First week

Howdy all,

Happy Cinco De Mayo everyone! And happy birthday to my little bro… 16!!

Things are going quite well here. I feel like I am jumping into the midst of my research right now and am dealing with a lot of the difficult issues that come about during a process like this. It feels really good to finally get going though. I did my first 2 interviews today! Starting out today led me to realize how much work I have to do. There is so much to learn and quite frankly I have some huge challenges ahead of me, but I can’t wait. Too bad I can’t share the details with you. I have been set up with a number of interviews over the next two weeks, composers small and large and all over Southern Ghana. I think that I need somebody to pinch me so that I realize that this is actually happening!

I spent the end of last week and part of the weekend amidst the funeral events for a most outstanding professor of music who passed away in February. I feel truly lucky to have taken part in it. On Friday I went to a viewing and ceremony at the department of music. I never met the man but am definitely familiar with his work and a lot of his colleagues. It was quite moving being a part of the funeral. This is a very trying time for the people that surrounded him on a daily basis and for the department of music here. Following the viewing I met up with one of my key contacts here and arranged a ride out to the Volta Region for the funeral. It took place in Gbadzeme-Avatime, not too far from Ho in the Volta Region. Pretty much the second most beautiful place in the world (after Idaho duh). The funny thing is that less than two years ago I had been sitting on top of Mount Gemi less than a kilometer away from the village. At the time I had looked down at the village and thought that it sure looked like an interesting place that I wish that I could visit. And there I was on Friday night and Saturday looking up to the peak of Mt. Gemi. Life is funny.

I spent Friday evening and most of Saturday in the village and then traveled back to Accra (over what must be the bumpiest road in the world… that even Ghanaian complained about!). People from all over Ghana came to the funeral and there was even a pastor from a Ghanaian church in Chicago. It would be a hopeless task to describe the ceremonies on this blog, but I’ll just say that it was an incredible experience. Interesting music (including some of his compositions!), many life tributes from family members, students and scholars, and much preaching and praying. This was very different from the funeral that I attended in Dagbamete two years ago as no traditional drumming and dancing took place. There were a couple of brass bands in town and recorded gospel music was amplified throughout the village. Only in Ghana…

I am now staying in Madina with an elderly man who opens his doors for people like me looking for a cheap and stable place to stay. Basically it is perfect. It’s inexpensive, safe and the man is really fun to talk with. He’s always very concerned for my wellbeing and always wants to check up and make sure that everything is all right. Everybody calls him “Papa.” This is going to be a great base for me over the next couple of months as I travel about.

A friend of mine will be driving me out to Cape Coast and Winneba starting on Friday. These are two cities along the coast just West of Accra. He has some business to do there and is setting me up with 3 composers who are at universities in the area. On Saturday we will both attend another funeral of a relative of a PhD student at the university. This will be a different experience as I believe that it will be a Ga funeral (perhaps traditional?), not Ewe. Should be pretty interesting. So many funerals so little time!

It is a little strange getting used to the slower pace of things now that I am all settled down and not moving around as much. As I am quickly learning, I can’t be doing my project 24/7. This leaves a lot of hours in the day. It allows me time to get to know other people, Westerners and Ghanaians. And it gives me time to refine my questions and interviewing methods and to listen through some of my interviews and other recordings. Other than that I take the extra time to do a little reading… while in Frankfurt I picked up a copy of “Gulliver’s Travels”… thought it might be appropriate. Haha. Tomorrow I might head into Accra to see if I can track down any video-films down as a number of composers here wrote compositions for films and commercials. It looks like I might have another couple of interviews coming my way over the next couple of days. Keep your fingers crossed for me! Interesting note: As I’m writing this I can hear the evening call to prayer a few blocks away. I've always found that quite moving.

Funny English usage of the day- The following was painted in bold letters on the side of a pickup truck driving down the road today: “[Somebody’s Name]’s Land Scalping.” Haha! I wonder if they landscape as well.

Okay, dinnertime. Banku with fish and okra soup. Mmm. Check back again soon!

Patrick

P.S. Dear Edmontonians... just checked the weather. Sorry to hear about the snow! Ugh!