"Then on the way back to the dorm I heard a commotion of students. Near the compound barrier I met a couple of masters. Their story was this: while in town the school typist heard someone was seducing his wife. He informed the above mentioned masters who promptly staked out the unfortunate typist’s house to apprehend the culprit. Mr. O.P. peaked [peeked] thru a window and witnessed the alleged act whereupon the culprit sensing a witness fled the house in the direction of the school. All of the students were let out of the dorms to facilitate the evil seducer’s capture. Finally, Mr. B tackled the fellow and gave him a good drubbing. There will be a public trial soon, wherein the lecher will pay the affronted husband 2 cedis. After that all the parties will go away pleased. "
(Jon to his parents, Jan. 22, 1969)
"I love mornings because when I wake up it’s still black out but as I walk over to the Peace Corps bungalow the dawn starts to come in. I go into the bungalow (McClure + Altrows are sleeping since they have late classes) which is still very dark in the early dawn and I light up the gas stove for coffee. Soon as that’s made I light up my first cigarette (Embassy filters) and sit around for 40 minutes, day or dawn dreaming til my first class at 7:00. This is the most solemn and perfect time of day. It approaches coolness and it’s usually damp. Sometimes in the dampness I can hallucinate winters, which are a dear thing in the perpetual summer."
(Jon to Mike Moynihan, April 1969)
Jon with two students
Transcript of a recorded conversation between Jon and two of his students, Cosmo and Augustine:
Augustine: And I do believe in dwarfs, too. Dwarfs.
Jon: Dwarfs. You believe in dwarfs. What about juju?
Augustine: Eh, I certainly believe in juju.
Jon: And what about witches?
Augustine: Certainly. [laughs] And I will take you to my town and show you my Uncle’s juju.
Jon: Where, in Tepa? When will you take me to Tepa?
Augustine: During vacation.
Jon: You want to meet my father?
[. . .]
Augustine: I will give palm wine to your father.
Jon: Oh, I am sure he will like it.
Cosmo: You [Americans] know how to drink it?
Jon: He likes to drink a lot.
Cosmo: There is no palm wine in America?
Jon: No, no. No palm wine. No akpeteshie. No peto.
Augustine: Only beer.
Jon: Beer, whiskey. Gin.
Cosmo: And schnapps?
Jon: Schnapps.
Augustine: And Afro Americans.
Jon: And Afro Americans, yea.
Augustine: We like them very much.
(early June 1969)
Ohene Owoahene to Jon’s father, Cap Thiem:
"It might interest you to know that two days after Jon’s arrival from Kenya, I took Jon to Asiwa, my father’s village—a sizeable village near the Lake, south of Kumasi. No “Whiteman” or “Obroni” had ever been there. Jon was therefore greeted as a Royal visitor. Wherever we went children and others followed to see Jon. We met with the celebrated men and women in the town. Jon also attended Church Service at the Presbyterian Church with me. He was given the opportunity to speak to the congregation and I interpreted [for] him. The townsmen were much friendly. Notable incidents are how Jon saved the life of my friend’s son. [. . .] I remember Jon also entertained about 80 children to a soft drink party. Children could not leave him for their beds [to go to bed] and were sorry to miss him even during the nocturnal hours."
(September 1, 1969)
Jon and Ohene harvesting a cassava root
Kwasi Dum reciting
Excerpt from the Introduction to Apaeε: Ashanti Praise Poems. Recited from Oral Tradition by Kwasi Dum:
The Apaeε here transcribed and translated were recited to us in June of 1969, in the village of Sebedie, a mile from Kokofu, Ashanti region. The reciter is known as Kwasi Dum. His real name, Kwasi Amoako-Asamoah, was changed to Kwasi Dum because his mother Afua Sεεwa (of Sebedie), bore him beneath an Odum tree while returning from Bekwai. He is now fifty years old and lives in Sebedie.
Kwasi Dum told us that he learned these Apaeε from his father, Agyei (from Esumeja), who was an executioner for the Ashanti king. [When Kwasi Dum was] a child his father repeated them to him so he learned them by heart. His father was also a priest and executioner for the god Ta Kora (an ͻbosom). Upon his father’s death Kwasi Dum inherited these duties. On occasion he is called on to recite Apaeε before the Ashanti king and the paramount chief of Kokofu.
(written by Jon and Ohene Owoahene, December 1969)