Larabunga , a village of 12 clans, 100% Muslum, houses the oldest mosque in Ghana. Yet nobody seems to agree on just how old or exactly who built it. Locals, through oral tradition, date it to 1421 and credit it's construction to an Islamic trader named Ayuba. They believe that he was traveling through when he came across the "mystic stone" that lies on the outskirts of what is now Larabunga. He decided to throw his spear from this spot and whereever it landed, ther he would sleep.
Durring the night he had a strange dream about a mosque, the foundations of which were surrounding him when he awoke. He compleated the mosque and settled in Larabunga. Islam, brought to West Africa via the trans-Saharan trade rout, has taken a strong hold of Northern Ghana and this mosque was probably around some 50 years prior to when the Portuguese built the firts slave castle...and church! This mud-and-stick mosque surves as a serrogate Mecca for Ghanaian Muslims. It's tourist atraction has also helped the stunningly beautiful and sweet village people, smothing over relations bet. them and the National Park.
Shane, Lolo, and I rode back down the dark dirt rode.
Sat: 4:30am- Back on a bus. Long, hot, contemplative journey. 11pm- arive home.
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