There’s a kiosk ashore where upcoming events around town are posted and I make it a habit to check often for anything of interest. Last week I saw that a drummer from Ghana was performing Friday night at a venue called the Old Stone Butter Factory, and giving drumming and dancing workshops earlier in the day. I mentioned it to Bruce and Di on Toucan and Di lit up like a candle. It seems in her previous land-based life she belonged to a drum circle and misses it. She instantly signed up for the workshop and we all agreed to meet in the evening for the performance.
Jack and I always thought we’d see much more live music in our travels but sadly when we do come across local musicians they’re covering the same songs you hear on the radio in America, and except for the magnificent Heiva festival in Fakarava and a few impromptu gatherings elsewhere in French Polynesia we’ve heard precious little native music. So Ghana is not New Zealand, but at least it promised to be authentic and we were excited.
The venue is intimate and friendly with a good bar. We got there early because I was sure it would be crowded and I wanted to get a good seat. It wasn’t and we did.
The drumming was magnificent by Robert Koffie Fugah and Jimi Dale and a woman whose name I didn’t catch.
The dance workshop participants needed no encouragement to get up and show what they’d learned and Di and the others joined the drummers onstage for a hypnotic performance. It was pretty cool all around and I can see why Di finds it meditative.
