Co-labouring is a key aspect of the Gold Matters project. It can be seen as a form of learning by preparing, doing and reflecting on activities in our project, which brings together a diverse group of researchers, artists and gold miners. Co-labouring creates shared experiences and moments of enjoyment (or stress), and facilitates the exchange of knowledge and generation of new perspectives.
In the Gold Matter’s Kejetia exhibition and workshop (January 2020) forms of co-labouring took different shapes: walking through mining environments together, thereby engaging in discussions about how these environments can be understood; jointly mapping and photographing different aspects of mining on the surface, meanwhile engaging in conversations among ourselves, but also with those working and living in the places we encountered; and creating photo and video material by miners of sub-surface domains that are difficult to access for outsiders. Typically such visual material informed further discussions in small groups or one-to-one afterwards.
The process of co-labouring we engaged in resulted in the creation of knowledge, not just in terms of words or text, but also in terms of visual material: photo and film. Consequently, we tried to expose underground work situations, geological features and socio-spatial relations for researchers and audiences who cannot access them directly. The mobile character of our co-labouring activities, bringing together participants from different regions, stimulated conversations between, for example, miners from the south and the north of Ghana, leading to sharing of experiences and strategies with regard to the targeting of gold, but also to how to best take care of ones’ own health. In some cases, it even revived old friendships, as long-time friends were coincidentally stumbled upon.
Preparing to take “flat” maps to a 3D field
Co-labouring is about learning together, which also includes preparing together. In addition to getting acquainted with mapping software usable on mobile devices, as part of our preparations for a participatory mapping workshop we are here also studying maps of the area where the workshop would be conducted. Looking at this flat visualization of the landscape enabled us to develop an idea about the 3D field we were about to engage with. This included the different activities taking place at the moment, as well as longer histories of gold mining. Indeed one of the miners in the group had worked in these areas in the 1980s and 1990s and could trace his former mining activities on this contemporary map.
Arriving in the 3D field
Upon arrival in Kejetia, maps were exhibited and immediately drew the attention of many different people. As a result, they became vividly discussed. Local miners started to relate their surroundings to points in the map, thereby already bringing this image to life. In preparation of joint mapping exercises with mobile devices, maps were also shown on the mobile phone and instructions about how to give shape to this mapping work went hand in hand with lively chats about all the places we could and should visit.
Drawing the underground
Maps and map-making exercises predominantly served to locate mining sites in their wider environments. However, the main reason for people´s presence in this environment, gold, is located underground. This domain is largely out of view, except for those that (can) enter it. Typically, researchers have limited access to these domains and different ways of explaining what is located out of sight are needed. Here this is done by drawing underground spaces in the sand on the surface.
Capturing the underground
As part of our co-labouring efforts, miners created photo and video material of underground domains that were difficult to access by outsiders. These were usually discussed afterwards in small groups or one-to-one. In this case, Haruna Bashiru, a miner from northern Ghana operating a small underground mine, and Ebenezer Mannah, a miner from southern Ghana working in a large underground mine (though both fall under the category small-scale mining), went underground together. While traversing underground tunnels and creating visual material, they shared ideas and exchanged knowledge. Of course, they also documented each other during this joint experience.
Arriving above ground
After having been underground for some time, Ebenezer and Bashiru arrive above ground, breathing fresh air and being welcomed by group members. Clearly, they appreciated this joint experience.
Walking and mapping the route of ore
Besides documenting what is underground, team members also followed the pathways of miners and mined ore. While doing so, we took GPS coordinates as well as pictures. Importantly, we engaged in conversations amongst ourselves, but also with those working and living in the places we encountered. These different elements can be plotted on maps, creating images that combine views from below and from above and that offer insights about the spatial connections of mining environments.
New encounters with new and old friends
Crucially, our co-labouring work offered opportunities to create new relations, such as those between miners from different regions and between researchers and miners, because it facilitated the creation of shared experiences and moments of enjoyment. But in this case, new encounters with old friends also occurred: the picture to the right captures the moment where two old friends see each other again after almost 30 years.
Gold Matters: Kejetia Workshop, Exhibition and Art Installation
Co-Labouring in the field with miners was only part of the activities of the workshop. Nii Obodai’s video gives an artistic rendering of the range of activities over several days, which focused on organizing a photo exhibition, and co-labouring with residents of Kejetia in two art projects, culminating in the festive inauguration of the exhibition.
