I think I'd rather stay a middle class American rather than King of an African fishing village. :hmm:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/31/world/africa/king-peggy-otuam-ghana/index.html?hpt=hp_c4
QuoteThe American secretary who became king: A woman's journey to royalty
By Isha Sesay and Teo Kermeliotis, CNN
updated 4:59 AM EST, Fri February 1, 2013
(CNN) -- When Peggielene Bartels went to bed on a summer night in 2008, she was an ordinary administrative assistant living in a modest one-bedroom condo just outside Washington D.C.
But a few hours later, when a persistent ringing phone woke her up in the dead of the August night, the 55-year-old found out she was much more than simply a secretary.
At the other end of the line was Bartels's cousin, from Otuam, a small fishing village on the coast of Ghana. Excited and humble, he congratulated her on being the new king of Otuam.
"I said, 'listen, it's 4 o'clock in the morning in the U.S., I am very tired, let me sleep,'" remembers Bartels. "I thought he was trying to really play games with me."
But this was no time for games.
The previous king of Otuam, who was Bartels's uncle, had just died. The village elders, who remembered Bartels from the times she'd visited with her mother, had decided to anoint her as their new ruler.
After the initial shock, Bartels decided to accept the kingship. Over the course of a few days, she went from being plain old Peggielene Bartels, who had worked for nearly three decades at the Ghanaian Embassy in the United States, to becoming King Peggy -- the first female king of Otuam, reigning over approximately 7,000 people.
"It never ever occurred to me [that I'd be Otuam's king]," says Bartels, who's been living in the United States since her early 20s. "I realized that on this earth, we all have a calling. We have to be ready to accept it because helping my people has really helped me a lot to know that I can really touch their lives," she adds. "I would have really regretted it if I hadn't really accept this calling."
Although she still works at the Ghanaian Embassy, Bartels uses all her holiday every year to spend a month in Otuam.
King is the traditional title of Otuam's ruler, and Bartels says she's happy to be called a king, rather than queen, because it means she can achieve more.
"Most of the time, a king is the one who has all the executive power to do things, while the queen is mostly in charge of the children's affairs and reporting to the king," she says. "So I really love this."
King Peggy was born in Takoradi, southern Ghana, in 1953. She studied in England before moving to the United States, where she became an American citizen in 1997.
But after inheriting the throne, Bartels has been living two very different lives in two different continents.
In Washington, her secretarial duties include typing letters, answering phone calls and booking appointments. In her little apartment her life is far removed from the luxuries of her royal roots.
"When I am in the United States I do everything by myself," she explains. "I do my own laundry, I do my own cooking, I do my own driving and I do my own bed when I wake up in the morning."
But back in Ghana, she stands out as a gold crown-wearing, scepter-holding king who lives in a refurbished palace. Otuam residents usually address her as "Nana" -- an honorary title given to royalty but also to women with grandchildren -- and bow when they see her.
"When I am back home they see me as their king and they want to pamper me," she says.
"They have to cook for me, they have to carry me around and they have to protect me from people. They want to do everything for me which I usually refuse ... Sometimes I say to them 'please, don't bow.' I just want them to be free and comfortable so that way we can really address issues."
But beyond the bows, the royal attire and certain luxuries that come with her title, being a king in an impoverished place like Otuam is all about dealing with the pressing needs of the community and improving the lives of the people, says Bartels.
"To be a king in an African village or some places like this, it's not like European queens where everything is on a silver platter for them," she says. "I have to really work hard to help my people. I have to give myself to people to better their lives."
In the last few years, she's helped poor families pay school fees for their children and brought computers to classrooms. With the help of other Americans she's also provided Otuam with its first ambulance, as well as access to clean, running water. Her next priority, she says, is to bring state-of-the-art toilets to Otuam.
And even when she's not in Ghana, her royal duties do not stop; she wakes up at 1am every morning to call Otuam and be informed about what's happening in the community.
"I talk to my regent, I talk to my elders," Bartels says. "If there is something that I want to know, they tell me. If there is something that I want them to do, I tell them."
Last year, King Peggy's real-life fairy tale was documented in a book written by her and author Eleanor Herman. And now she says her amazing life journey from secretary to king will be told in a film, after Hollywood star Will Smith bought the rights to the book.
"Next year, God willing, we are going to have a movie out there," says King Peggy. "Queen Latifah is going to play me and I'm so happy to at least let the whole world know that a secretary can become a king and lead wisely and help the people."
She should hang out with that Somali president. They ruled about the same number of people.
Why doesnt she move there if she wants to be the king? Seems awfully rude to accept the throne and then just visit on hollidays...
Quote from: Bluebook on February 01, 2013, 01:27:14 PM
Why doesnt she move there if she wants to be the king?
Because she's king of a shit hole.
I can see ow the decision process went.
"Who's in favor of electing as king that lady who actually lives in the States? She's far away, so she won't meddle, and we can pump her for money. And if she ever comes over we'll put on a bit of a show for her."
How can a chick become a "king"? :huh:
Quote from: Syt on February 01, 2013, 01:54:16 PM
I can see ow the decision process went.
"Who's in favor of electing as king that lady who actually lives in the States? She's far away, so she won't meddle, and we can pump her for money. And if she ever comes over we'll put on a bit of a show for her."
One wonders if her secretarial salary & connections didn't just double the GNP of her kingdom. :D From the article, electing her "king" seems a pretty smart move ...
QuoteIn the last few years, she's helped poor families pay school fees for their children and brought computers to classrooms. With the help of other Americans she's also provided Otuam with its first ambulance, as well as access to clean, running water. Her next priority, she says, is to bring state-of-the-art toilets to Otuam.
Quote from: sbr on February 01, 2013, 02:44:47 PM
How can a chick become a "king"? :huh:
The article says it's a traditional title. Presumably, in the local language having a female "king" makes sense.
I dunno, sounds like it'd be sorta fun.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 01, 2013, 03:04:29 PM
I dunno, sounds like it'd be sorta fun.
Droit du seigneur? :P
Quote from: Syt on February 01, 2013, 01:54:16 PM
I can see ow the decision process went.
"Who's in favor of electing as king that lady who actually lives in the States? She's far away, so she won't meddle, and we can pump her for money. And if she ever comes over we'll put on a bit of a show for her."
It sounds like she is meddling quite a bit. She even wants to Communistly regulate the types of toilets people have.
Quote from: Valmy on February 01, 2013, 03:13:56 PM
Quote from: Syt on February 01, 2013, 01:54:16 PM
I can see ow the decision process went.
"Who's in favor of electing as king that lady who actually lives in the States? She's far away, so she won't meddle, and we can pump her for money. And if she ever comes over we'll put on a bit of a show for her."
It sounds like she is meddling quite a bit. She even wants to Communistly regulate the types of toilets people have.
"Other."?
Quote from: Malthus on February 01, 2013, 03:10:47 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 01, 2013, 03:04:29 PM
I dunno, sounds like it'd be sorta fun.
Droit du seigneur? :P
Well, maybe not
there, but I could certainly see it as a helluva pick up line somewhere. :P
Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 01, 2013, 03:41:40 PM
Quote from: Malthus on February 01, 2013, 03:10:47 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 01, 2013, 03:04:29 PM
I dunno, sounds like it'd be sorta fun.
Droit du seigneur? :P
Well, maybe not there, but I could certainly see it as a helluva pick up line somewhere. :P
You know you'd be a queen, right?
Quote from: The Brain on February 01, 2013, 04:07:17 PM
You know you'd be a queen, right?
Hey, whatever gets me diplomatic plates, man.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 01, 2013, 03:04:29 PM
I dunno, sounds like it'd be sorta fun.
Agreed. Also, I put forth once again that Tim is an idiot as she is clearly still a middle class American.
Sounds like a pretty smart move by the African village. Offer a well off westerner (preferably with routes in the area to appease the conservatives) a royal title then sit back as they start spending money on your village.
Quote from: Tyr on February 03, 2013, 09:46:09 AM
Sounds like a pretty smart move by the African village. Offer a well off westerner (preferably with routes in the area to appease the conservatives) a royal title then sit back as they start spending money on your village.
Your know Ghana isn't as backward as some of the people in this thread think.
We should get away from the racial stereotype of people living in mud houses, the Ghanaians I've met have generally been sophisticated, well read people.
If this story is being revived because of the possible movie, that should be the lead. As it is, these writers just sound like they are five years late to a story. This woman becoming a "king" was covered (even by CNN) when it happened.
Quote from: grumbler on February 03, 2013, 10:09:19 AM
If this story is being revived because of the possible movie, that should be the lead. As it is, these writers just sound like they are five years late to a story. This woman becoming a "king" was covered (even by CNN) when it happened.
Hell, good for her. If there is a movie made I hope she gets some royalties...
Quote from: mongers on February 03, 2013, 09:58:19 AM
Your know Ghana isn't as backward as some of the people in this thread think.
We should get away from the racial stereotype of people living in mud houses, the Ghanaians I've met have generally been sophisticated, well read people.
They're still poor as fuck though.
Quote from: mongers on February 03, 2013, 09:58:19 AM
Quote from: Tyr on February 03, 2013, 09:46:09 AM
Sounds like a pretty smart move by the African village. Offer a well off westerner (preferably with routes in the area to appease the conservatives) a royal title then sit back as they start spending money on your village.
Your know Ghana isn't as backward as some of the people in this thread think.
We should get away from the racial stereotype of people living in mud houses, the Ghanaians I've met have generally been sophisticated, well read people.
I dunno. The whole country of course isn't people in mud huts throwing spears at each other.
A small rural village though.....even in some rather developed countries you can get areas not far above that.
Quote from: mongers on February 03, 2013, 09:58:19 AM
Your know Ghana isn't as backward as some of the people in this thread think.
We should get away from the racial stereotype of people living in mud houses, the Ghanaians I've met have generally been sophisticated, well read people.
Racial stereotype? I am pretty sure people are just going by what is said about the village in the article. And congratulating them on making a smart move for the betterment of their village is a weird way to be a bigot calling them savages.
Quote from: Valmy on February 04, 2013, 04:33:05 PM
Quote from: mongers on February 03, 2013, 09:58:19 AM
Your know Ghana isn't as backward as some of the people in this thread think.
We should get away from the racial stereotype of people living in mud houses, the Ghanaians I've met have generally been sophisticated, well read people.
Racial stereotype? I am pretty sure people are just going by what is said about the village in the article. And congratulating them on making a smart move for the betterment of their village is a weird way to be a bigot calling them savages.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 01, 2013, 01:48:49 PM
Because she's king of a shit hole.
A big creamy shithole
Mongers, did you go to Ghana to meet these sophisticated Ghanians?
My Black Studies history teacher was a princess in Ghana. I think this is their version of the Nigerian banking scam.
Quote from: Jaron on February 04, 2013, 09:09:12 PM
My Black Studies history teacher was a princess in Ghana. I think this is their version of the Nigerian banking scam.
:lol:
Quote from: Jaron on February 04, 2013, 09:09:12 PM
My Black Studies history teacher was a princess in Ghana. I think this is their version of the Nigerian banking scam.
:lol: Did you have to fill out personal information cards on the first day of class with your bank account info & passwords?
Quote from: mongers on February 04, 2013, 06:33:27 PM
Quote from: Valmy on February 04, 2013, 04:33:05 PM
Quote from: mongers on February 03, 2013, 09:58:19 AM
Your know Ghana isn't as backward as some of the people in this thread think.
We should get away from the racial stereotype of people living in mud houses, the Ghanaians I've met have generally been sophisticated, well read people.
Racial stereotype? I am pretty sure people are just going by what is said about the village in the article. And congratulating them on making a smart move for the betterment of their village is a weird way to be a bigot calling them savages.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 01, 2013, 01:48:49 PM
Because she's king of a shit hole.
Yeah the whole 'no running water or toilets' thing might have come into play there.
Quote from: Jaron on February 04, 2013, 09:09:12 PM
My Black Studies history teacher was a princess in Ghana. I think this is their version of the Nigerian banking scam.
Yea, I had a Ghanian prince in my African History class.
Sounds like making prince in Ghana is like making VP at a bank.