Cocoa Trails and Coffin Tales: Life in Rural Ghana | Deadliest Journeys

Cocoa Trails and Coffin Tales: Life in Rural Ghana | Deadliest Journeys

Africa. Here, there is no shortage of resourceful people with hidden talents. In Ghana, there is a particularly unique trade. Although it may look like Johnson is crafting a sort of… Large toy, that’s not the case. This is a coffin for cocoa farmer. As you can see, we designed it as a cocoa pot. This one, for instance, this one like this, three days. We have fish here as a fisherman. You come here to the farmer. A coffin in the shape of a palm tree for a palm oil producer, and another in the shape of a sewing machine for the village tailor. All carpenters like Johnson make their products to order. Nothing is made in advance as families are looking for unique coffins. This is your coffin, isn’t it?
I’ll show you how to open it. I said, Give me a napoleon. Precious has ordered one in the shape of a cocoa pod for her nephew. It’s nice.
I’m okay. Are you okay with it? Yeah. The young man, who was a cocoa farmer, lost his life in a car accident. The world is too dusty, so when we don’t tie it properly, we can lose the coffee on the way. So that’s why we’re trying to secure it, to get to the village we’re going. It would be a different story entirely if the precious cargo got damaged. The taxi driver would have the whole village to answer to. Emotions can run high during these funerals, which sometimes results in hysteria. Off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, Ghana, a former British colony, has sadly become renowned over the past century for its slave trade, but also for its gold, which can be found in abundance. This is why the English have called it the Gold Coast. The country is full of raw materials such as oil, recently discovered in the area, and, above all, cocoa. Ghana is the world’s second biggest producer of cocoa. But despite the great supply of resources, they rarely end up in the hands of the Ghanaians. Being resourceful has become a necessity. As for some of them, white gold replaces yellow. It’s not about getting rich, but simply surviving. Ghana means warrior king, which is a fitting name as its people are strong and resilient. Every day for them is a new battle. At dawn, the banks of Lake Volta, which is the largest artificial reservoir in the world, are swarming with water taxis. Three times a week, they transport isolated villagers to the Big Market in the town of Tapa. This particular cow seems to sense that getting on the boat isn’t going to be an easy task. I told you. I told you. I told you. I told you. I told you. I told you. I told you. I told you. One,
two, three! Let’s go! The cow would have undoubtedly appreciated a ramp, but riding the fresh air is bound to cheer it up. The
boats may be rustic, but they are vital for the region’s economy. Everyone gets onto the boat however they can. They have no choice. The ferries are too big to dock on these small patches of land. Although barely any of the passengers know how to swim, the life jackets are mainly used as parasols. But all is well, as the passage is smooth as oil. Wary of overloading the boat, Joseph, the captain, fills the boat to the limit. Actually, before I got to the animal, we have about, say, four cows and four sheep. Half of the cows, I think about, say,
10, 15. And the past, in the mud,
I think about, say,
15, 150, 150. Very,
very depressed. And when we are not lucky, we need a window in the middle of the lake. If you are not that dangerous, you should stay. After a two-hour journey, the water taxi arrives at Tapa Market. For the animals, getting off the boat is a much more pleasant experience than getting on. The passengers are barely off the boat when it heads back out across the lake. At the tapa Market, the smell of spices mixes with the smell of fresh fritters. However, one can’t ignore the smell of petrol and not-so-fresh fish. Amidst this potpourri of scents, one in particular is missing. It’s a fruit which is found on every market stall, as Ghana is the world’s second biggest producer of it. It’s exported all over the world, and hundreds of trucks scour the country’s roads to gather it. And yet even Abikor has never tasted it. Its flavors cannot be appreciated until it has been processed. People in this village, they are all the cocoa farmers. They are all from different places to come and work at cocoa farming in this area. Nobody could eat some of the chocolate before. Some of the go-go farmers, the chocolate before, they didn’t taste even milo before. Abikor travels between dozens of warehouses along the road. He works for the state, which buys almost all the cocoa produced by the region’s farmers. How many kilos there is by batch? 65 kilos. Cocoa sales represent 10% of Ghana’s gross domestic product. As for its inhabitants, they rarely see any of the profit in their day-to-day lives. A design? Even the roads leading to the warehouses are neglected. Very difficult because I said, loading the load in a car is very expensive, so you have to get your time and the road. No, because of the good condition. If you don’t take your time because people look at anything, that’s spoiling the car. It’s a vicious circle. If Abiquo is late delivering the load, he will lose part of his salary. In the heart of the forest, the cocoa labourers must get a move on. The season is coming to an end. They must gather the final pods, which is the fruit that contains the cocoa beans, before they rot on the trees. No machine could do the work as well as the men can. The harvest is taxing. They must get the beans out of their pods with a helping hand from a machete, which is nicknamed Go to Hell. Coco is the pride and joy of this country. It’s as good as Ghana’s. I’m sure that cocoa is from Accra. I know it’s from Europe, but I don’t know the exact place. Around 15 families farm the cocoa trees in this small forest, but in the past few years, production levels have decreased. The single crop farming of cocoa has stripped the ground of its riches. The trees are growing old and there’s no money to replace them. Nowadays, every penny counts. The farm is situated close to the border with Togo. Jeff sells his cocoa beans to whichever country is the highest bidder. For example, in December, the Togo was at 900 francs. The price of Ghana was at 8,600 francs. But in late December, the Togo went up to 800 francs. The price of Ghana went up. So now the price of Ghana is better. So we decided to go to Ghana. I want to go to Ghana. I want to go to Ghana. I want to ride a motorcycle. I’m going to take it to the store. Why do you want to ride a motorcycle? There are no roads, there are no roads, there are no tracks. There are no roads for the car to come. Why?
It’s very dangerous. There are accidents. Normally, you have to make bridges, there are no bridges. If you get there, you will have an accident. You will be even stronger, but no,
no, no. It can’t happen. The young man died in a car accident whilst delivering bags of cocoa beans to the town. Precious is returning to the village with a coffin in the shape of a cocoa pod to pay tribute to him. Everything is okay? Now it’s okay. Those people, they always use a taxi to bring cold food to the village? Most of them use taxi. Most of them. And some of them use ambulance and stuff like that. But most of them use taxi. And this is kind of the problem that we are facing on the road. Let’s go, madam. Okay. They went to farm to collect some load to the market with a car. When going, they came from the farm safely. On their way to the market, the car had an accident. And when they came to the house, the family said, because the car belongs to my brother, he should take the burden. You need to pay for every single thing in the home? Every single thing, including food. Including food? Yeah. Oh. So that will be a tough time for your brother. Yes. In
Ghana, funerals are far from morbid. They’re filled with a sense of joy and happiness, with everyone in high spirits. Ghanaians believe in life after death. So it’s important for the deceased to enter this new life surrounded by happiness. And sometimes the scale of the burials reaches a whole new level, just like the one today. The whole village is taking part. The women prepare a traditional dish of corn dough, topped with a very spicy sauce. Though it may seem shocking to some, before being placed in the coffin, the deceased person is placed on show to the whole village. Although you can see sadness in their eyes, Maxwell’s family believe that he has simply moved on to another life, in one form or another. He will be more powerful than those still living, so each of them comes to talk to him to win his favour. I don’t think that they are real and they cannot be out there. I know.
I don’t think that they are real and they cannot be out there. I don’t think that they are real and they cannot be out there. Enough!
We put a body like that because he’s a student. And we will lay him like that. We present to everybody that he’s a child and still a student. If you are grown up, they will lay you to sleep. But if you are a young type, they will let you stand. Anyhow, your people want them to let you on the place. You can sit, you can stand, you can sleep. Maxwell’s body has been preserved for four months in the morgue. His family paid 300 euros for the coffin. The village scouts and schoolchildren carry out a final homage to Maxwell. The
coffin is in the Gopo falls because the father is a gopo farmer. And anytime he feels of the school to have the farmer in the, the father in the farm to. According to tradition they want, they’re about to put the person in the person. Only the family will be around him, no other. After a two hour long ceremony, the coffin is headed for the cemetery. The pallbearers dance all the way to Maxwell’s final resting place, where he will once again begin his new life surrounded by joy. But with the combination of the heat, the chanting and the incessant beating of the drums, Precious’s nephew’s burial gets quite frenzied. A young guy, he said, That’s why the place is very, very… Dump, dump, dump. All right. So,
I’m going to start with the first chapter. So,
I’m going to start with the first chapter. So,
I’m going to start with the first chapter. So,
I’m going to start with the first chapter. So,
I’m going to start with the first chapter. So,
I’m going to start with the first chapter. So,
I’m going to start with the first chapter. So,
I’m going to start with the first chapter. So,
I’m going to start with the first chapter. Thank you. Worlds away from the chaos of the burial, Jeff and his men head off to town to sell their final few bags of cocoa. Ten of them are transporting 650 kilos of cocoa beans. None of them have a license. In any case, Bushland driving isn’t normally taught in driving schools. It’s
a 50 kilometer long journey during which all the drivers remain on their guard. They want to survive this journey. Thank you. The motorbike is back on the road. They will have to put some of their profit from selling the cocoa towards the repairs. The group is hoping to earn around 100 euros, which would make 10 euros per person. They’ve reached the final hurdle, but it’s not an easy one. Quality control carried out by the uncompromising Joseph, who buys cocoa for the government. He is the one. Who sets the price. Merci. I want to check the cocoa, the dryness of the cocoa. If the colour is good, it means I can buy it. If the colour is not good, or it’s not dry, I have to dry it. Today, Joseph must be in a good mood as Jeff’s team leaves with 200 euros. That’s a hundred more than they were hoping for. Ghana could be rich, very rich, as below ground, it boasts masses of mineral ores and oil. However, its economy is sustained, primarily thanks to farming and fishing. Yet, living there is still far from easy. That’s why every day, this crew relies on higher powers to get them through. I am a man of faith. I
don’t know. I am very happy to be able to speak to you. The crew had better hurry as, off the Ghanaian coast, 200,000 boats are all competing. As a consequence, the number of fish has become increasingly scarce over the years. I’m not a Roman, I’m not a Roman. I’m not a Roman, I’m not a Roman. I’m not a Roman, I’m not a Roman. I’m not a Roman, I’m not a Roman. I’m not a Roman, I’m not a Roman. Emmanuel is the quartermaster, otherwise known as the head of the crew. His job is to keep his men motivated. I’m going to take a picture of the Hey, I’m going to get a fish. Come on! Come on!
Come on! Come on!
I’m going to catch a big one. I’m going to catch a big one. I’m going to catch a big one. I’m going to catch a big one. I’m going to catch a big one. There will be no second chances. Fishing will not make the men millionaires. They’ve caught around 100 kilos at the most. And this… Is made up only of small fish. There is no doubt that the methods of some captains, who use dynamite and pesticides to make quick profit, have forced bigger fish to retreat to deeper waters. Back on the beach, dozens of women keep an eye on the horizon. They’re not waiting for their husbands to return from sea. They’re fishmongers. I’m going to go to the police station. I’m going to be arrested. I’m going to be arrested. I’m going to be arrested. I’m going to be arrested. I’m going to be arrested. They’re
bound to be disappointed. Out of 15 boats, none have returned with an impressive haul. The battle of the fishmongers commences, and there isn’t enough fish to go around. I’m going to die. I am a hundred years old. Smoking and salting the fish means it doesn’t have to be refrigerated, as the fishmongers can preserve it in this way for a week. Or maybe more. That’s why salt is vitally important in Africa. Since the 8th century, Ghana has built up quite a reputation for its salt. Drivers who transport cocoa and those who transport salt fight over the roads. This Indian company is wasting no time. The reputation of Ghana’s so-called white gold. I don’t know what the hell you’re doing. But on these poorly maintained roads, it’s difficult for George to be able to drive quickly. The truck driver delivers his salt to Benin. For 200 kilometers, he and his truck have been dancing to the rhythm of the potholes, as he puts it. We dance as if we were at a ceremony. It’s the voice that makes us dance. You see it? You have seen how I am dancing on the water. But the holes, the degradation of our voice, makes us dance on the water as if we were dancing. The roads are not good in Africa. It’s a disaster. It’s completely broken. You see how the trucks are moving? It’s a bit heavy. Most people living by the sea make a living from salt production. Salt is one of the rare edible minerals which can be found in abundance. It’s an unlimited resource which helps families living on the coast to survive. But just because there’s a lot of it doesn’t mean it’s easy to gather. I
am a woman. I am a woman. I am a woman. I am a woman. I am a woman. I am a woman. I am a woman. I am a woman. I am a woman. I am a woman. I am a woman. I am a woman. I am a woman. For a blog. I have been working for a long time. I have been working for a long time. I have been working for a long time. At the end of the day, the traders begin their show and they have to be ruthless. I’m not sure if I can sell it. I don’t know how much it will cost. So you’re going to sell it to a farmer? Yes.
And you’re going to sell it to a farmer? Yes. Johanna will have to try her best to sell to this buyer. I’m going to sell it for 200. Oh,
you’re going to sell it? Yes.
How much do you want? I don’t know. I’m not sure. How much do you want? I’m not sure. Oh, you’re not going to pay me? Oh,
yes. I’ll pay you later. Oh,
I’m not going to pay you. How much is this? This is 50,000. I’ll give you the price. Oh,
thank you. I’ll give you the price. The price is 120,000. Oh.
You can’t pay me. 120,000? 120,000 is what I paid. You can’t pay me for this? No.
You can’t pay me for 150,000. You can’t pay me for this. I don’t want to pay you. I’m not going to give you money. I’m going to give you money. I’m going to give you money. I’m going to give you money. I’m going to give you money. I’m going to give you money. I’m going to give you money. I’m going to give you money. 21 euros to last her a week with her two children. Finally, both her purse and her stomach are happy, also thanks to some animals that she catches when she gets home. I was so scared. I have a lot of children. I have two sons and two daughters. I have two daughters and two sons. But Johanna always has a smile on her face. All her life, she’s been smiling. Her motto is, You can’t wear down an axe just by cutting bananas. In other words, you can do anything with a bit of willpower, and that’s something that Ghanaians are not short of, no matter how arduous the task. All these years of driving have taught George patience and lots of it, especially when it comes to crossing borders. George and his assistant arrive in Aflao, the town bordered by Togo. They will check the merchandise and see the stage in which the merchandise arrived. If it is a bad product, to make the people sick or not, they will check all that. They know the quantity, they are there to do that. George takes his place amongst the hundreds of other trucks waiting to be inspected. Have been stuck here for weeks. The customs officers work at their own pace as the drivers wait patiently. However long it may take, everything will get to where it needs to be. In the Cocoa Tree forest, Geoff is also preparing to cross the border, but his journey… It’s rotten. The cocoa has spoiled everything. These badly spoiled cocoa beans can’t be sold to Ghana, but in Togo, Jeff knows a trader who doesn’t scrutinise goods too thoroughly. It’s an hour’s walk by foot, carrying the cacao on your head. You just reach the border, you go to Versailles and you come back to the farm. It’s far from a gentle stroll for the cocoa carriers. They’re carrying around 30 kilos on their heads. We crossed the border between the two countries. It’s the small dot that marks the border. If we cross it, we’re in Togo. Now I’m in the country. Cocoa, oil, gold and other mineral resources should mean that this year, Ghana could be one of the countries with the fastest economic growth in the world. Ghanaians describe their country as a sick child who has recovered thanks to its unbreakable workforce. I’m doing everything I can to make your day.

Ghana, a small country in West Africa, is the world’s second largest cocoa producer. It’s the end of the season. By motorbike or on foot, Jeff and his companions transport the precious commodity through the bush and try to reach the city to sell the fruit of their harvest. In the center of the country, Lake Volta is the largest artificial lake in the world. Several times a week, locals cross it to get to the market. But everything gets complicated when it comes to loading the cattle on the boats, and having passengers and animals live together? Ghana is also renowned for its funeral rites, and its very special kind of coffins. These must represent the profession exercised by the deceased during his life. Along the roads, manufacturers compete in ingenuity: the coffins take the form of multicolored fish, sewing machines, Bibles, or even bush taxis? Funerals are not easy. They sometimes take on the appearance of carnivals. The dead live there again?