves going back out towards the sea in a few places. The waves I saw at several Robertsport beaches (which surfers say are great) seemed much more uniform and lasted much longer. I got in the water at Furtermark Beach for a bit and the rip current was too strong for an enjoyable swim but was fine for just playing in the surf. This beach is perfect for walking, photography, sand sports, sitting, eating and plain old relaxing Liberian-style.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some seeds found on the beach</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-61281716800632523112013-02-08T17:35:00.002-06:002013-07-22T23:38:14.936-05:00Graduation - Liberian Style<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graduate on parade in Buchanan c. 1977</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Graduation Day and/or Senior Day in Liberia is much like a holiday. Graduates get gifts, there are parades; people dress up in costume and paint; there is singing and dancing and partying and feasting. These Liberian traditions of celebrating Graduation Day seem to tie into some of the Poro and Sande graduation ceremonies while also incorporating some Western influences from the "Settlers" as well. They are so enmeshed I'm not sure I can separate out the two influences anymore than one could separate the influences upon Mardi Gras in the US Gulf South. In fact, while participating in Liberian graduation ceremonies in 2011 I was reminded of the Krewes and parades of the Louisiana Carnival season of which I had observed with curiosity first hand while living there. Surely the African culture played a significant role in the development of US Mardi Gras along with the Native Americans and the Europeans. But back to Liberia...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liberian revelers decked out for Graduation/Gala Day in Buchanan, Liberia c. 1977</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graduation or Gala "Queen" on her float <br />
in parade through streets of Buchanan c. 1977</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">When I lived in Liberia in the 70's and 80's there was a different way that Liberian's celebrated Graduation Day and that seems to have changed. In those days the graduates would parade through town dressed in a "military-style" costume. This militaristic posing no longer dominates the graduation and gala day ceremonies in Liberia. This is an understandable change. You see, the demonic tsunami of death and destruction that ravaged Liberia throughout the 90's and up till 2003 was also dressed up in military garb and lingo. Warlords called themselves 'general' so and so and dressed the part while also costuming out their posses of death with military uniforms as they were able. The soldier became something to dread and fear and run from and lost any appeal it may have previously held in the mind of Liberians. In other words, soldiers are not as "in vogue" in Liberia as they used to be.</span><br />
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Graduates in "military-themed" uniforms march in Buchanan c. 1977<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61xs67tSpsGgm3Jz2xnUjfImXwX2DQv1JbItaBao7MCC-476kuXIrjZNrB-y_0h0dvD-FmARH-aw_w_SMF6y8j_MxR4doUGam1lCHGNsqDJ2-0wXBlUUeOx7P1DlmoKYg9nqy23I6rqpn/s1600/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61xs67tSpsGgm3Jz2xnUjfImXwX2DQv1JbItaBao7MCC-476kuXIrjZNrB-y_0h0dvD-FmARH-aw_w_SMF6y8j_MxR4doUGam1lCHGNsqDJ2-0wXBlUUeOx7P1DlmoKYg9nqy23I6rqpn/s640/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+344.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graduation Band marches through Buchanan with the crowd "second lining" the ceremony sans umbrellas c. 1977</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What remains of these ceremonies are the colorfully painted family groups that march through town and disrupt traffic and oftentimes the actual ceremonies themselves. In the States we urge the audience to refrain from clapping until everyone has received his or her diploma. An occasional air horn and/or drunk dad sounds out even in our ceremonies and we typically shake our heads and smirk while waiting for "our" graduate to cross the platform so we can perhaps let out a little yelp of our own. Our traditions do not allow anything that would completely overrun the ceremony itself. This is not necessarily true in Liberia anymore and something that has also changed in her culture. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQzJuT6X_xQmlkxv_wpzP0AyKORGKFoWj21msc6rrRWYiTwo1BsbvYqBj6YaLmelb8xCvOBkVP5IFKCbPczn5zjyJhkblh7k0MdQZNHg6kYMsU2396zivkDDDl5AGyao3LyHlSDFD0i7V/s1600/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQzJuT6X_xQmlkxv_wpzP0AyKORGKFoWj21msc6rrRWYiTwo1BsbvYqBj6YaLmelb8xCvOBkVP5IFKCbPczn5zjyJhkblh7k0MdQZNHg6kYMsU2396zivkDDDl5AGyao3LyHlSDFD0i7V/s640/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+327.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family and friends parade to the ceremony with singing and dancing</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4DJN41AwIS299CZdgL1Ubm5LyDVZBuqBOVY8fNMLqYgRwNBMTuDUSRbS5fraO9Gjrh8l1cLtUzisbgozwBJcNVPO-gqcfoKA1DOGcUhDFLtY9bCxkri1f2PgiBDEqhkDkVRhXgCpu_Vg/s1600/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4DJN41AwIS299CZdgL1Ubm5LyDVZBuqBOVY8fNMLqYgRwNBMTuDUSRbS5fraO9Gjrh8l1cLtUzisbgozwBJcNVPO-gqcfoKA1DOGcUhDFLtY9bCxkri1f2PgiBDEqhkDkVRhXgCpu_Vg/s640/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+744.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Undergraduates awaiting the beginning of the ceremony</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIx1nmOY2gVMBgLUXYN9zoDKXDTfxwiOHHtSqW_XjM0eL4Y2823COo7qex8lqS2U4BrnaBy2sV9Gs9la8tsOLe_H-f51B19Q5Qdv3OfT7HQTbjQvoSAkfx2HFaBhc_tu_htdtVBBvYZm2r/s1600/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIx1nmOY2gVMBgLUXYN9zoDKXDTfxwiOHHtSqW_XjM0eL4Y2823COo7qex8lqS2U4BrnaBy2sV9Gs9la8tsOLe_H-f51B19Q5Qdv3OfT7HQTbjQvoSAkfx2HFaBhc_tu_htdtVBBvYZm2r/s400/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+750.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graduates ready to enter the building for the ceremony</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Of the two graduation ceremonies I attended in Buchanan there was shouting and mobs of people running up to the front to carry off their graduate all through out. The speech of the Dux (Valedictorian) and the names of other graduates were often not even heard announced amongst the noise. This is not how graduation ceremonies were before the Civil Wars but it has become more the norm. I would feel comfortable describing these new sort of "ceremony" as organized chaos hanging by a thread. Throngs of people swarmed up and down the aisles and crowded the stage and even shouted down a school leader for not adequately paying the teachers or holding back their child's diploma. It was rather intense to say the least! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvecDp_BmpPfEx7YrTJMryFpH2c_ngC9dtA0GEhDa0OCuIzwpF3lG-eoS9P2ujLgUqISFrS9CZnc0RHxbsnIWMu8_P4FVyyfbhIh_hgyAaM3-1Ugdkdlhyphenhyphen6zkTeWEikBGTLBXDAabVRNzP/s1600/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvecDp_BmpPfEx7YrTJMryFpH2c_ngC9dtA0GEhDa0OCuIzwpF3lG-eoS9P2ujLgUqISFrS9CZnc0RHxbsnIWMu8_P4FVyyfbhIh_hgyAaM3-1Ugdkdlhyphenhyphen6zkTeWEikBGTLBXDAabVRNzP/s640/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+748.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graduates embrace family and friends outside after the ceremony</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Outside the ceremony itself are even more family members and revelers waiting for their graduate to emerge. They are often painted in school colors and decorated with palm branches. They also like to hit metal cans or jugs or drums and chant and dance around the graduate. There is a definite festive mood in the air! Our vehicle was stopped en route to one ceremony by a group of partiers that actually started yelling and banging on our vehicle. However, the smiles and laughter on their faces communicated that this was a celebration and not a riotous mob. It was right on the line between sheer terror and joy for me, much like many things are to the foreigner visiting Liberia.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdq2yeeFmVhEVjTjKkgIdZxcOvb4j3_K92rLYpTU_88s70r3ifLCttM5_uMVGA7CEivIB9JBJ_kzu87iCfPARp1OtQmj9ybju9NoaFJUFUHYtW-Q9XUvZGkjCS7QS_dfUKG2PJJ8I1OrQ/s1600/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdq2yeeFmVhEVjTjKkgIdZxcOvb4j3_K92rLYpTU_88s70r3ifLCttM5_uMVGA7CEivIB9JBJ_kzu87iCfPARp1OtQmj9ybju9NoaFJUFUHYtW-Q9XUvZGkjCS7QS_dfUKG2PJJ8I1OrQ/s640/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+329.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graduation/Gala Day parade in Buchanan c. 1977<br />
Liberia Christian High School</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">All in all the day or days of Graduation are marked with festivities and merriment. Graduates are given gifts and lauded by relatives. People are proud of their graduates and the graduates are all smiles at the attention. The obstacles they have overcome in getting their education is indeed something to celebrate and the lessons they have learned in the process are more than "book". May Liberia continue her proud tradition of celebrating those that seek education and may those that receive it give back to the communities that gave them the opportunity. Blessings on Liberia!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGl2dZgXn778_IlSBBe6VDH5sgFNGFLKWFrKUcdWJSiGwfD3yiyA0IGGL0-zHrC2jNyZaTtMc9ZR3nSGRxfFOTqUZSuofgFTT6XYjW0CoSXziZn1lgqMpwBJGAaRjlWRxdEyWRJDSrnbjA/s1600/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGl2dZgXn778_IlSBBe6VDH5sgFNGFLKWFrKUcdWJSiGwfD3yiyA0IGGL0-zHrC2jNyZaTtMc9ZR3nSGRxfFOTqUZSuofgFTT6XYjW0CoSXziZn1lgqMpwBJGAaRjlWRxdEyWRJDSrnbjA/s640/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+345.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Queen rides through Buchanan c. 1977</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOM9sktU_rq_eLKRJo6Fg_FITjC5xqqSMULqx7jKGBUbvLa2pFOMkPVOLUuBaoWZw6yoaoF2iBjO6j1ipvSY-136FtPv9T9FJnBBImTUye7t3EdF5WC14IKqHcQ1-j0xvscBgk143ZdRoS/s1600/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOM9sktU_rq_eLKRJo6Fg_FITjC5xqqSMULqx7jKGBUbvLa2pFOMkPVOLUuBaoWZw6yoaoF2iBjO6j1ipvSY-136FtPv9T9FJnBBImTUye7t3EdF5WC14IKqHcQ1-j0xvscBgk143ZdRoS/s640/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+330.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loading up in a truck for Graduation Parade, Buchanan, Liberia c. 1977</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrcxVfaBrcwRfN-iJD-_e7DpSNwm0tMpsHviulmJs_B1Ks1cJzHxa3lE-BPwNAUvLNfBubVmiO0Uzlwaa-bvJOXDG_UcUpkNHFFK_GYI3zBsGQ7IIe4Xviz9cwKhyphenhyphenxrCf1euF1p-mRnfw/s1600/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrcxVfaBrcwRfN-iJD-_e7DpSNwm0tMpsHviulmJs_B1Ks1cJzHxa3lE-BPwNAUvLNfBubVmiO0Uzlwaa-bvJOXDG_UcUpkNHFFK_GYI3zBsGQ7IIe4Xviz9cwKhyphenhyphenxrCf1euF1p-mRnfw/s640/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+333.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dressed up and ready to party - Buchanan c. 1977</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jtSN36i7lngQ-bpj2gwTZvGHu0aoWtgB2BbQi9k-U28lm8CM7KRcBHbm1koBjK27aYhRgTFwhm6M7PE1f3QbBOVqOkS1SRDkp5lluKXlPjtolyZrvUcGAZ1Tlt3Sql-8sqBBoreox2o1/s1600/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jtSN36i7lngQ-bpj2gwTZvGHu0aoWtgB2BbQi9k-U28lm8CM7KRcBHbm1koBjK27aYhRgTFwhm6M7PE1f3QbBOVqOkS1SRDkp5lluKXlPjtolyZrvUcGAZ1Tlt3Sql-8sqBBoreox2o1/s640/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+336.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smiles and shouting!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZh4mkFGze5Xl-Sx-736COk0294Hjk5EGGAR4GLMMYfQ7wqPrQAl-BCe6W20goV_x6JfeuxHecqpsNd0Q8qhQUYjuf-CMPAKkaTSMX1VZdBqNFpELswacWlW8dr76wgQZjm7XEiwIwaqhi/s1600/Liberian+Graduate+Queen+cu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZh4mkFGze5Xl-Sx-736COk0294Hjk5EGGAR4GLMMYfQ7wqPrQAl-BCe6W20goV_x6JfeuxHecqpsNd0Q8qhQUYjuf-CMPAKkaTSMX1VZdBqNFpELswacWlW8dr76wgQZjm7XEiwIwaqhi/s640/Liberian+Graduate+Queen+cu.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Queen makes her way through Buchanan, Liberia c. 1977</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNbcnnFxpYVAYvGhB-k0F3CQd42SECQFEJLyU6ncSOIxJLOxpAu3L5STxWSeDDjKkz8RVGEsImbyhfYAlUUoz_XI4cEPIoWn6Kv4j68xwzVUju5w5LtCoDgsoHj3wouiipTdmOPyPdZ2d/s1600/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNbcnnFxpYVAYvGhB-k0F3CQd42SECQFEJLyU6ncSOIxJLOxpAu3L5STxWSeDDjKkz8RVGEsImbyhfYAlUUoz_XI4cEPIoWn6Kv4j68xwzVUju5w5LtCoDgsoHj3wouiipTdmOPyPdZ2d/s1600/Pre+1988+Slide+Improt+328.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">You know its a party when the band starts! Buchanan, Liberia c. 1977</span></td></tr>
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HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-31694168258118261492013-02-01T09:08:00.001-06:002013-07-22T23:36:47.231-05:00How the Bassa Got Their Name<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">There are several histories out there concerning the Bassa
people of Liberia. Some claim they
descend from the Abyssinian people and from this their name was derived (i.e. “A-bassa-nia”)
others claim differently. Dr. Syrulwah
Soma has written a book on the history of the Bassa (<i>Nyanyan Gohn Manan:
History, Migration and Government of the Bassa</i>) in which he proposes that there
were actually Bassa on the throne of Egypt as Pharaohs and that at one point in
their history the Bassa traded with Hano of Carthage and led armies in conquest
of ancient India. One thing is certain and
that is that there is a common oral tradition among the Bassa as to how they
got their name. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Today I will share this theory with you on how they got
their name “Bassa.” I received this first from Dr. Abba Karnga, a man who has
done much to try and preserve the ancient tales, proverbs and customs of the
Bassa people. The following tale is a
common oral tradition among the Bassa concerning how they came to be called “Bassa”.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8rmK6UNeokIcXNhRJf8vT6vtPG8EyIyT5N5SxFbPf35mZswym4gd-p55ohiKNZd8BVLT2Byq37Rj3qNRCNAO-P9RLLob7Z5VCQNwSzCGMjkhDHqcqC27WQTa_fcuYOYkNQ_Q3OTkwOS-/s1600/IMG_0788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8rmK6UNeokIcXNhRJf8vT6vtPG8EyIyT5N5SxFbPf35mZswym4gd-p55ohiKNZd8BVLT2Byq37Rj3qNRCNAO-P9RLLob7Z5VCQNwSzCGMjkhDHqcqC27WQTa_fcuYOYkNQ_Q3OTkwOS-/s640/IMG_0788.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dr. Abba Karnga and Heath Vogel in Buchanan, Liberia in 2011</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The areas of modern day Liberia in which the Bassa are
concentrated (roughly Grand Bassa and parts of Margibi & River Cess
Counties) was at one time called the “Gboo” territory.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">They were named after Chief Gboo, who was an
ancient and mighty chief of the people that would later be called Bassa.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">These
people who were ruled by Gboo were called “Gboo Nyohn Bey” which simply means “Gboo’s
people.”</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">The name of this ancient tribe changed
from Gboo Nyohn Bey to Bassa during the arrival of the Europeans.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here is how that happened…</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVJtoep4YYD9qqODcxLdFWmd6hyZNHjBPnhNzIZrbcr-OkFesx3ExRWbV0u77kqASYErKOq3GrMS9Uql7fCodMrasWh_7NXDApivG_j7LUYTYIlVDP7NT_0h_mNYqevHAtWB9bD4WR2Ve/s1600/Old_Map_Liberia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVJtoep4YYD9qqODcxLdFWmd6hyZNHjBPnhNzIZrbcr-OkFesx3ExRWbV0u77kqASYErKOq3GrMS9Uql7fCodMrasWh_7NXDApivG_j7LUYTYIlVDP7NT_0h_mNYqevHAtWB9bD4WR2Ve/s640/Old_Map_Liberia.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Old Map of Liberia showing "BASSA COVE" near Pennsylvania Colony which was settled by Black Quakers from Pennsylvania during the ACS/Back to Africa Movement</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">When the Europeans arrived on the Liberian coast to trade in
iron, pepper and slaves they met with the Gboo Nyohn Bey</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">on the coast (possibly around modern day
Buchanan which was first called Basa Cove by the Europeans).</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">At that time the chief in that area was a man
who called himself Mr. Rock (or Father Stone as some say).</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Now the Bassa word for ‘rock or stone’ is ‘Saw’
and the Bassa word for ‘master or father’ is ‘Bah’ and so Chief “Bah Saw”
became the man with whom the Europeans did their business.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mr. Rock’s servants who interacted with the
Europeans called themselves the “Bah Saw Nyohn Bey” or “Mr. Rock’s People”.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chief BahSaw and the “Bah Saw Nyon Bey” therefore
became a representative of the Gboo Nyohn Bey to the European traders.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">As it was difficult for the Europeans to call
them “Bah Saw Nyohn Bey” they shortened it to “Bah Saw” or simply “Basa” as
some of the old European maps show.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">And
so that is how the name Bassa was placed upon Chief Gboo’s people.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div>
HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-88306938271012861822012-11-26T18:36:00.001-06:002013-07-22T23:35:52.426-05:00Get Some Bassa Rhythm!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlGHbHAdJyqDcSEAWyTgxG3kBSJxEyKotJYBeudWEU1DmsJtz4b6D2z2K7otuRtMKVLkDOltPTH5LaWKsktYFNNYNcqjQe3_vJohC1EUjkKRsSaRNNzTT4pGd19DaUiHXr6Rj6E5iBUQJ/s1600/IMG_0316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlGHbHAdJyqDcSEAWyTgxG3kBSJxEyKotJYBeudWEU1DmsJtz4b6D2z2K7otuRtMKVLkDOltPTH5LaWKsktYFNNYNcqjQe3_vJohC1EUjkKRsSaRNNzTT4pGd19DaUiHXr6Rj6E5iBUQJ/s640/IMG_0316.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bassa Dialect Choir Drummers<br />The bigger drum keeps time and the smaller drum improvises</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyIIyD8_SDURH_QVUTNL84U1ZzU2v8lUesmJuvuAlqDh8KACXIq5ZKZ7R6JFfYMlDhr6D0IBfXd9DBcGFs8AhS-ePMOsa_mLvi-kx90g3CbWPCrBIWAJHuxLrGB69m7zRKqY84nzrp2DI/s1600/IMG_1040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyIIyD8_SDURH_QVUTNL84U1ZzU2v8lUesmJuvuAlqDh8KACXIq5ZKZ7R6JFfYMlDhr6D0IBfXd9DBcGFs8AhS-ePMOsa_mLvi-kx90g3CbWPCrBIWAJHuxLrGB69m7zRKqY84nzrp2DI/s320/IMG_1040.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of my "touristy" goat skin Liberian drums</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Here is a basic Bassa rhythm that I was taught as a kid in Liberia. It is from a Bassa song that has something to do with a man that had gold in his pockets, so a happy song! I used a touristy goat skin drum I picked up along the street in Monrovia as I could not find the actual Bassa drums for sale. Supposedly the traditional deer skins are hard to find as people chop bush meat into smaller pieces with disregard to the skin and the deer are becoming more difficult to find. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzKksr4Tzbxuo6DZickCFcKMIshe6FWL3E0wPfD0mlDUIfy6Tzb36G0jyyf10WjkpWAv8DX07H1i1oIxdyDqoT3pWi9Uh-FcnUfsk9FMUdR5lVNFeyF1DYFssg6rCW3whXZk_vkdC0iRz/s1600/Bassa+drummer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzKksr4Tzbxuo6DZickCFcKMIshe6FWL3E0wPfD0mlDUIfy6Tzb36G0jyyf10WjkpWAv8DX07H1i1oIxdyDqoT3pWi9Uh-FcnUfsk9FMUdR5lVNFeyF1DYFssg6rCW3whXZk_vkdC0iRz/s640/Bassa+drummer.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bassa drummer bringing the beats to a congregation heading down to the river for a baptism</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">This first video then is the basic beat that would be played on the bigger square drum and the second video is of the rhythm that is played on the smaller drum. These rhythms are slowed way down and also in reality there would be two drummers each playing one of the drums at the same time, but hopefully this gives you the idea!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Of course if you'd rather not learn to play and just listen check out a couple of these Bassa Dialect Choir recordings I made in the summer of 2011. The lighting is bad in the night one and the sound can be rough at times, but you can hear loud and clear those drums beating out some fine Bassa rhythm! Enjoy-o!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">This guy can rock out!....</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6U6D_z4qK4Zm-gs0HsJGioyfU3GPotJvI2ni0dmBdyVvS7vz9wy4uv2LETS4vdRpYA8WbkdLPdypHg93rEXEce1gpJLUS5PnyeXquLSmYHr45DhtiBsh6WwOrtw4D79ouyaNFaqJwvokc/s1600/IMG_0315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6U6D_z4qK4Zm-gs0HsJGioyfU3GPotJvI2ni0dmBdyVvS7vz9wy4uv2LETS4vdRpYA8WbkdLPdypHg93rEXEce1gpJLUS5PnyeXquLSmYHr45DhtiBsh6WwOrtw4D79ouyaNFaqJwvokc/s640/IMG_0315.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I dream of someday drumming like these guys....</span></td></tr>
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<br />HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305895456729478317.post-11429709936051563162012-11-24T14:39:00.000-06:002013-07-22T23:34:57.650-05:00The Day I Entered a Poro "Devil Bush"<span style="font-size: x-large;">I've written a little about the so-called "<a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/11/introduction-to-liberian-english-part-2.html" target="_blank">Devil Bush</a>" in several articles here. It is a kind of sacred grove hidden in the bush where <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/06/societies-within-society-secret.html" target="_blank">secret societies</a> like the Poro and Sande meet for their secret rituals. It is a place where non-initiates are threatened with death if they trespass; a place I unknowingly entered into when I was 13. Here is the story of how all of that went down ...</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">BACKSTORY</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">We arrived in Liberia in 1976 at the request of some <a href="http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/2012/06/people-groups-of-liberia.html" target="_blank">Bassa</a> leaders that were looking for teachers from the US for their school. My dad then taught in Buchanan, the county seat of Grand Bassa County, and it was through this that he became connected with an individual that made another request of my dad: he wanted him to come speak in his village. This individual was a Liberian who had become a Christian and he wanted my dad, who is also a pastor, to come and speak in his village about Christianity. My dad agreed and made the trek.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">According to old newsletters that my parents had written around that time the name of this village was "Doowin". (This was at least how it sounded to my dad when he heard the name.) It was quite a hike back into the deep bush and upon arrival the entire village came out to meet the group that had journeyed together with my dad. Everyone spoke in Bassa and dad was able to get pieces of information from the welcome ceremony from translators. Entering this village must have been like entering another world for my dad. Here's what he pieced together from that...</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">WELCOMING CEREMONY</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The visitors to the village were joined together with the villagers in a big circle under the open air in the middle of the village. The Chief of Doowin (sp?) walked into the circle and greeted the visitors in the presence of everyone there. To the best of my dad's recollection, in his hands was a plate that had an egg on it and also a small pile of salt and a small pile of dirt. These obviously symbolized something and dad remembers getting a brief explanation, but does not remember exactly what that explanation was. It seems that it had something to do with being invited into the community.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4eJ98qZA2MP986IWBO281lmErp3uRwoUzxnBBng4ov5XoXTecd-7hdL64dN72qxYESLMCSbpUFMLBs437Njgf2E3Wive8WJwXctlfmRLVJxi6WqeWtGXI1h48JzBUuGWklY2KBkaL7uu/s1600/Doowin-Chief-with-egg-bowl-dirt-on-plate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4eJ98qZA2MP986IWBO281lmErp3uRwoUzxnBBng4ov5XoXTecd-7hdL64dN72qxYESLMCSbpUFMLBs437Njgf2E3Wive8WJwXctlfmRLVJxi6WqeWtGXI1h48JzBUuGWklY2KBkaL7uu/s640/Doowin-Chief-with-egg-bowl-dirt-on-plate.jpg" width="420" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chief of Doowin presenting the visiting group with an egg, <br />dirt & salt in a bowl<br /> - photo by Ken Vogel</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">THE STRANGE WHITE MAN</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Dad remembers how the village was curious about seeing a white man. Everyone kept stealing glances at him to see if he was for true. They listened with interest to his presentation of some basic Christian concepts through a Bassa translator. They watched him as entered the guest hut. They watched him again with fascination as he brushed his teeth. They watched as he performed this strange ritual of spitting and rinsing into a cup and then "wasting" his spit water on a nearby rock. He looked and behaved so very strange and must have been quite the talk of the town.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">DOOWIN REVISITED</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I was not old enough to make this initial hike with my dad. However about 9 years later, when he was asked again to return, I got to go with him. I remember sitting in a small, mud and stick church that first evening there after our long hike. I remember that everything was spoken in Bassa except when my dad was asked to speak. Then I recall that everyone got quiet as an old man got up to speak in Bassa. Here is the basic translation of what he said....</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">THE DEVIL BUSH</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">He recounted how he remembered when my dad came to visit their village several years before. He remembered how he had talked about this strange, new god who had power over death. He then remembered that this white man had taken his spit and thrown it on their sacred rock in front of everyone. (Apparently the rock dad had thrown his toothpaste water on was their village god!) He remembers waiting to see what would happen to this man who had challenged their god in front of the entire village. Surely their god would strike this man dead! When the white man lived the village met and decided that this white man's god must have more power than their god and placed their faith in this new god. After the white man had left and with a new found courage in this new god they went into the Devil Bush and cut it down and in its place they had built this church where we now worship this new god, Jesus. In fact, the very place where I was sitting that evening had been the gathering spot for Poro. In the community's new spirit of openness instead of secretiveness I had been invited to enter into their very own most sacred space. I had entered into the Devil Bush and lived to tell about it!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0GUNpScyFg2D3BDEAjoCaLQNkxPpnq73SeviE0y06kPYRnLVlr0E0sYZDqtnZplaTaA5ulGoPmMnHoJsyWUCu_GwVBIRjZ4RIvK0X1owECNNsQxPCq1eWw5MpSIq4n_LlcT0y46X59mH/s1600/Doowin-Welcome-Meeting-Aug-1976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0GUNpScyFg2D3BDEAjoCaLQNkxPpnq73SeviE0y06kPYRnLVlr0E0sYZDqtnZplaTaA5ulGoPmMnHoJsyWUCu_GwVBIRjZ4RIvK0X1owECNNsQxPCq1eWw5MpSIq4n_LlcT0y46X59mH/s640/Doowin-Welcome-Meeting-Aug-1976.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The village of Doowin gathered around to welcome the new visitors (Aug 1977)<br />photo by Ken Vogel</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Alright, so perhaps this wasn't what you were expecting? Perhaps you were wanting me to share some kind of deep, dark secret that I had witnessed in a Neegee ceremony (a missionary actually did join the Neegee once by the way but that is another story) or some amazing tale about how I had barely survived attempts on my life for trespassing on Poro sacred ground. In fact, depending on your personal views on Poro and Sande this whole tale is either a terrible tragedy to Liberian culture or it is an amazing testimony to the power of God to use people who have no idea what they are doing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I will end by saying that from my perspective it was far better to have been in the sacred grove at peace with my Liberian brothers and sisters than it would have been if I had been in that same grove 10 years earlier. Had it happened then my life would have surely been threatened just for simply being there. That they shared their sacred space with me instead of threatening me to stay away speaks of true love and hospitality. From my point of view the fact that I was invited into fellowship with Liberians as they worshiped was far better than being excluded because I wasn't born in the "correct" culture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">You may ask, "But didn't you just feel more comfortable with them because they now worshiped the white man's God?" To which I would reply, "We are all children of God and last I checked Jesus was actually Middle Eastern, not white." The teaching of the Bible is that the Blessing is available to all nations, races and ethnic groups through Abraham's Seed. Anyone can know the peace that transforms us from excluding others from our sacred space to opening wide the doors to our fellow human beings (whether that exclusion be a Poro society or an all white, suburban church in the US). Shalom. </span><br />
<br />HeathVogelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580265755487123681noreply@blogger.com0