“Rhythm is sound in motion. It is related to the pulse, the heartbeat, the way we breathe. It takes us into ourselves; it takes us out of ourselves.”
Edward Herschel
On June 21st, our six Ghanaian cohort teachers warmly welcomed us to Accra with a home cooked meal, drumming, dance and singing, our first glimpse into a rich culture that is built on traditions such as storytelling, dance and song. The following day we were formally welcomed to Ghana with a naming ceremony. My African Day name is Efua, indicating that I was born on Friday. After the naming ceremony, one of our American colleagues, Charline, was installed as the Queen Mother of our 18 person group to help insure that everyone’s needs were met during our two week educational program. In Ghana, clans and villages typically have a queen mother, who cares for the members of community and performs other ceremonial roles. During the installation ceremony, dancers and drummers performed ethnic dances from 4 regions of Ghana.
The rhythms of the music, and drumming patterns of Ghanaian music at first felt unfamiliar and even strange. This surprised me given my eclectic taste in music that ranges from classical to American pop. I was enchanted by the footwork of the dancers which sprang from the complicated rhythms of the drum and castanets. The following day we took a dance class with professor Dr. Kofi Anthonio at the University of Ghana. He taught us a dance that felt very intricate to this novice dancer. He told us the story that went with the dance, with each movement telling part of the story. It was easier to learn each movement when we knew what each movement represented. This lesson helped me to internalize some of the rhythms that initially felt so unfamiliar. At the beginning of the trip, I felt self-conscious about my perceived lack of rhythm, but with time my self-consciousness eased, and I began to see that dance in Ghana has a big social component, and it is fun. Everyone participates, including the very young and the old, and there is no judgement about dancing skills.
Much like these rhythms of music, there are rhythms in Ghanaian life that we have caught glimpses of during the many hours we have spent traveling the coast and southern plain of Ghana. Roosters often greet us with their crows as we wake up in the morning. Chickens and goats seem to be everywhere. They wander freely along the roads, in the markets, on school grounds, and even on the beaches.
I taught 47 eighth grade Ghanaian students a lesson on the suffix y. It is a lesson that my eighth grade students at the Carroll School complete in their reading tutorial. The students were engaged during the lesson and were very eager to play the word bingo game that I brought with me.
One thing that has stood out to me in my two weeks in Ghana is how hard Ghanaian women work. They are often outside all day in the stifling heat and humidity. At schools, I saw a few teachers or relatives of teachers carrying babies and toddlers on their backs while going about their duties.
I also saw women of all ages walking the streets day in and day out, peddling their wares, which they carry on their heads. Yet, they carry out their work with a grace that belies the physical demands, and we were met with smiles of kindness.
Traditionally Ghanaian women do all of the cooking, cleaning, and laundry, and clothes are often washed by hand and hung up outside to dry. Seeing Ghanaian women juggle so much to maintain their households, bring in some money, and put food on the table, makes me thankful for the conveniences and resources that we have at home that make everyday living and working a little easier. However, I admire the values of respect, honor, and importance of family that dominate the social structure.
I have also seen for myself the rituals and traditions such as storytelling, music and dance that contribute to keeping families and communities connected to each other through the passage of time.
I will greatly miss the rhythms of life that have connected all of us together. We all have bonded deeply with our Ghanaian teaching cohorts, and they feel like family now. It will be hard to say goodbye. As we return to the different rhythm of our lives at home, we will carry the rhythm of Ghana with us to share with our family, friends, and students.
Esther Long, Reading Instructor, grades 8+9, Carroll School, Wayland Massachusetts