My first traumatic experience with the beach was at 8 years old. We were doing a runway session for an upcoming fashion show. Across our location you could see this beautiful coastline and I wondered if we would be made to take a walks along the beach after we were done with rehearsals. It was the first time i really being to the beach, it was huge and inviting. I knew once we close to the beach the next thing was to actually throw myself into the water. There was a problem though, I did not know how to swim. I figure I will just stay close to the shore which was more safe and enjoy the last few waves that made their way to the shore.

That experience was not pleasant at all, one because I wasn’t properly dressed and so I could feel the burn in my private part due to the levels of salt water and two, my body had started to react in a way i did not understand. I had all of a sudden and uncontrollably started to itch all over. It was unbearable and no one knew what to do. Turns out, the salt water had triggered my chicken pox which I did not know I had but which just needed the push to manifest itself. That pain and itch and the whole situation left me traumatised. I figured I would never put myself in that position ever again. I got home and my mum was furious. Furious not because of my itching, but furious at the fact that I had been in the water and even attempted to swim. Her fear became mine. She told me how i should never play with the sea, and why I should stay away because the sea was a force to be fear even if one had all the experience in the world. She wasn’t wrong but that seed got planted in my head and ever since then i had no thoughts of ever swimming.

Fear of the Sea

The sea in most parts of Africa is sacred and revered. Most rivers and lakes and sea are said to inhabit powerful spirits. Sometimes you can not even mentioned the name if these spirits because there might be consequences for he who mentions their names in vain.

The sea for example is ruled by a spirit which most Ghanaians call Mami wata. She is the most beautiful of all. Fair skin, long hair with a fishlike or sometimes snakelike lower body. She is both a negative and a positive force. Those who respect her and pay homage to her are blessed and those who don’t are do not survive her or are cursed.

In certain parts of the country, it is prohibited to go to sea on Tuesdays. Fishermen rest their boats and swimmers stay at home. The numerous stories told coupled with the beliefs surrounding the sea or waterbodies created some sort of fear in the normal African that it is difficult for them to genuinely want to learn to swim.

Taboos Related to the Sea

Speaking about fear, let me mention that there are rules for going to sea in Ghana. It is believed at least when i was growing up that you couldn’t go swimming or fishing or just attempting to take step into the ocean unless you are clean. This meant that water is sacred and therefore one has to be clean as well to be accepted by the water deities and to avoid curses or bad luck. Being dirty meant having had sexual intercourse, being on ones period, cheating on ones partner or having been cursed by someone. This is a major discouraging factor because many people feared stepping in the ocean because of what might happen.

Learning Late

Another reason why Ghanaians do not know how to swim aside from the link to water being sacred and having some powerful currents is that we do not learn to swim as children. Children who live along the coastlines or water bodies are usually good because thats is a good recreational activity for them. Children who live away from coastlines even 30 minutes away do not. While it is common for children to take lessons in other parts of world, in Africa and Ghana to be precise, swimming is not a priority and above that we do not have a lot of swimming facilities for children and where pools are available, lessons are expensive. For this reason people do not learn young when it is very easy absorb things and be fearless. When a person gets older the fear gets bigger and learning becomes really difficult.

In conclusion, African’s do not know how to swim because we have lots of fear in us. Fear rising from all the stories we have been told about the sea and the spirits in the ocean. Going to the beach for us is a luxury many people cannot afford and even if they could they would choose a different activity over swimming. In as much as the beach is exceptionally packed especially on holidays, it is not because people want have to relax by actually being in the water rather we go to the beach to watch the waves, to enjoy the breeze, dance and have fun outside of swimming. We might dibble our feet in the water whiles taking a walk along the beach but thats about it.

https://youtu.be/kIshuZpjvoI