BrewsterConnections - Brewster Academy

Voices of africa Heard at Brewster
By Peggy Comeau
Voices of Africa, an all-women’s a cappella
and traditional West African percussion
ensemble, performed at an All-School in
Anderson Hall on Friday, November 3.
Drumming, dancing, and singing in harmony,
they played West African and Brazilian
rhythms – some hauntingly beautiful, most
strong and powerful. In several songs the
rhythms got faster and faster until the hall was
echoing with the sound. Their performance
got many in the audience to their feet to dance
and move to the music. One of the songs,
which called for an audience response of “Oh
yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah,” was a big hit with the
students.
Based in Philadelphia, the group’s purpose is
“To spread the message of freedom, peace, and
love through our music,” according to Nana
Baakan Agyiriwah, the founder and managing
director of the group. She began the program
by acknowledging the Supreme Being, and
expressed her thanks for her blessings: for
being there on this day, for her ancestors, for
the audience. She asked the students to thank
the teachers who were a blessing to them.
Before each song, the drums to be used were
described, since they are an integral “voice”
in the performance. One particular drum,
the sekere, or beaded gourd, has not only
a fascinating sound, but also a beautiful
appearance. One of the singers makes these
drums from large dried hollowed-out gourds,
into which the the dried seeds of the gourd are
placed. Then a loose netting of beads and thin
rope is woven around the gourd, making a
drum that has a voice inside and out.
Agyiriwah pointed out that most rhythm
and blues and hip-hop music is based on
African rhythms, after the students responded
by clapping along and stomping during a
particularly rhythmic piece. The group was
honored with a standing ovation at the end of
the program. •
2006-2007 all-school assemblies
The Voices of Africa Ensemble
September 15 Spring Academic Awards
September 30 Anderson Hall Dedication
October 13 An Introduction to Clubs on Campus
November 3 Voices of Africa
November 17 Fall Sports Awards
December 1 Fall Academic Awards
December 15 Ellen McCurley from The Pendulum Project
January 5 Brewster Alumni Career Panel
January 16 Trey Whitfield Memorial Lecture
February 2 Senior Auction
February 16 Winter Sports Awards
March 30 Winter Academic Awards
April 13 Travis Roy
April 27 To be Determined
May 11 To be Determined
May 18 School Elections
May 23 Spring Sports Awards
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Marcia Eldredge