Greetings from Ghana!

With the release of "The Lion King" remake imminent, I want to take the time to clear up some lasting misconceptions about the wildlife that exists in Ghana and explore how these animals are protected. When one thinks about Africa, the first thing that comes to mind is lions. Well, sorry to disappoint, but Ghana is largely devoid of lions. And giraffes. And zebras. And rhinos. Please remember, Africa is a continent. Again, let me repeat: AFRICA IS A CONTINENT. That means each country has its own culture, beliefs, climate, political system, and… fauna selection. The animals I just mentioned can be found in large numbers across central and southern Africa, but not so much in Ghana. However, that does not mean Ghana does not have plenty of beautiful creatures of its own. In fact, the country has established several ways to protect large swaths of land as natural habitats for its “big game” creatures, including national parks, resource reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, and n

What does dancing in Ghana look like? The answer-- there is no "quintessential Ghanaian dance" (unless you count the "Akwaaba" dance. Google it). Instead, each tribal group has their own cultural dances, including the Dagaaba of Upper West Region. Below is an example of my students dancing one of the oldest traditional dances of the Dagaaba people of Upper West, the Bawaa. It is a ceremonial dance performed to celebrate the beginning and the end of the rainy season, the new year, a good harvest, and during festivals. This dance requires a lot of waist and leg movement, but notice the two different movements required of men and women dancers. Part of the enjoyment of this dance is the singing and shouting that occurs to encourage the dancers. Drumming and xylophone playing are an essential part of performing any traditional dances in the Upper West region and xylophone playing is actually unique to that region. The drums are made from cowhide stretched across a w

(Upon listening to the weird dream I had last night) "Funny... I didn't think white people dreamed."