Blog - Ghanaian drumming

Friday 16 March 2012

Yesterday we had a drumming group from Ghana in school as part of our Ghana themed week. Three drummers, with their charismatic and larger-than-life leader, ran workshops for all year 7 students in the afternoon, during which all the students had the chance to play the drums. The group, ‘OneDrum’, then stayed on after school and ran some team-building activities for students participating in the expeditions to Ghana in the summer.

The year 7 students seemed to thoroughly enjoy both the drumming activities, and the incredible acrobatics of one of the group members, who performed an impressive series of back-flips, handstands, and spinning large metal bowls on drumsticks, in each hand as well as in his mouth!  Inevitably, when the group leader asked the students which of their teachers they would like to see dancing, the response was predictable and overwhelming; the occasional ritual humiliation is all part of the fun in this job!

On a more serious note, the activity was designed to supplement our Ghana-focussed activities this week and bring a little of the vibrancy of another culture into school.  Selected photographs of the session (mercifully, excluding the teachers dancing!) can be viewed by clicking here.