Hissing and Hawking

Two things that are big time here in Ghana are hissing and hawking. Hissing? Yes. Ghanaians hiss at you. The hiss sounds like a very loud tsss. They hiss at you when they want you to buy something from them, they hiss when they want your attention, they hiss when they want you to move. It's just an all purpose tsss. Craig had told me about this the last time he was here, but I had forgotten about it. I was standing at the luggage carousel waiting for my dad to gather our stuff and I heard this hissing sound. I thought, "what the heck is that!" I kept standing there and I kept hearing hissing. It finally dawned and I looked up and there was an irritated man standing there with all his luggage on a cart and he wanted to get through. I was partially blocking his path. "Oh excuse me sir. I was purposely ignoring you because I'm just so use to hearing people hiss at me!" I just had to laugh because he was seriously aggitated that I hadn't moved for him. Craig loves the hiss, unlike many of my female american friends here. It's just easy to get their attention rather than having to shout, "hey! hey you! What's your name?!?" Here, you hiss and everyone turns. So in going on with the hissing, there are hawkers. Hawkers are people who sell things to you on the road. Literally, on the road. They will stand in the middle inbetween the cars selling their goods. If you want something, you just hiss and they will literally come running (as well as everyone else because maybe you'll buy their stuff too). What's funny is that when they sell their goods, they will go right up to your window and thrust their stuff at you to get you to buy. You shake your head no and some will walk on, but others will stand there so persistent. The funny part is that when you tell them no, they will literally give you this look that says, "What is your problem! This is good. why wouldn't you want this cowboy hat. You need this cowboy hat. Your kids need this squeeky toy." So what can you buy from a hawker? Everything: water, plantain chips, pineapple (and mango and papaya), candy and chocolate. These things you would expect, but how about super glue, matches, and kleenex? That's right, it's gets better too. Yes, they do sell cowboy hats (camo ones too) as well as clothes and ties and also light up crosses. The best that I've seen is tummy trimmers. That's right, you never know when you might need to use a tummy trimmer while you're driving. It's hilarious. I love it. I love seeing what people will carry on their heads. They will carry anything! Craig said that he saw someone carrying a refridgerator on their head. Oh! and a chainsaw too. Women can carry quite a load too. They will carry a HUGE tub of giant yams (like 15 of these suckers) on their head while carrying their babies on their backs. Can you believe that? Oh and I just love that they carry their babies on their backs. I'm going to learn to do that! Anyway, enough typing, enjoy the pictures.

I am not Tracey Ostlund either. I am ashamed that I'm too chicken to get out of the car to take my pictures. All of these are taken from within. It's just that sometimes they want money and I don't want anyone getting in my face. Yeah, while taking these pictures a man got mad and starting hitting our car with his goods that he was trying to sell!

This picture is just to show how many hawkers will be in the streets and this is normal. Often times there will be A LOT more than this. Depending on how jammed traffic is. The heavier the traffic the better!

The woman in the picture (in yellow) is carrying water. We buy water from hawkers on a regular basis. I think that guy is selling sunglass holders and wallets.
Yes, it's true.....cowboy hats.
I thought this was awesome. This is one giant container of flip flops! Yes! and you can buy them for less than 70 cents.
This is a view to show how many hawkers were out. They are on every aisle and any person you see walking is a hawker.