Yen Dze Dze

There are many little phrases that Ghanaians say, mostly out of habit, but they are niceties that the American culture has all but annihilated. Comparing every day occurrences such as walking down the street, taking a cab and eating between Ghana and New York (as well as the majority of the US) is a little disheartening. There are a couple of these niceties that I think could help bring back a sense of community and one in particular that I have been dwelling on a lot lately, I’ll get into that shortly.

When you walk down the street, or do anything where you are remotely interacting with another individual it is common courtesy to at least look them in the eye and say “Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening”. If you are going to be engaging with an individual you continue with “How are you?” or “How’s the work”. The typical response, Ghana being a highly religious nation, is “By God’s Grace”, a very fancy way of saying fine, thanks only to God. It’s also very typical for people, especially taxi drivers (even ones going in the opposite direction) to randomly ask “where are you going”. Now they are willing to help you with directions if you stop to say “I’m going to Accra, how do I get there”, but I suspect that some people mean this more metaphorically and hope for a more insightful response.

Now, on to my favorite expression in Ghana: “Yen Dze Dze” which most directly means, “let us eat”, but its more involved meaning is “you are invited to eat, what is mine is yours”. Before people eat they always say this and it is very common to find people sharing one bowl of fufu between 2 or even more people…and (those who fear saliva, like me, brace yourself) they eat it with their hands!

Now, this in itself is a beautiful custom. However, I have found myself seeing this concept carried across many aspects of Ghanaian life. There is such a sense of community and there is very little need, unless you look in the larger cities like Accra. Whatever little people do have is shared amongst, at least, their family. And, family is even a broader concept here…all of the women I work with are my “sister” or “auntie” depending on their age. There aren’t even many adoptions that take place within Ghana because someone from the extended family will inevitably take care of a child that would otherwise be neglected.

To me, this shows that “Yen Dze Dze” is more than a nicety, it is a way of life. It is incredibly reflective of the early Christian church, and the encouraged formula for community in Christianity and most major religious communities. Acts 2: 42-47 of the Bible describes the early Christian community as one where they learned, ate and prayed together. They lived together and shared everything in common. They sold their possessions and the proceeds were given to anyone as they needed. I have been thinking about this a lot lately, especially in light of the economic crises in the supposedly “1st world”. It is not that the developed countries are lacking in resources…but in the ability to share those resources. Few have a lot while the majority have little. And, this disturbs me.

In the “developed” world, we think we have all the right answers. But what is so right about a nation where my fiancé and I are still likely to make less money than our counterparts simply because of our sex or skin color…or where the unemployment rate skyrockets while bailouts are given to the people at the top of the corporate ladder. Would it be so bad for those who have billions to just fall on their behinds and have to rely on someone else, God-forbid! Seeing how little the “global” crises has affected the average Ghanaian goes to say a lot about what they value and it shows the strength of having a more shallow ladder of success and a very evolved sense of community.

So, in light of all of this….I say Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening to you whatever time of day you are reading this. How are you? If you are fine by the Grace of God, I encourage you to share your blessings with those around you. If you are not fine…don’t be afraid to ask for help. We should not be afraid of admitting our failures and asking for help. This economy can teach us what it is like to truly rely on someone else and to give whatever we are able to ensure that no one is in need. I hope you feel challenged…use that and go out and do something for someone else…offer to babysit for the woman in your building or neighborhood who is working 2 jobs to pay her bills, buy some fruit for the homeless person you pass everyday and take a minute to stop and at least ask their name, visit with the elderly person that lives near you and is all alone, clean out your closet and take it to a local collection site and DON’T buy something new, volunteer at a school or a shelter or a soup kitchen….do something to become a part of the larger community. Maybe it will open you up to being emotional or hurt…but it’s about time we all start FEELING again!

So… “Yen Dze Dze”!