Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $9.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Bananas in the Rafters: An African Classic
    Bananas in the Rafters: An African Classic
    Bananas in the Rafters: An African Classic
    Ebook150 pages2 hours

    Bananas in the Rafters: An African Classic

    By MSE. Dzirasa

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Bananas in the Rafters, sweeps the ardent young reader into a youthful adventure filled with great ethnic and cultural awakening, set within a world that has been misrepresented for centuries to many a non-African born child. Focusing on a small town located in a fictional West African nation, the children of Saint Pauls Parish come alive once more after their celebration in The Christmas Hut, (also by the author) to share an important period in their lives while growing up in a part of the world within a continent, that is often tainted with massive socioeconomic setbacks and underdevelopment.

    Bananas in the rafters, focuses on families, leaders, children and average citizens, living within a community that operates within a grander culture of tribes, separated traditionally by religion, and culturally by dialects yet strongly united by nationality as one people. Its captivating text educates the young reader about a world out there, where the author once thrived as a child, as it uniquely weaves an enlightening variety of subject matters, from the yarns of family values, education and individual life experiences while sparingly dipping them into rigid realistic dyes of colonization, independence, revolutions, and an aspiring fight for national stability, before spinning them on looms that strengthen the stitching of history, education, and development together, in order to produce the best sociocultural fabric fit for the prospective wholesome blooming of the growing child. It is, indeed, the ultimate book tailored for this progressive era of cultural awareness and ethnic embrace. For within its pages, the readers imagination, as well as eyes, are open into the original workings of the African culture, in a far more practical way, than has ever been made literarily tasteful and readily accessible, to any African-authored young adult reader.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAuthorHouse
    Release dateDec 16, 2014
    ISBN9781496958389
    Bananas in the Rafters: An African Classic
    Author

    MSE. Dzirasa

    MSE. Dzirasa is an Up and Coming Equatorial Author and Illustrator, with a Library Studies and Early childhood education and experience, in Ghana and the United States respectively. As a person born in the 60s, bred and educated along the Gulf of Guinea, within a family of Politics and Academics, she became a lover of the printed word at an early age. Her writing ability has always been prominent from Primary through higher education. She is also known to her friends on face book as the literary voice against corrupt leadership in her native land Ghana. She is an animal lover and Activist in matters concerning regulated and principled democracy for her people. But above all, she loves to write from life; especially for the Internationally young, so as to introduce, connect and share with them the richness, diversity, yet inclusiveness of the African culture, while proudly showcasing the hospitably woven fabric of the resilient and enduring texture of the ethnicity within which she was nurtured. The Christmas Hut appears on bookshelves as her first of many- to- come, originally created and illustrated reading/picture book series named, “Equatorial Reader”

    Read more from Mse. Dzirasa

    Related to Bananas in the Rafters

    Related ebooks

    Teaching Methods & Materials For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Tagatavāsā

      Dec 26, 2017

      Ua fuifui fa‘atasi ae sa vao ‘ese‘ese is an enduring Sāmoan expression that signifies that we have gathered together from different parts of the forest. ‘O Sā. Our clans. ‘O ‘āiga. Our families. ‘O tupuga. Our ancestors. ‘O tapuafanua. Our guardian s

      5 min read

    • Article

      Back To Nature

      Apr 24, 2019

      Back To Nature
      9 min read

    • Article

      Nina Karnikowski

      Aug 1, 2023

      AS A CHILD, OUR FAMILY HOLIDAYS WERE ALWAYS TO… Places we could get to in our old silver station wagon: Barrington Tops, Byron Bay, the Gold Coast, Noosa. Windows down, a street directory open across the dashboard. We’d listen to the same two cassett

      2 min read

    • Article

      Flower Power

      Jul 2, 2020

      Flower Power
      6 min read

    • Article

      Cape Town Revival

      Oct 19, 2021

      Cape Town Revival
      6 min read

    • Article

      My Weekend Country Escape

      Dec 29, 2021

      My Weekend Country Escape
      5 min read

    • Article

      Adventure Canada

      May 4, 2023

      Adventure Canada
      6 min read

    • Article

      We’ll Meet Again

      Oct 14, 2021

      We’ll Meet Again
      3 min read

    • Article

      Burke And Who?

      Jan 29, 2020

      Burke And Who?
      3 min read

    • Article

      Nicola Chester

      Dec 15, 2022

      Nicola Chester
      2 min read

    • Article

      Breaking Bread

      Nov 1, 2024

      I must admit, my favorite time of the day is dinner time. If I’m home, it is a chance to pour a glass of chilled Sancerre, get out a cast-iron skillet, sauté veggies or chicken, chop greens for a salad, and slice up a baguette. This time, I think, is

      1 min read

    • Article

      Chitchat

      Nov 25, 2022

      Write to us and tell us about your move to the platteland or your dreams of doing so, the characters in your town, the things you love… or the things that bug you. Go to platteland.net and click on“English”and then“Contact”to write your letter, or se

      7 min read

    • Article

      Getting Out Into Wild Places

      Nov 20, 2023

      Welcome to the newly introduced Treading Lightly column! I’m stoked to be here as your in-house nature lover and trail explorer. In each edition, I will bring you the latest from the world of sustainable gear, enviro initiatives, and anything remotel

      3 min read

    • Article

      Life As It Should Be

      Sep 13, 2024

      Life As It Should Be
      6 min read

    • Article

      Wild At heart

      Apr 26, 2024

      Wild At heart
      11 min read

    • Article

      Appalachia

      Aug 6, 2019

      Appalachia
      7 min read

    • Article

      Books With The Most Impact

      Mar 15, 2023

      Books With The Most Impact
      9 min read

    • Article

      Benne Wafers

      Dec 1, 2020

      Benne Wafers
      6 min read

    • Article

      At Home in England

      Aug 1, 2023

      At Home in England
      5 min read

    • Article

      Good to SHARE

      Jul 21, 2021

      Good to SHARE
      3 min read

    • Article

      Every Day Is Like Sunday

      Dec 23, 2021

      Every Day Is Like Sunday
      12 min read

    • Article

      Four Seasons On The Farm

      Sep 15, 2023

      Four Seasons On The Farm
      6 min read

    • Article

      April Diary

      Mar 16, 2020

      April Diary
      4 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Bananas in the Rafters

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Bananas in the Rafters - MSE. Dzirasa

      AuthorHouse™

      1663 Liberty Drive

      Bloomington, IN 47403

      www.authorhouse.com

      Phone: 1-800-839-8640

      © 2014 MSE. Dzirasa. All rights reserved.

      No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

      Published by AuthorHouse 12/12/2014

      ISBN: 978-1-4969-5839-6 (sc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4969-5838-9 (e)

      Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

      and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

      Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

      Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

      Contents

      Part One

      Part Two

      Part Three

      A Glossary Of

      About the Author

      Bananas in the Rafters

      An Equatorial Reader

      And

      A Children’s International Educative Reader Series

      (C.I.E.R.S.)

      Written and illustrated

      BY MSE. Dzirasa

      Owner and Creator of

      photo%20(1).JPG

      In ever loving memory of my Mother Grace.

      I

      Part One

      O n the Gulf of Guinea coast, fringed with colorful tribal canoes, tall coconut trees heavy with fruit, sway elegantly like dancing maidens to the rhythm of the salty mist laden sea breeze, and wave their giant fronds to greet the equatorial dawn, that had just woken Saint Paul’s Bay, after a quiet night’s rest. Across the pink sandy shores, the hardy vegetation of random cotton plants, flowering cacti and wild snake berry bushes, thrive in resistant patches, as they have done centuries ago. The intermittently blowing morning breeze, captures the landscape within its rhythm and pauses to draw breath; reminding one of a Soprano’s operatic performance. This causes, the wide strips of overgrown crab grass, interwoven with coral colored footpaths, to sway as if ready to escort callers into the little clustered settlement of fishermen’s huts, surrounded by numerous soot stained fish smoking sheds. Bordering the sheds, several uneven rows of Elderly or retired fisher folk’s homes, stand guard over rickety shacks, stuffed untidily with fishing supplies like nets, mending tools, whole and broken paddles, baskets of cork and makeshift wooden coolers, lined with bundles of burlap.

      Beyond this rustically beautiful scenery of Saint Paul’s Bay and the Dual Carriage Way, lies the Township of Saint Paul’s Parish, populated by Truck and Bus Drivers, Market Gardeners, Small Local Business owners, Artisans and Craftsmen. On the other side of the Dual Carriage Way, past the Fisher Folk Settlement, the School Park is quiet. School is out for three months since, it’s the Long Vacation period until September. The burnt copper colored sands of the School Compound bear few footprints; and even the once busy School Canteen chimney, has lost its puff, as the school ovens lie cold, from doing nothing.

      In kindergartens One, Two and Three, colorful ethnically inspired study charts, hang quietly on the locally milled wood paneled walls, near stacks of little tables and chairs. The chalkboards in all three classrooms, display the farewell message, Happy Long-Vac to all. Amadou the School Watchman, is busy patrolling one after the other, all four extensive Primary and Middle school building corridors, with his dog Bantu Boy.

      He always carries his torch light in his right hand, and an old flat goatskin bag that usually contained snuff and Kola nuts, with a faded blue water bottle, across his chest to the right. The bag is severely worn; making it hairless on the side where his long left arm, constantly rubs the flap opening. His famous big walking and whacking stick, is carved from the strongest limb of the hundred year old *Neem tree, growing majestically near the south entrance of the Chapel, but closer to Kindergarten Three.

      In the nearby Parish residences, the children wake up slowly, yet very happy to see the dawn of another equatorial morning, as familiar noises interrupt its quietness. The Newspaper Boy is loudest as usual; summarizing the day’s headlines in many verbally exciting ways, with excessive exaggeration, to get his day’s consignment sold as fast as possible. Food peddlers can be heard on all the four major streets that lead to the residences, as their shrill voices interrupt the morning cooing of doves, the crowing of cocks, as well as the tweets and chirps of the massive flock of sparrow, that seem to be an eternally situated natural component of the equatorial skies.

      They sing out their menus, by appetizingly describing them in order to wake the sleepiest heads. The sour cornmeal porridge seller’s voice, darts across the cool morning air like a lone canary’s song, as she tells her porridge story in fermented cornmeal lyrics that boasts of the choice spices she uses, and verses that proclaim the natural origins and authenticity of her main ingredients.

      Once in a while, she adds an embellished declaration to attract newer customers, by actually peddling unbelievable statements like Abele-a-mi-ndu-ee-ei-mi ndu-o. I planted the corn; oh yes I did. And when that gets her shiny, cylindrical, beaten-aluminum, vending *Nkyensi, surrounded by customers ready to break their fasts, swarming her with cups and bowls of all shapes and sizes, she wittedly, embroiders more customer luring verbal patterns into her previous embellishment, attracting even more customers, while ensuring their permanency and loyalty.

      One cannot sometimes help laughing at some of her stories; Anokwale sane ake, mi fa gbe ke tee Ndia tor, mi yahe ni hoomor nibii ni dzeor nma keha koko nee. Believe me. She adds; I journeyed all the way to India, to buy choice spices for this porridge. With such a sweet tongue, a matching voice and the best sour corn meal porridge recipe, her Nkyensi is always empty before ten o clock.

      She can be seen balancing her vending tray effortlessly on her braided head, with her Nkyensi turned upside down in it, and her unraveled *Tako wrapped around her neck, as she cheerfully fumbles the knotted bulges, tucked on either side of her *Wrappa waist, hurrying out of the neighborhood in her worn out *Chaleyworte. One side of the bulge perhaps containing currency notes, and the other filled with shiny rattling coins.

      Like every morning in Saint Paul’s Parish, the neighborhood dogs, bark in turns, responding to the determined shrill of her piercing voice. Stretching and yawning from their beds, with no thoughts about school and homework, the children of Saint Paul’s Parish, love this time of year when every waking hour of the sunny equatorial day, offers nothing but fun filled adventures. They also love the fact that, they could spend quality time with their families and friends. Some of them look forward to seeing extended family members, who visit from the Countryside Villages. On many of such occasions, they often accompany them back for a visit as well, before the Vacation Season is over.

      Children of all ages from the Parish estates and township, plan wonderful adventures during this time of the year. The most loved of all, is the field trip to the *Fulani Kraal, behind the Town Lagoon, where they visit by wagons, and on foot, to tour the farm and buy Natural and Organic Dairy Foods like *Nuhu, *Wagashie, *Nekyere, *Tahaliya, as well as pick fresh eggs and harvest compost or humus, for their family gardens, while some of the girls get their hair plaited ‘Fulani-style,’ during the visit.

      Sometimes when they harvest enough compost, they sell little sacks for *Pence and *Pesewas to the Colonial Ladies of the Parish, who keep lush rose gardens in their posh walled yards. The Colonial Ladies are from a generation of Parish residents, who were born, raised and grew up before ‘The Great Rejoicing’, also known as the country’s independence from the British. They are the enforcers of values, manners, culture, ethics and social graces in the Parish, as well as the Township beyond.

      They also exist in special communities all over the nation like, the vital volumes of an encyclopedia, with spouses who strengthen and enforce their positions, by acting as the spines that secure their voluminous pages of historical facts, by always keeping them in respectable condition for ready reference, just like the spine of a book does. In a nutshell, they function as precious living archives, flowing with historical events and facts, that no British scholar can dispute.

      Their approval is therefore, sought in every social and civil undertaking; and their absence from events like Naming Ceremonies, Christenings, Milestone Birthday parties, Engagement parties and Weddings, create scandals and needless gossip, about the families involved. Which many a time, simply means, they lacked their expert approval. The Children call them the Dowagers of Saint Paul’s Parish; and love bringing them compost from the Kraal, not only for little tips, but especially for those rare invitations to the well spread Tea Parties, in their fragrant trellised gardens.

      The weather is pleasant, and the children of Saint Paul’s Parish are ready for another Kraal adventure. They always look forward to crossing the narrow stream full of goldfish, swept in from the Estuary, and also enjoy catching tadpoles for the fish to eat. Other children who keep animals like rabbits and guinea pigs, bring burlap sacks, to load the green baby poinsettia they harvest in the meadows and fields, which is a delicacy for their pets. They nicknamed the plant ‘Jeuse’, and it’s no surprise, their rabbits and guinea pigs love the milky fluid that oozes out of the tender hollow stems of the tender green poinsettia, as well as the clusters of crunchy nutritious berry buds.

      On such trips, the children take one or two locally made wooden wagons, to carry the younger ones, their supplies, lunches, and also to store mangoes, guavas and other fruits they pick from the wild orchards, kept by the District as Nature Reserves. Enyo usually takes her dog Teddy, who likes to bite the cow’s legs, and chase the goats and chickens on the Fulani farm. Her brothers M and N, bring chicken wire cages, to trap redheaded ‘Equatorial Police’ lizards, and never forget their catapults, with which they shoot hard green *Agbormi fruits at noisy cawing crows.

      The morning of the trip breaks very bright, with the golden equatorial sun casting a glimmering hue on the deep blue sea. As expected, the neighborhood roosters and sparrows, interrupt the quietness with crowing and tweets. The School Park is very quiet, except for the crashing of waves against the cliffs beyond, followed by a lengthy sigh like the hiss of the Blacksmith’s bellows, as the waves flatten into calm salty suds. The excited children wake up bright eyed and ready for a day of fun and adventure. Enyo, her baby sister Peeby and brothers M and N, ready themselves, quickly gather their supplies, kiss their parents goodbye and set off for the School Park, escorted by their Housemaid Afi and Zugu the Head Houseboy, who sweeps Peeby onto

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1