Photos

of Ghana

Gather and Sell

These photos show images of small scale illegal mining operations in and around a Village in the Eastern Region of Ghana called Afosu. The pictures of the holes in the ground are where they mine gold, while the giant pits with people sifting the mud are diamonds. This very dangerous method of mining is called Galamsey, which translates to ‘gather and sell’.

The Galamsey themselves face constant risk of tunnel collapses, underground flooding, and poisoning from the mercury used to separate the gold from the rock, but the pay is good.

See Tro Tro Afosu in the painting section to view the finished project.

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The Mask Man

John is a mask maker living just outside the village. He started carving masks in anticipation of the influx of mining.

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Tribal Chiefs

Chiefs are carried by tribal members during a festival..