Larabanga Mosque

On our way to Mole National Park from Tamale, last Friday (August 27, 2021), we stopped at the village of Larabanga to see the famous mosque, founded in 1421.  Hard to explain this building.  It stands out.  It isn't super big or anything like the structures around it.  It is so white and odd.  Not sure what the architect had in mind.  A sacred building as far as the Muslims are concerned.  The mosque has a challenging history to document because of oral history limitations mostly. We are respectful.

Those are "ground nuts" (peanuts) drying in the courtyard, yet to be spread out to properly dry.  You use whatever is available to take care of business, even the mosque courtyard.  The two young people near the mosque were taking selfies and then "posed" for me.  

We were met at the roadside by a group of young men ready to take us on tours, explain things, wanting to be paid for various services or causes they had.  Not an organized activity like you might expect of a famous tourist site where you expect persons to approach you with seeming experience and purpose to help you take in the site.  Confusing.

Elaine on the other side of the mosque talking with a local teen.  He asked her about buying him a "football" (soccer ball in the U.S.).

The little girl lives in this part of town which is just to the side of the ancient mosque.  Our friend and fellow missionary, Pat Woodbury, is talking with her.

We took pictures, paid our obligatory 10GHS per person and headed for the vehicle to continue on to the park which we found is not far away.

Larabanga's main street, looking both ways, from where we left the mosque.  The mosque is  tucked back in the neighborhood at this location.  Goats and sheep are everywhere in most villages.  In the distance you can see how green the country is.  We are in the colder, rainy season and everything is beautifully green and vibrant.  We are told everything is brown in the hot season.  Much better to be here this time of year.  

I just have to add something to this blog.  Throughout Ghana there are advertisements for revivals and prayer meetings and conferences and religious training centers.  There are a myriad of churches who advertise who they are and what they stand for.  It keeps one thinking for sure about the "faith" side of life.  Life is more than what we see with the natural eye.  The best church name I have seen was on a sign traveling from Mole to Tamale that reads, "Jesus is the Answer Church".  Simple.  To the point.  No arguments here.

Have a nice day!