Rhythm...

On December 5th, I went to the Dubois Center for a Bead Society meeting which was ok. Afterwards, myself and one of the other Fulbrighters walked out and heard drumming so we went to check it out. We bought a coke and sat down to watch and listen. As we sat down, the two guys motioned us over next to them. They were good. They sang and played for us and it was really neat. Then, they asked us to play with them. On the extra two drums, they gave us a beat to follow and they did the improvising. It was neat. Now I would love to be able to tell you that it was easy and that I picked up on it without problem, however, that would not be the whole truth. Now, many of you may be thinking, “Well, duh! You are a white boy from the cornfields of Illinois.” In my own defense, I don’t think it is quite that simple. I play guitar, and although I am by no means talented, I can usually keep a pretty simple rhythm without too much problem. It took everything I had just to keep a basic rhythm and was frankly a little embarrassed. Later, as I left, I started to think about it and it has stuck with me ever since. I think that such an incident is a physical manifestation of the experience, as a whole, that I am having thus far in Africa. Allow me to use an analogy:

The best that I can do to explain what I am experiencing, culturally, here in Africa is to use music, and I am not sure this is even a good analogy, so please bear with me... When I first came here, everything was a blur, moving so fast, a million miles an hour, and I could not pick up any rhythm to it, I could not even hear the music. Then, slowly, I heard the background noise; that there was some type of music to hear (speaking of the culture in general), and therefore there must be a rhythm somewhere. In time, I have started to pick up the beat, the basic baseline. Every society, however, is a symphonic masterpiece, with millions of different instruments and movements. They all move together to form one song being played by 23 million people. Different towns and areas are different sections and play their own unique instruments and with their own special and one-of-a-kind style, but they fit together to make an original piece of music that can not be duplicated or identically replicated. Some other countries, societies and peoples may attempt, but they, too, will add, by nature, their own instruments and changes based on their strengths and talents.

Just to hear the beat is an incredible feeling, to hear the music is beyond words. It is a true Ghanaian who actually participates and plays in the music. I am not there yet, and, truly, don't know if I will be there in a year even. However, I think that it is important to realize a beat of the society/culture/people/country even exists. Some tourists and other obrunis that I have met I think are oblivious to the beat and music that surrounds them. I know that I am not yet part of this society, or ever will be for that matter, but I do recognize that there is music and a beat here and can therefore, strive to become part of it.