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Paper short abstract:

I examine how a group of male migrant coconut sellers make place on a sidewalk abutting an important location in Kumasi, Ghana. I explore how the physical characteristics of the sidewalk enhance the production of familial and social ties among the coconut sellers, making the city liveable.

Paper long abstract:

The literature on street livelihoods in urban Africa focuses on street vendors and street hawkers (because of their heightened visibility), and street beggars and street children (because of their vulnerability), and female head potters. Youthful male migrant actors (including coconut sellers) on the streets are underrepresented in the literature. In this paper, we examine how a group of male migrant coconut sellers make a place on a sidewalk abutting an important location (Jubilee Park) in Kumasi. We examine how their status as migrants informs their interaction with the city and shapes their approaches to legitimacy within city spaces. Unlike other studies that discuss sidewalk uses in relation to street congestion and street activities, we focus not on their economic activity in relation to the sidewalk, but rather on how the space serves as a space for social relationships, familial bonding, hope, and social networking. We also explore how the physical characteristics of the pavement enhance the production of familial and social ties among the coconut sellers and between the coconut sellers and community members respectively. We argue that the quality of Jubilee Park creates an organised and safe space on the sidewalk, which then enhances the ability of these migrant actors to create familial links on the sidewalk and make use of the space as both a private and public space.