The Witness Tree Institute has ended its first of two sessions, and we are preparing for Cohort 2 to arrive in Ghana officially on Friday, July 22, 2022.
In my opinion session 1 has been a joyful and successful session because we had a dynamic, passionate and self-motivated, group of educators/life-long learners. I have said that the success of each cohort and program depends largely on the nature, efforts and attitude of the cohort, and this was confirmed!
One of our WTIG presenters described Cohort 1 as “..educators who experienced learning with their bodies, minds and souls..” Another described them as the most “diverse minds” they have ever had the opportunity to teach. Ariana, Cidi, Ofuriwaa, Dela, Tasha, Diana, Krista, Fametta, Osa, Kwasi and Jennifer: each one of you gifted those of us who have spent months planning this program, immeasurable spiritual and fulfilling rewards with your hunger, confidence, openness and generosity. When gratitude has no words to express its depth, words recede. So I can only say “Thank you” to all of you.
One of the goals of the Witness Tree Institute is to create transformative experiences for educators, so that the benefits of experiential learning- authenticity, passion, clarity, curiosity- can be aroused in their students. We also hope that, as committed Witness Trees, you would continue to use your experiences to raise up silenced and marginalized voices in your communities. Our world seems to be revolving especially unevenly, and we educators, may need to be the ones to seek and demand answers even in our little corners of the world. The greatest danger to our future is not the challenges themselves, but apathy and the lack of awareness on our part.
Cohort 1, as I listened to all of you during the Letter To My Ancestors exercise on our final day together, I sensed that what stitched all the different parts of our conversations, workshops, stories, identities, tears and laughter together is what is native to all humans. Where all of these woven threads of learning and spirits intersected also lie our common, raw and beautiful humanity.
Together, let us examine the life and brilliance of what is in the shadows, grayness and pain interlaced with the beautiful, harsh history and the inspiring culture we find. That way we can say with conviction and confidence that we have at some point in our lives, been witnesses to history, and celebrated all of who we are and what we’re making of our world so others may live.
Congratulations to WTIG Cohort 1! Akwaaba to WTIG Cohort 2. Ghana welcomes you home!
By Tete Cobblah
Founder and Director of WTIG