Day 5: In Ghana - Kwame Nkrumah Memorial                                                               Center For National Culture:                                                                                  Traditional Arts Market                                                                                                  Arts Center

                      Traditional Ghanaian Dinner at the Abajo Cafe

Day started out visiting a beautiful memorial for one of the most amazing human beings and truly one of the most historically important figures to Ghana. Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah - First Prime Minister and President of the Republic of Ghana.  Absolute inspiring visionary and a true force of nature.  He solidified Ghanas National Freedom from Colonization in 1957.  And then the overwhelming amount of positive changes that occured for Ghana is truly mind blowing.  If you have a few minutes, please follow the link and read about this beautiful titan for the people https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kwame-Nkrumah

After our visit to Dr. Kwame Nkrumah 's memorial we went to Centre for National Culture to see and visit with traditional artists and their market based in Accra, Ghana.  So if you're asking yourself, is this going to be where Brian actually explodes with unwavering excitement because he is going to get to see, and talk to some of the most amazing drum builders and carvers in the world...  Drum Roll Please....  YES.  YES!  YESYESYES!!!  Oh my ever living GOD.  I literally hit the motherboard.  If I only had secured that shipping container.  You know the one.  We see them on train cars all the time.  Sadly - only a suitcase.  Pray for me.  I may have had eyes bigger than my suitcase.  But I was very fortunate to get 4 traditional Ghanaian Instruments: Asalato (PR of small round gourd shakers), Gita (half a bushel gourd) Tamelin (tunable rectangular Frame Drum) and the Songbong ( small mechanically tuned drum held in one hand controlling the tone with your thumb, while you play the front of the drum with a stick)

Purchased from this remarkable drum builder a traditional shallow rectangular frame drum called “Tambalin” (purchased the smaller one out of the family of 3), small double headed drum called “Songbong” that is held in one hand and pitch controlled by using the thumb of that hand against the bottom head (resonating head) while striking with a simple drum stick the (batter head) with the opposite hand.  See below a short video of my dear friend Nii Yeeye demonstrating as he is teaching me how to play this drum.  This is the drum I purchased. Very very expressive little drum approx 4"x10" diameter, Half of a 14" Bushel Gourd known as “Gita” (unbelievable rich low end when striking with your hammerfist and very articulate sharp sound when striking with the inside knuckle of your fingers.  Its the kind of sound that isn't loud but so organic that it hits you deep in your soul at the same time jumps out at you with the combination of low tone like a Kick Drum against the crack of a snare drum rim shot - intoxicating!!!) and of course 13 pair of one of the coolest of cool shakers known as “Asalato”.  Kept one pair and gifted the others.  Also purchased a few traditional bamboo Flutes

below the “Songbong” Demo is three different videos of Zorkie Nelson playing three different traditional Ghanaian instruments - Gankogui Double Bell, Asalato Double Gourd Shaker secured by string (pr.), and an intriguing Wawa Guiro a seedpod, gourd and stick scraper