Taking photos in Ghana is not easy. On top of being completely conspicuous everywhere I went I found there was resistance to me taking photos of people and anything that might suggest poverty. Many people I met in Ghana were keenly aware of how outsiders represented Africa in the media. They were, rightfully, defensive about it.

It was a lot easier to take photos at festivals and celebrations where everyone involved has the chance to look their best. Celebrations are performances and performances are meant to be watched and remembered. Photographers and videographers are hired for these events, so one more photographer doesn't draw much attention.

One of the people I interviewed put it this way: "Africa is the misunderstood and the ignored and the continually exploited continent and I feel that we all have a responsibility to address that one way or another...because so much is wrong in terms of how Africa is represented. Yeah there are terrible things going on in Africa, but it’s one part of Africa and there’s probably 90% of Africa that’s just boring and like everywhere else. You know, supermarkets and airplanes flying around."

While that quote perhaps downplays the level of poverty ordinary people are suffering from everyday (ordinary Ghanaians don't go to supermarkets or take airplanes for one thing) I think it gets at the idea that there's another side of the story.

When I got back to Portland my great-aunt asked me if the people in Ghana were starving like she'd seen on TV. I tried to explain that famine was an event, something out of the ordinary. That it isn't affecting the entire African continent at one time. That I knew of only one major famine affecting Ghana since it became independent in 1957.

You probably won't be surprised to hear that even high-profile, well-meaning efforts at raising awareness are not exempt from being clueless and ignorant about Africa as this article points out, "When saving the world with song, mind the lyrics."

The photo above was taken at the Aboakye festival which is an annual festival held along the coast in Ghana at Winneba. Two teams - red and white compete to catch an antelope with their bare hands and bring it back live. Whichever team brings the antelope back first wins. In Twi Aboakye translates to - 'catch animal.' Aboa = animal, kye = catch or capture.

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