The day I was called Oburoni

I wondered out for a quick grocery shopping, it was a relatively pedestrian friendly neighborhood and I was told there will be a small hut selling daily necessities two blocks away.

The trip itself was smooth, I found the store front and several Ghanaian were standing outside, I guessed they must be curious about my presence, and one lady said to me loudly, "Oburoni, Oburoni"

Oburoni is a "white man" in local language, and it is similar to "Lao Wai" (foreigner) in Chinese. Since late 1400, first the dutch settlers, then the German, the British, Ghana has seen oburoni influence coming in. Even the former president Jerry Rawlings has oburoni factor, he is half Scottish and half Ghanian. Oburoni is also a cultural factor in the sense that even many Ghanian returnees from overseas were called Oburoni, and that has made some feel uncofortable.

I was one of these at the store when the lady calling me "oburoni", I did pull up my sleeves and showed her that my skin color, which is yellow but not white, but she insisted, saying in local dilect Twi, I guess, something like you are still a Oburoni.

I think I will have identify self as a Oburoni, for now.