SSSSSSSSS!!!!
Greetings!
SSSSSSSSS!!!! - this is how you get someones attention here in Ghana. You make a hissing sound. When I fist heard it I thought “wow that is rude,” but everyone does it and it really is not rude at all…just something that you do.
This morning I came to the university and did some research at the reference library here at the music department – also known as the International Center for African Music and Dance. They have a small reference library with many excellent resources on African music including many dissertation and thesis. The library is very small- maybe 20 feet by 30 feet - with a desk for the reference librarian and a large desk for students to study and do research.
Afterwards I visited with some of the German students who are here from Hanover. They are music education majors who have been here for two weeks. They are giving a performance of African dance and drumming tomorrow morning that I am going to attend. Earlier in the week I observed their drumming class, and I have gotten to know a few of them fairly well. They have invited me to a barbecue on Saturday.
Aaron and I had lunch today at the market. I dod not feel too adventuresome so I had my favorite – Wyke – pronounced Why Chi. It is a dish with beans and rice and shredded cassava with noodles and tomato sauce and hot pepper sauce – spicy but very good!
I had a lesson with Aaron this afternoon and later a two-hour lesson with Michael on Kpanlogo. I am starting to fell more comfortable with the master drum parts and am getting the right sounds on the drums. When I leave I hope to have the entire Kpanlogo learned. Aaron and I are working on two tunes and the many variations that go along with those tunes.
There are women and girls who sell small plastic bags of water around campus and on the street. They carry a big aluminum bowl on their heads with the bags of water. It is not expensive – about 2 or 3 cents per bag. It is so hot here that you need to drink water all day long. To open the bag you have to bite off the corner with your teeth. I am still not very good at that part of it, and seem to always squirt water all over the place.
I am meeting many students and faculty here. They have all been very welcoming and gracious hosts to me – especially Aaron and Michael. They have taken good care of me and in the evening they negotiate my taxi fare. Tonight Aaron got the fare down from 15,000 cedis to 10,000 ($1.60 to $1.10).
That is all for now. I am going to study my video recordings of my lessons today to prepare for tomorrow.
Best to all,
Patrick
SSSSSSSSS!!!! - this is how you get someones attention here in Ghana. You make a hissing sound. When I fist heard it I thought “wow that is rude,” but everyone does it and it really is not rude at all…just something that you do.
This morning I came to the university and did some research at the reference library here at the music department – also known as the International Center for African Music and Dance. They have a small reference library with many excellent resources on African music including many dissertation and thesis. The library is very small- maybe 20 feet by 30 feet - with a desk for the reference librarian and a large desk for students to study and do research.
Afterwards I visited with some of the German students who are here from Hanover. They are music education majors who have been here for two weeks. They are giving a performance of African dance and drumming tomorrow morning that I am going to attend. Earlier in the week I observed their drumming class, and I have gotten to know a few of them fairly well. They have invited me to a barbecue on Saturday.
Aaron and I had lunch today at the market. I dod not feel too adventuresome so I had my favorite – Wyke – pronounced Why Chi. It is a dish with beans and rice and shredded cassava with noodles and tomato sauce and hot pepper sauce – spicy but very good!
I had a lesson with Aaron this afternoon and later a two-hour lesson with Michael on Kpanlogo. I am starting to fell more comfortable with the master drum parts and am getting the right sounds on the drums. When I leave I hope to have the entire Kpanlogo learned. Aaron and I are working on two tunes and the many variations that go along with those tunes.
There are women and girls who sell small plastic bags of water around campus and on the street. They carry a big aluminum bowl on their heads with the bags of water. It is not expensive – about 2 or 3 cents per bag. It is so hot here that you need to drink water all day long. To open the bag you have to bite off the corner with your teeth. I am still not very good at that part of it, and seem to always squirt water all over the place.
I am meeting many students and faculty here. They have all been very welcoming and gracious hosts to me – especially Aaron and Michael. They have taken good care of me and in the evening they negotiate my taxi fare. Tonight Aaron got the fare down from 15,000 cedis to 10,000 ($1.60 to $1.10).
That is all for now. I am going to study my video recordings of my lessons today to prepare for tomorrow.
Best to all,
Patrick
posted by Patrick Roulet at 12:12 PM
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