My name is Suhuyini.

Many people coming to Ghana get a Ghanaian name. For example Siera, one of my surrogate daughters was named Tunteya (which means progress) by a woman’s group from a village near Tamale. I never asked for mine and no one has volunteered to give me one; Father Dom works just fine with me. Olivier was giving his by a hairdresser located near the Gumani House. Within hours of arriving in Tamale the hairdresser and her daughter named him Hunpini which means God’s gift; God has a weird sense of humour.

Olivier became good friend with some of the nearby shop owners. I rarely talk to them besides the regular greeting when walking by or stopping to buy something. By Ghanaian standards I am an old grumpy guy who gets annoyed by the overwhelming friendliness. I rarely give my phone number and if someone ask me to be their friend I usually tell them that I already have enough friends and if I take them as a friend then I would have to fire one of my existing ones.

Tunteya and Suhyini on the bus to Mole

So I am not exactly the poster boy for the friendly face of the white race. I used to think that I was a bit of a cranky man; now I have graduated officially to being a cranky old man. I guess I became old because I am reminded every day in so many ways that I am so old. My EWBer colleges have certainly contribute in that departmernt, I guess the difference is just there. For some reason Ghanaian people won’t let me carry my own bag. So it feels pretty much the same, gray hair and wrinkles and all, but I am being treated like if I was 90 years old and not able to start my own motto. Not a big deal; until I came to Ghana I never though of myself as being old; I feel more like a man with a fair amount of millage? ;)

Being old is like getting a title, you may get it but it doesn't mean you get more money. Unstead of the title I would have gladly taken the raise. ;)

As I walked by the few days following Olivier’s naming, the shop owners start calling me Suhuyini when I was greeting them. They just decided that I needed a Dagbani name.  Suhyini means the “One Heart” the one who inspires, who brings people together, the one one who thinks and feels for the group. So those people who barely know me gave me a pretty awesome name. I asked a few different people what it meant, just to make sure. When I ask one of the men in Taha he simply said: “it’s you, One Heart”.

Maybe they are just polite and couldn’t find a Dagbani name that meant “Cranky Old White Guy who doesn't want to be my friend”? Or maybe they saw some of the “One Heart” in me?

I can’t say that my Dagbani name is totally fitting, maybe I am somewhat of a “One Heart”. It’s more about what I aspire to become but I feel that there is a long way to go; I struggle in being inspiring and bringing people together. I just wish I was much better at it.

The good news is that I still have many good years left in me. There still some fighting left in this dog . I may comeback in Africa in the future even if it’s only to visit my Ghanaian family. Nevertheless from somewhere in West Africa I am bringing back home a reminder of what I should become; what I should be.

My name is Suhuyini and I don't give a flying (Beep, Beep, Beep) how young I am. And I can carry my own bag.

Cheers you all,