Obaahemaa Ntowaa The women at the conference looked enviously at my beads. How proud I felt. There was something about beads that I loved: their rich intricate patterns, the feel of them against my skin. I found excuses to wear them often, little did I know it was leading me to one of my callings. None of my siblings showed an interest inMa’s beads, so I inherited all of them. I would wear them on my wrist or around my neck. She had a variety that I discovered were from Abompe, the land of my father. Those were my favorites too. When I became an adult, I would usually ask my aunt to buy me more of these beads anytime she was in Abompe. On a random trip to Abompe, I saw them marketing the beads. Excitedly, I bought several as I continued my love affair with the beads. Adorning myself with these beads gave me a strong sense of identity. On one of several trips to Abompe, I visited the Chief of Abompe - Nana Baah. He took one look at me with the identity of my father’s lineage circling my wrists and neck and said without hesitation… “Maame, you should take up a leadership role in your father’s land. I like the way you wear your beads.” He proceeded to give us a history of our father in Abompe - how he loved the village and Reflecting on a Half-Century Life’s Twists, Turns, and Giving Back 4 The Birthday Journal
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