Drumming & Dancing in Ghana: "You Are Welcome!"

Hello again! Suddenly it's been more than half a year since I wrote a blog post. I have no idea where the time went, but I have good reasons why I was silent for so long. I will reveal my reasons soon... but not in this post! My mystery aside, I also hit a bit of writer's block for the first time since starting this blog. I loved my experience in Ghana SO MUCH, and I think that part of me was worried that I could never capture my feelings properly in print. So, this is my best attempt to introduce the (cyber) world to my new African family, and how they changed my life.

Yes, I love eating my way through countries, and this trip was no exception!

My first summer after moving abroad (Summer 2017) was a whirlwind summer. I spent a couple of weeks traveling around Myanmar with Mama Britton, and after a quick trip home (only 9 days!), I headed to Ghana, West Africa to study drumming and dancing. Going into the program, I was really excited for the opportunity, but I had no idea it would have such an impact on my life.


This blog series will feature many videos - more than I've ever used in previous posts. I *think* that I have finally figured out how to embed videos on this blog, so fingers crossed it actually works! I took tons of videos when I was in Ghana in an effort to capture the soundtrack of my life at the Dagara Music Center. It also makes me smile to go back and watch these videos, as it reminds me of how wonderful it was to be immersed in the music and culture.

I first studied West African drumming at a workshop in Wisconsin (of all places!) with one of my Orff friends before I left Chicago. I absolutely fell in love with the rhythms and the culture. I also started teaching it the following year, and my students LOVED it. I was hungry to learn more. 

My best friend had studied in Ghana several years ago, but that program was not running during Summer 2017. I spent a great deal of time researching another opportunity, and I finally stumbled upon the Dagara Music Center. I am fortunate enough to work at a school that offers a stipend for professional development, and the program is left to the teacher's discretion (one of the MANY perks about working abroad!). While the stipend did not cover the entire program (or even half of it, for that matter), it did make the program more affordable for my teacher's salary to keep up with my big case of wanderlust and my never-ending desire to be a better music teacher.

I spent a very quick nine days with family and friends in the States (only Florida this time, due to such a short trip!). After some final details like a visa and some malaria tablets, I was on my way! 

I had to mail my passport and visa application to Houston the day I landed in the US because there was no embassy for Ghana near me in Southeast Asia. Paying for an expedited visa was my only option, so I crossed my fingers that it would work. Sending the passport through the mail was stressful, and I was SO HAPPY when the delivery man brought it to me a few days before I left for Ghana!

Ready for another long flight!

My first experience with malaria pills. I had a few side effects, but nothing terrible.

In order for this trip to be more affordable, it was easier to connect through Dubai on my usual Emirates flight. This also meant that the journey to Ghana was about 20 hours in the air, plus an overnight layover in Dubai. Normally I spend my long flights watching movies because I rarely sleep well on planes, but this flight was different: I slept 9 out of the 12 hours to Dubai! One of the perks of flying Emirates is that they put me up in a hotel because my layover was more than six hours. They have since stopped offering this to lowly economy passengers, but at the time, I was really grateful for a bed and a shower. I have gotten used to long flights and don't really mind them anymore, but within a week and a half, my body had been in more time zones than I could count, and I appreciated the break in travel!

I rested well in the hotel in Dubai and had a good breakfast, but it was a rough flight to Accra. I think it was about 2 hours into my 8 hour flight that I decided I just didn't want to be on a plane anymore. Fortunately, the people on the plane were incredibly nice. So many people asked me where I was from. They liked my shirt (the Myanmar flag is VERY similar to the flag of Ghana), and many people said to me, "You are welcome." Suddenly all the ickiness from long travel and the nerves melted away. What lovely people!

Another stamp for my overnight in Dubai!

Comfy beds: Check.

Clean room and hotel wifi: Check.

Hot shower: CHECK. (yay!)

I finally arrived in Accra, Ghana. After showing my health form to prove that I had my yellow fever vaccination, I made my way through immigration and collected my bags. Some guys from the DMC picked me up, and I rode to the Music Center with another American lady in my program. She was a retired teacher from Pennsylvania, and she already knew many of the dancers at the Center because they had performed at her school when the dance troupe was on tour in America. As we made our way to the DMC, I happily took in the sites as we drove through the capital city of Accra and made our way to the community of Medie, just outside the city. 

People sell goods at traffic lights. You can buy anything from laundry detergent to newspapers to snacks and water. Ladies carry big baskets and bins on their heads while they expertly weave through the traffic, and then they calmly step out of the way when the traffic starts to move.

The roads changed a bit once we drew near to the Dagara Music Center.

We're herrrrrrrrrrrre!!! (Actual squealing inside my head)

There was a dance rehearsal of sorts happening when I arrived. I was instantly fascinated with the rhythms and the movement, and even more impressed by this little toddler dancing in the foreground - he has better moves than I do! When they finished, I wandered around the rest of the grounds to check out my home for the next three weeks.

Many groups visit the Dagara Music Center each year. There are murals that cover the walls that tell the stories of so many people who have studied here throughout the years.

There are clothing lines stretched across open spaces, and there is almost always laundry drying on the lines.

There are gates at the front and back entrances.

When these ladies weren't dancing or teaching, they were busy making textiles and dresses. They made two dresses for me out of special batik fabric, and I adore them - in fact, I wish I had bought more!

People were not the only ones wandering around the Music Center!

Our cohort was quite varied. Going into it, I thought everyone there would be studying drumming and dancing. For that matter, I assumed that we would all be music or dance teachers. I was very wrong! I was actually the only music teacher in the program. There was an art teacher and the retired special education teacher that I met in the ride from the airport. There were also a few performers (percussionists and a vocalist), a history teacher, a college students who just happened to have amazing chops, and this fantastic couple who was really into culture. The bulk of us arrived on the 30th of June and stayed for the 3-week program. Others arrived later, left early, or stayed longer. That's the thing about the DMC; people come and people go, but the troupe makes sure that everyone who is visiting is part of the family.

It took me a long time to learn everyone's name at the DMC because there were so many people who were part of the community, but it was important to me to learn everyone by name. The dancers and musicians at the DMC are part of a troupe called Saakumu. They are active artists in Ghana as well as abroad. When they are not dancing, they also help around the DMC. The ladies mostly help with the housework and cooking, and many of the men at the time were working to build a new site for the Dagara Music Center. Everyone pitched in to help run the Center, and many of them also taught us during our lesson times (or whenever we asked for help). Most of the troupe members slept at the Center when I was there, but a few of them returned to their families at night. The DMC is not only a community, but a family as well.

The day after we arrived, we attended a funeral, which is a BIG deal in Ghanaian culture (more on that in a later post). The day after that, we finally got to take a tour and see the rest of Medie. In Southeast Asia, there is a saying, "Same same, but different." That came to mind in our tour. I've seen small communities in a few different countries, but Medie had a vibrancy and an identity all of its own. I loved it, and I still miss it to this day.

When new friends become family 💛

Cole is not only one of my favorite people from the program, but possibly one of my favorite people that I've ever met in life.

Suddenly, the road changed at the edge of the community, where it meets the main road. This was the gas station where we would sometimes venture in the afternoon when we wanted a treat.

Saakumu, the dance troupe (including the musicians), is an incredible group of artists. They held a few dance rehearsals in the time I was there, and it was fascinating to watch them. In most performances, we often only see the final, polished product, and not the work behind it. Watching my teachers while they learned gave me an entirely new level of appreciation for their artistry. 

Something I found interesting is that the men learn the women's dances, and visa versa. I was also fascinated by the relationship between the drummers and the dancers. I had learned at the workshop in America that the drummers and dancers must communicate during a performance, but here I got to witness it firsthand. At one point, I even saw the dance teacher "telling" the drummers what she wanted in the next sequence (you can see that in the video below). Later, they were practicing a stick dance. When you first see it, it may appear easy. But after my experience in dance lessons, I was amazed by the intricacy of the footwork, and I appreciated the challenge of spinning and timing everything correctly.

 

The next generation :)

Our teachers are incredibly busy, hardworking people. Not only did they teach us and help out around the DMC, but they also taught the junior troupe. These kids come from the community, and some of the dancers in Saakumu trained the littles. We got to watch one of their practices. I was so impressed by how these kids can move!

Just when I thought I was impressed... things got real.

Toward the end of our first week of life at the DMC, we took a field trip to the city center of Accra. First, we went to the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Memorial Park. It serves as the last resting place of the first president of Ghana, and the museum taught us a lot about the history of Ghana and how its people gained independence.

Our tour guide explained the significance of many things in the park.

This statue was destroyed during a revolt. The head wasn't returned until decades later.

Wild peacocks roamed the grounds.

The structure of the mausoleum.

Surrounding gardens.

 
These statues represent the unity between the south (the two drums) and the north (the banjo-looking instrument).

There were 7 of these guys in each fountain, as 7 is an important number in Ghana (I believe this is a biblical reference). Each statue expresses the culture of Ghana, especially the music of the South. The horn is blown when someone dies, and kneeling is a sign of respect and honor.

The bronze statue of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, "Forward ever, backwards never."

After the museum, we headed over to the Accra Arts Centre, which is one of the largest markets in Ghana. Before going into the market, we ate lunch at a little shack outside the centre. It was delicious local food, and it was also my first time eating with ONLY my right hand! I posted this on social media at the time, and someone made the comment that she always eats with her right hand. Well, I'm sure most of us do. But there was something about digging into the grilled fish and other delicacies with only my fingertips and no utensils. It's not exactly like eating a slice of pizza. Also, it's important to only use the right hand when eating in Ghana. It's a sign of disrespect to do things with the left hand. This was a bit challenging for me because I am ambidextrous (thanks to all those years of playing the piano!), and I do about 50% of daily chores and activities with each hand. I had to consciously use my right hand for everything. One night, my African mama lightly slapped my wrist and scolded me for eating with my left hand - I hadn't even realized I was doing it! And just by the way, this didn't offend me one bit. I was glad she cared enough to remind me. After all, I was a visitor, and it is important to me to learn about culture when I travel.

I ordered fish, which was grilled whole. I eat this all the time in Myanmar, but usually with chopsticks. It's slightly more challenging to rip apart with your hands - correction HAND! - but I started to get the hang of it by the end. I ate most of the meat, but I left the eyeballs to someone else... I'm not quite there yet. Someone else ordered goat and offered for me to try it. It's impolite in many cultures to turn down food, so I accepted the offer, making this a Lunch of Firsts: First time eating sans utensils, and first time trying goat. (And P.S., it was pretty good! Sorry to my vegetarian/vegan friends out there...)

The arts centre itself was buzzing with business. It was vibrant and fast-paced, and much more aggressive than vendors at markets in Southeast Asia. This is why I didn't end up taking any pictures, as I was slightly overwhelmed by the vendors. 

Stalls were full of typical souveniers, as well as textiles, beautiful fabrics and clothing, jewelry, and many other handmade crafts. I ended up buying some jewelry (a couple of necklaces). I was proud of myself for negotiating by myself, because I knew from my experience in Asian markets that you always offer 50% of the asking price and then settle somewhere in between. I was surprised that the vendor agreed to my price so readily. It turns out that in West African markets, you offer 1/3 of the asking price, so the guy was thrilled he got so much out of me. Someday I will learn not to be so smug, and also remember that I still have a lot to learn! I didn't really care too much in the end, because my mom loved her necklace, and I still wear mine all the time. 

When I bought a beautiful skirt at another stall, I let my dance teacher help me. I got a much better deal. (And on a side note, I wish I had bought more textiles. I guess that means that I have to go back!)

The market - same same but different

Lunch is served!

Guinness is apparently regional, and it tastes different in each of its places. This was definitely different from the Guinness I've had in Ireland and the US. It was much lighter, which makes sense in this tropical climate. Despite the difference, it was still tasty!

Learning to eat with only my right hand

The crew!

My lunch! In Ghana, there is often some bread or other starch served with the meat or protein, and you use it to pick up the other parts of your meal (including soups and stews).

The people of Ghana definitely made me feel welcome. The more I learned, the more I fell in love. I adored how everyone called each other "brother" or "sister," and how they treated visitors with such warmth. 

The first week was only the tip of the proverbial iceberg that was my experience in Ghana. I adore music, dancing, and culture, and I was almost instantly fascinated with this country. There is much more to tell. Stay tuned for a post about daily life at the DMC!

Until next time, y'all.

#ghanalove