Liberia in Ghana

Every time we enter camp after picking up new volunteers, the Liberian driver proclaims to the shell shocked new-comers, "welcome to Liberian in Ghana." And it is like entering a different country. Of course, the "shell-shocked newcomers" haven't been here long enough to fully appreciate this distinction. But there it is.

Liberian culture is quite distinct from Ghana and from the rest of West Africa in general. This is apparent every time we leave camp and travel around the country. For starters, Liberian English is nearly incomprehensible to the uninitiated. This is the English spoken by the freed slaves who founded Liberia over 150 years ago; an English that has evolved through the years and mixed with local dialects. Ghanaians sometimes overhear Liberian English and assume it is another African dialect. In comparison, Ghanaians, living in a former British colony, speak the Queen's English. Ghanaians dress as you'd expect Africans to dress - in colorful African prints tailored in the traditional way or in western clothes a few decades out of date and second hand t-shirts that advertise things like "Waukegan Crabfest 1992." Liberians do the same, but because of their strong affinity for all things American, they add some seriously fashion-forward hip hop gear into the mix. You see the same "gangstah" attire you would in Compton or Harlem (I'm guessing, I'm a white suburbanite) on the men, and the women wear such tight provocative get up that I feel downright "churchy" in comparison. Add to this the near continual blaring of rap music and I feel like I'm back in West Philadelphia. Going from the interior of Ghana to the camp is like going from the set of "Out of Africa" to the set of an albeit rustic hip hop video.

When Liberians first arrived here they were warmly welcomed as fellow Africans who were fleeing a conflict not of their making. That was 15 years ago, and let's just say the welcome has cooled through the years. Ghanaians have told me that Liberians are all thieves and prostitutes, and Liberians constantly complain about being discriminated against (they are) by Ghanaians. I was once refused a ride on a tro tro (even after I offered the driver double fare) because "all Liberians are crooks and saboteurs" Well, he didn't say "saboteurs" (it's the Queen's English, but come on...), but he explained to me that Liberians put nails on the road to cause accidents. Whenever someone is found butchered (these things happen - sometimes even to provide fodder for rituals) the two communities blame one another. Ghanaian parents warn their kids about Liberian strangers and Liberians do the same of Ghanaians.

Some of this seems to have it's roots in a clash of culture. Liberians, for whatever reason, have the reputation of not saving any money - spending what little they have on present-day indulgences, dressing flashy and then worrying about school fees and clinic expenses later. I've read that this is because Liberia was for so long ruled by an elite (the descendents of freed slaves, Americo-Liberians) that distinguished themselves through outward displays of wealth, and that to gain access to power or patronage Liberians had to do the same. It could just be one of those hallmarks of people trapped by generations of poverty who prefer to enjoy any small windfall because tomorrow is so uncertain. It could be that in imitating all things American, they are mimicking our obsession with conspicuous consumption. I don't know exactly why, but that's the reputation and it's not wholly undeserved. Ghanaians, by comparison, are apparently much more conservative and frugal and disdain such ostentation.

But some of the mutual animosity might be rooted in jealousy and misunderstanding as well. Liberians were also inundated with aid when they arrived in Ghana so that their standard of living was lifted higher than the neighboring community. This was actually so much of a common problem in Africa that now the UNHCR has some kind of official policy about not creating too much of a disparity in wealth between the refugee settlement and the surrounding community even if it means providing aid to the local population. Also, many Liberians receive enough remittances from relatives abroad to live fairly comfortably on camp. But there is also an element of truth to the fact that Liberians do engage in illegal activities in Ghana. They have to. They cannot work here and the UN no longer provides them with reliable food distribution, housing or medical care. Those who do not have help from abroad truly have to hustle to survive. So, some become sex workers and some may engage in other illicit activities.

OK. But there are obviously more similarities than differences and it's no surprise that the host community has grown weary of having 40,000 refugees living on their land in a kind of economic limbo. And despite the tension between the two communities, there is no prospect of Ghanaian authorities sending the refugees back, even when the lease on the land runs out. They are co-existing and tolerating one another probably as much as possible given the circumstances. The truth is that all over Africa, countries that are struggling with their own conflicts and economic hardships generously accept large numbers of refugees from neighboring countries. Something like a fraction of a percent of refugees are ever resettled into wealthy Western countries. The others are hosted by their African neighbors. Maybe it is because the borders have been arbitrarily imposed by colonial powers or maybe because they have little choice or capacity to turn refugees away. I think a part of it is in this very African sense of community and interconnectedness that requires neighbors to help each other in times of crisis.