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2/1/1984 - West African Landscapes by Paula Williams

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITERS CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS PJW B P We_t Aft Landscapes Ouagadougou Haute Volta February Mr Peter Bird Martin Executive Director Institute Current World Affairs Wheelock House West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 USA Dear Peter Travelers hurry diversity variety Africa When husband LeRoy Duvall I recently traveled 0uagadougou Upper Volta Abidjan Ivory Coast decid train Although permitted overview landscape changes savanna humid lowland rainforest social impacts these changes Ouagadougou located middle Mossi Plateau plateau north central region Upper Volta It densely populated heavily cultivated The fairly sparse savanna grassland scattered trees shrubs To north Ouagadougou savanna region known Sahel In Arabic sahel means border Sahel region which borders southern Sahara Desert As rainfall increases minimal levels northern Sahelien regions southern coastal regions vegetation becomes travels south Ouagadougou through progressively dense savanna woodland finally dense vegetation typical lowland rainforest Abidjan located coast Gulf Guinea Atlantic Ocean noticeably humid inland Ouagadougou The train Ouagadougou Abidjan Regie Abidjan Niger RAN state owned corpo ration Although railroad always called Abidjan Niamey railroad trains Ouagadougou The started Ivory Coast century reached Bobo Dioulasso Upper Volta Ouagadougou Work underway however extend tracks Niamey Ouagadotgou The train important between Upper Volta Ivory Coast Many Voltaics train Ivory Coast where smployment working coffee cocoa Paula J Williams Forest Society Fellow Institute Current World Affairs studying human forest resources Saharan Africa fruit plantations working logging camps working laborers domestic servants It estimated million Voltaics national population million outside country A proportion these Ivory Coast As elsewhere Africa migrant workers primarily young The train carries imported goods Abidjan Ouagadougeuo Due primarily trans portation costs European goods command twice price Ouagadougeu Abidjan Voltaic Ivorian goods sported forth common Iverian pineapples Ouagadougou Voltaic handi crafts Abidjan MALI UPPER VOLTA NIGER Ni8mey Ouagadougou Dioulasso IVORY COAST GHANA Abidj KEY Railroad Gulf Guinea Miles I00 ATLANTIC OCEAN Kilometers I00 Map showing train Ouagadougou Abidjan Map adapted Bartholomew W Trave M Africa scale I I0 Edinburgh Scotland John Bartholomew Son Ltd There trains Ouagadougou Abidjan The faster Gazelle intro duced Currently scheduled hours kilometer while slower train Express scheduled hours The Gazelle newer train conditioned The Gazelle consisted three passen dining The first class seats which converted sleeping berths econd class seats We departed Gdougou promptly PM Monday afternoeno As pulled Ouagadougou passed through industrial section sports stadium Quickly countryside As rainy season ended September landscape already fairly brown grass dried yellow scattered individual trees green leaves massive trunks baobob trees without leaves clusters round their distinctively pointed thatch reofSo We people bicycling walking roads often loads firewood grass other materials Near tracks people stopped watch train Some particularly young children waved The daylight lasted In tropics night descends rapidly there lingering sunsets Instead seems someone pulls So viewing scenery suspended until The train surprisingly bouncy I condition track speed train being train bouncing It rather tricky dining overlap metal plates which serve walkway between rapidly bouncing Once dining I reminded eating sailing rough I difficult trying bottle glass glass going different rates The waiter skilled I navigating serving platter plates In middle night reached border About AM Voltaic customs officier before leaving country Then about AM Ivorian officier through other customs forms checked passports At AM Voltaic customs officier asking anythingto declare baggage followed Ivorian customs officler asking I waited while anyone would finally asleep again The northern Ivorian savanna Around AM light again The northern Ivorian landscape markedly different Mossi Plateau While still savanna vegetation dense clumps trees shrubs underneath In areas trees charred shoots green grass growing amidst burnt grass There numerous termite mounds tracks three Deciding I could appreciate scenery better after coffee I maneuvered dining The train bouncing night before As I entered I train conductor sitting table trying breakfast The coffee shooting speuting volcano splashing front uniform As tried drink coffee would start shoeting again After three unsuccessful attempts finally disgusted picked coffee bread walked other dining The ether rough I managed drink coffee there without mishap From window I could cylinders period icaly spaoed ameng trees They leoked cigar ashes At first I wondered might local equivalent totem poles Pacific Northwest Coast Indians gradually I realized trunks trees without their leafy green Some killed Later occurred might palms fronds palms often harvesting As train proceeded southward number palms papayas increased Green agricultural fields became common occasionally simple poles thatch probably shelter people working fields during their midday break night guarding their crops harvest birds animals The Ivorian houses noticeably lsrger Voltaic homes fewer buildings household compound The houses constructed rectangular walls thatch roofs farther south concrete walls rugated metal roofs typical The closer Abidjan paved roads electric lines Cars became numerous bicycles motorcycles Although there trees poles power lines Upper Volta metal posts Similarly railroad either metal concrete Presumably either valusble these purposes susceptible termite other problems In southem Ivory Coast there numer banana plantations Rows trees heavily weighed bunches fruit Many trees supported three bamboo poles wouldn weight fruit Many bunches fruit wrapped clear plastic while still In places bunches bananas hanging poles under thatch roofs Occasionally passed pineapple planta tions under irrigation The train passed through sections dense forest quite trees forming closed canopy stands bamboo hanging vines I would envision African jungle They small areas however surrounded cultural lands My fleeting glimpse rainforest reveal monkeys other wildlife En route passed through number towns cities There still being constructed train stations smaller Ivorian stops Whenever train stopped local vendors approached their wares passengers fruit baskets sunglasses bottles water The produce various train stops reflects seasonally locally available In Ivory Coast women selling bananas apples orange black tipped In Upper Volta mangoes papayas common purple white peauus Approaching Abidjan density dwellings tracks increased In people laying cloths tracks There groups twenty thirty pieces cloth similar colors designs green repeated white geometric shapes purple batiks Large barrels small nearby purple streaked indicated fabric probably being Finally Abidjan itself In distance large mushroon shaped watertower Then gradually train swung around could business section known Plateau The train lrief Plateau Station continued across bridge spanning Ebri Lagoon arrived Treichville station It almost PM close twenty hours after departed Ouagadougou averaged kilometers miles Relieved finally bouncing gathered luggage train George Jones former fellow Institute Current World Affairs waiting there I apologized being hours George assured station prepared reading material George Institute fellow early 1970s looking health systems Kenya Tanzania Now working Project 0fficier planning development projects Regional Economic Development Service Office West Central Africa REDSO W CA U S Agency International Development U S AID The REDSO staff development projects twenty countries region which U S AID missions George Carole works health field keeping herself these consulting George Carole invited visit They wonderful hosts showing introducing their friends helping business matters while there It getting hearing their tales fellowship We chance become acquainted newest member their family Wawa Wawa young parrot acquired three weeks before arrival George Carole hoping Wawa teach English French So Wawa growls trying large bamboo Our visit chance Abidjan coping current electricity shortage The country electrical energy hydropower Due lower normal rainfall summer there insufficient since December To shortfall electricity provided different sections different times When arrived there supposed electricity residential districts AM again Puntil midnight George Carole explained sometimes electricity would remain longer scheduled often quite unpredictable Towards hours evening PM The shortage electricity predicted continue until March hoped rains arrive solve problem Meanwhile Abidjan businesses generators continue function while others folding Africa empty there electricity Traffic patterns messed traffic signals often function nighttime street lights months This situation crippling Abidjns around million people It quite shock those economic prosperity western amenities Ivory Coast Abidjan seems worlds apart Ouagadougeu matter kilometers The Ivory Coast economically prosperous Upper Volts while latter capita income around lowest Africa former capita income I000 highest continent The business section Abidjan marked paved streets sidewalks buses metered orange taxis In Ouagadougou there sidewalks roads covered people bicycles motor cycles there buses taxis uniform insofar signs Although 0uagadeugou large number resident expatriates small compared evident Abidjan Abidjans sizeable foreign population thousands marily French Lebanese Western influences obvious Abidjan Western dress women being common Ouagadougou It noticeable women businesses shops restaurants Abidjan three months Upper Volta I waitresses women cashiers For return Upper Volta decided Bobo Dioulasso Upper Volta second largest We decided slower train Express scheduled arrive Bebo Dioulasso AM following morning If taken Gazelle would arrived Bobo Dioulasso around AM train until AM Voltaic curfew Saturday afternoon train station around PM before train departed This longer train first This train condi tioning fortunately windows could opened Our north bouncy Due slower speed windows easier appreciate scenery photographs As train compartments windows different heading north tracks whereas heading south Just north Plateau section Abidjan there numerous harbor floating booms being loaded ships nearby small lumber Timber export commodity Ivory Coast along coffee cocoa fruit plantations important factor country lative prosperity Currently timber being southwestern portion country along coast Liberia Central Ivory Coast landscape corrugated metal roofs visible foreground lower right Later afternoon passed through northern central Ivory Coast number fires burning It unclear whether fires clear agriculture promote growth grass livestock other reason Some fires burning quite close tracks floated window drifted throughout railroad We arrived border AM This asked train customs officiers could stamp passports The train waited Voltaic border Niangoloko until AM Then chugged rapidly tracks Banfora covering kilometer distance including couple brief stops At Bsnfora waited another while customs officiers through train searched luggage From Banfora Bobo Dioulasso kilometers another couple hours We arrived around about hours behind schedule I appreciated delay insofar chance southwestern portion Upper Volta during daylight which missed seeing south It quite surprise agricultural fields under irrigation fields sugar Bobo Dioulasso pleasant broad lined streets It important center French colonial administration West Africa largest Upper Volta prior independance Due prominence Bobo Dioulasso number important research centers Center Economic Secial Studies West Africa Center Muraz tropical disease research Bobo Dioulasso tranquil adougeu owing traffic streets Although there large military Bobo Dioulasso military presence throughout noticeable 0uagadougou Consequently people Bbo relaxed about observing PM curfew people 0uaga while 0uaga everyone tends leave their friends restaurants around PM ahead curfew Bobo people often until I0 PM Another major difference between cities languages spoken While 0uagadougou people speak Moore language Mossi people center speak French It French women vegetable sellers example French names vegetables barter prices French where vegetables grows In Bobo Dioulasso contrast there seemed quite number people speak French II Diula Boboo A small river through center Bobo Dioulasso For distance several blocks alongside river there green vegetable gardens eccasional trees During people water their gardens Women their lmndry nearby bushes Older women sometimes morning other chores sorting After spending couple Bobo Dioulasso finally ready 0uagadougou Since already spent hours train weren another seven A friend suggested faster alter native three The taxis function local equivalent buses They however fixed schedules When enough passengers vehicle departs We arrived station AM 0uaga filled We first Eyeing Peugeot station wagon wondered passengers would There bucket seats front large adjoining seats middle luggage section modified bench installed Luggage large Our friend recommended Senegal passengers hopeful After found people crammed A couple their three children assign adults middle husband I shred front passenger With driver adults kidso About quarter finally The driver parking drove street where filled Then beeping people We stopped outskirts police checkpoin customs checkpoint Once these formalities driver picked His speedometer working LeRoy estimated driving kilometers miles The asphalt surface The driver however steer around occasional pedestrians clists donkey carts using He constant honking In places goats plete while cattle crossed Given speed assumed might actually Ouaga three hours But halfway there The fifteen minute change tires welcomed chance stretch After again driver showed restraint speed We police stops route PM actually arrived The closer Voltaic countryside train homes built quite close As first Bobo Dioulasso hilly Heading northeast terrain flattened vegetation became sparser We passed branches Volta River Black Volta contained olive green water while Red Volta dusty riverbed In places small reservoirs three people sitting perhaps trying There numerous gardens pretected wandering livestock fences woven thatch variety crops being grown lettuce spinach carrots onions Some gardens couple banana papaya trees Along between cities several locations where bundles stacked awaiting Some passing truck drivers merchants cities We noticed housing styles changed Bobo heuses squarer their peinted thatch roefs flatter Mossi houses A cluster homes southwest Bobo Dioulasso Upper Volta When arrived 0uagadougou commented After forward shower Ouagadougou doesn creature comforts Abidjan least ususlly electricity water We apartment however discovered there water Assuming routine repair waited water turned afternoon Nothing The found water related major street being undertsken There water already So bought water water vendors hauled flights stairs From noted progress manual labor wondered running water again Finally today weeks later water restored When bltaic right after return asked How Abidjan Is Abidjan better 0uaga No replied different Right Abidjan electricity problems while 0uagadougou currently water problems 0uagadougou perhaps luckier cities distribution water mtter repairing extending existing infrastructure whereas Abidjan provision water based prticular infrastructure proven inadequate But Upper Volta Ivory Coast their African neighbors still grapple basic issues provision water electri which fundamental further development These issues which Americans granted years How these African countries addre these issues longer Americans count provision amenities interesting observe years Sincerely Paula J Williams Forest Society Fellow Received Hanover