Loving Ghanaian Music, Dancing and Culture!

The music and dancing in Africa is something that I will miss. I loved watching the kids dance. I will never have as much rhythm as as any of them. I think they are dancing from so young it in innate. It is also amazing how sexual they are even from as young at 3 or 4. I saw some amazing dancing but some how I have very little video of it but check out what I have.

I love this song. Not the best video quality but I love the kids just the same.

The is the famous Kwesi move. This was his only move no matter the music.

I was randomly at a cooking competition that our cook was participating in and saw some great dancing and drumming. Side note we never got the benefit of her great cooking skills. The competition was also video taped by a camera crew and was hosted by what we were told was a Ghanaian celebrity. All of this happened in a little town about the size of Florence. Here are some video and pictures from this experience. At one point I was up dancing which was a disaster but I don't have any pictures of that...thank God!

I had the opportunity to attend the children's  "play" as they called in at the end of the term. It was so fun to see the kids do anything from read a poem they wrote to dancing. We marched down the road to the nearest town to do this which was a crazy experience trying to make sure no one got run over.

Organizing over 100 students is not at easy task.

Marching to Achiase

Steven so proud to be carrying the drum



Traditional Dress



The kids practiced this dance for weeks.

During my entire time in Africa I was on a quest to find instruments for my good friend and her students.I am not very musical so that was a difficult task for me, but a very enjoyable one none the less.

I saw these being played many times but I don't remember what it is called.



Handmade Tambourine. I love that it uses bottle caps.

Shakers made with Calabash seeds with shells and pebbles inside

I bought the drum at the Accra cultural market. I don't think I have seen so many things made of wood in one place ever.  I bought multiple wooden carvings while I was their and loved hearing the stories about how each of them were made and their significance. All of the carvings on the drums were very distinct and have meaning. All of the carvings on the drums and the other articles are West African Adinkra Symbols. These symbols are on many articles you see in Ghana, anything from a lawn chair to bumper stickers.





NYAME BIRIBI WO SORO: Hope "God is in the Heavens" 

AKOMA NTOSO: Understanding and Agreement "Linked Hearts"



I had a great time hanging out with the
 drum makers.  I am not very good but I tried.
I experienced Rastafarian hospitality at it's best.



I looked at and tired what felt like a million drums.
We all know that I know nothing about buying a drum.
The leather is goat. I learned that each type of animal

 leather produces a different sound.