A little Fisherboy from Elmina
When I was just a little boy,
I asked my grandma what will I be?
Will I go fishing?
Will I be fished?
And this is what she said to me:
Fisher man’s son, whatever will be will be.
The future is not mine to see, so go back to your books.
Well, that was not the advise I was expecting. I so wanted to become a fisherman. I tried every trick in the book to skip school but my dear grandma always had one up me:
Some mornings, the police man will be chasing me so I’ll run to school crying. Boy, was I scared of the police? At the sight of anything in uniform, I will take to my heels, definitely school bound. Forget the lunch box. Forget breakfast. It was only after I grew up I discovered they were just her customers coming for tots of apeteshie (local spirit).
Other mornings, I will run and hide in a canoe at the beach… but they always found me after some hunting. Normally the story ends with some grinded hot pepper and ginger in my backside.
Obviously, I didn’t get to become a fisherman but the love for the sea and fisherfolk couldn’t be beaten out of me. Water excites me. I can watch fisherfolk at work all day. I can still speak a bit like them (the Elmina and Accra ones).
It doesn’t matter what I have become, I know I will always remain a simple fisherboy from Elmina.
Song is an adaption of “Que sera sera” by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
I asked my grandma what will I be?
Will I go fishing?
Will I be fished?
And this is what she said to me:
Fisher man’s son, whatever will be will be.
The future is not mine to see, so go back to your books.
Well, that was not the advise I was expecting. I so wanted to become a fisherman. I tried every trick in the book to skip school but my dear grandma always had one up me:
Some mornings, the police man will be chasing me so I’ll run to school crying. Boy, was I scared of the police? At the sight of anything in uniform, I will take to my heels, definitely school bound. Forget the lunch box. Forget breakfast. It was only after I grew up I discovered they were just her customers coming for tots of apeteshie (local spirit).
Other mornings, I will run and hide in a canoe at the beach… but they always found me after some hunting. Normally the story ends with some grinded hot pepper and ginger in my backside.
Obviously, I didn’t get to become a fisherman but the love for the sea and fisherfolk couldn’t be beaten out of me. Water excites me. I can watch fisherfolk at work all day. I can still speak a bit like them (the Elmina and Accra ones).
It doesn’t matter what I have become, I know I will always remain a simple fisherboy from Elmina.
Song is an adaption of “Que sera sera” by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Comments
Wonderfully crafted.
Double OUCH! on the pepper & ginger.
A passion is a passion though. You might want to start working out just in case you are at the beach one day and can't resist the urge to pull "tsaani" (Thats what the Ga's call it right?)
Being part and one with the scene, helps capture it better. Liking and having a passion for a subject or scene, makes capturing it more enjoyable.
Cheers
Teddy