Xylophones Are Awesome.

The xylophone has hands down become my favorite instrument since coming to Ghana (sorry saxophones, you'll always have a special place in my heart!). You can listen to the first song I learned right here! It's called "Kontomblabo" (although to be honest I have no idea how to spell it!).

All xylophone songs have a story behind them and the story behind "Kontomblabo" is the discovery of the xylophone. Legend has it that there was a hunter who heard a wonderful song. He followed the sound and saw a dwarf playing an instrument he had never seen. The dwarf was playing "Kontomblabo." The hunter asked the dwarf to give him the xylophone, but when the dwarf refused the hunter killed him and stole the xylophone and thus the xylophone found its way into the hands of the people of northern Ghana!

The other version of the story is that it got traded for something several centuries ago and that it originally is from Cote d'Ivoire. Many Ghanaians, however, choose to believe the legend instead. No matter how it came into existence in Ghana, I think xylophones are awesome! Although commonly regarded as a "children's toy" in the U.S.A., xylophones are a very important part of Ghanaian traditional music. They most commonly have a pentatonic scale (five distinct notes) and often range from the 14-22 keys. Also, they are struck with beaters (as opposed to "sticks" which is what I had previously called them).

If you ever stumble upon the opportunity to learn to play the xylophone from a Ghanaian, TAKE THEM UP ON IT! Xylophones are awesome!

Cape Coast Festival

Last weekend we went to part of a six week long festival in the beautiful oceanside city of Cape Coast. The Afahye festival, celebrated by the Fantis (a group of people native to Southern Ghana, originated as a result of a severe epidemic. The festivals purpose is to clean the lives of people as well as the town. It also is a New Years Eve celebration because the main weekend of the festival marks the New Year for the Fante.

Ritual events at the festival consist of many different activities such as the confinement of the King, cleansing rituals with physical activities, the slaughtering of a bull, and dances where priests and priestesses can become possessed by spirits.

The bull is thought of as being the largest domesticated animal that one can sacrifice. In past years, University of California Education Abroad Students (UCEAP) have made attempts to let the bull free or to buy the bull to no prevail. It is being sacrificed for the sins of the people.

Part of the celebration during the festival includes a huge parade where all of the chiefs in Ghana come together with members of their tribes. The festival helps to renew political bonds between the King and other sub-chiefs. It also facilitates interaction between the government and people at the local level. 

Cape Coast, which usually has a population of about 170,000, swells to just over one million people every year for the slaughter and parade. Naturally this makes the nightlife scene very chaotic.

The weekend was a great cultural experience, be sure to check out the festival if you’re ever in Ghana for it!

Random Fun Fact: Sometimes avocados are purple in Ghana!

Ghanaian Kente Cloth and Adinkra Symbols

Adinkra Stamps

A few weeks back all of the University of California Education Abroad (UCEAP) students visited two villages outside of Kumasi (about four hours away from Accra) where we learned how to make Kente cloth, and had the opportunity to stamp our own Adinkra cloths. Kente cloth is intricately woven fabric that has become the symbol of Africa for African nations and Adinkra symbols are a unique art of printing dating back to the 13th century. Both of these cloths originated in Ghana. 

All of the symbols have a different meaning, which can be seen by clicking HERE. The combination of different symbols can relay different messages. 

Before the cloth can be stamped, the ink has to be created. It is made from a special type of bark, and the entire process of ink making takes a couple weeks. The first stage is flattening the bark by smashing it repeatedly with a stick. 

Smashed Bark for Ink

After the bark has been flattened, it gets heated up over several days and eventually turns into a form of ink. All of the students were fortunate enough to be able to chose two symbols and stamp our cloths. As a new Rotarian, I decided to chose symbols that correspond with my Rotarian values. (If you don’t know what a Rotarian is, be sure to check out THIS link!) The symbol (sort of) resembling a ladder symbolises a snake climbing a raffia tree. It means “doing something impossible and being persistent” or never giving up. The symbol consisting of multiple circles is a warning against bossiness and symbolises exhorting humility and servitude in others. 

Adinkra Symbols Stamped onto Cloth

We also had the pleasured of learning how to make Kente cloth, which is a very strenuous process. After purchasing and dying the thread (all of it comes white),  it needs to be spooled (While its possible to buy string that has already been spooled, its much to expensive for the villagers.) 

Spooling the Thread

After, they have to create the base for their Kente cloth, which they do by walking the spooled string back and forth multiple times between two pegs. 

Afterward, they bring the base to the loom. The looms are both awesome and very intricate. After attaching the base to the loom, they weave a second spool of thread back and forth through the loom to create different patterns.

The process can take anywhere from a couple of days to over a month. Although in the United States sewing, weaving, and related crafts are often thought as things that “women do”, it is customary for men to be the only ones who weave Kente cloth. Women are allowed to make them however, they are not allowed to sell the cloths they create. 

I purchased a triple woven (extra durable) Kente cloth for 130 cedi (approximately $32) which I can have made into a dress. In the meantime, it makes a great blanket.