Honoring that goat.

Became a laughable sight in the afternoon. Met a couple guys in the process of killing a goat this morning. In fact, the thing was tied up to a tree branch by its hind legs and they had cut the throat. It had stopped kicking around only moments before I got close. They were starting to remove the whole head when I got to conversation difference. Talk about new experiences.....

I asked them if they had plans for the skin and told them some of us want to make some hand drums. They said I could have it no problem. I got to collect it hanging over a tree branch when I got back from my village trek. So here I am walking around with a freshly skinned goat skin--fly central--on the end of a stick wondering what the F to do with this thing. Couple of the local guys told me to spread it out and cover the fatty side with ashes--took awhile to find those ashes. Got somebody who should be passing through tomorrow to pick it up and get prepped to make a drum head for us.

People were getting curious as to why a known vegetarian was wandering around with goat skin. Many keep trying to ask me for it--apparently making soup from the skin is rather enjoyable for them. If it wasn't for a drum effort I would have given it to them. However, I'm glad that if people here feel that an animal must die for them, the whole creature is being used somehow.


So as I started to say above, I'm getting involved with a drum group. I'm still working on getting our steel pan drums ready to play (still need proper playing sticks and stands), but getting a proper teacher is going to be hard. We were hoping to get a hand drum section to play as our rhythm section, but they might turn into a whole drum club hopefully. If I got to choose, I'd say I'm more of a hand drum fan too. ^_^ We have a great teacher who come from a nearby village and brings the drums: djembe, conga, and djun djun.

We hang out with a few local kids and learn how to play. I'm forming ideas on how we could try to learn from a group our teacher has in his own village and perhaps put on a joint performance. Since he also works with African roots dance and drama themes--we could learn that angle too and do a combination dance and drum show. I'm thinking with enough practice, we could be ready to do that in August. However, we need to get our own drums for practice and playing. If we do venture on a joint performance, I could probable find some funding sources via Peace Corps by demostrating the HIV/AIDS healthy lifestyles through our efforts. Part of the idea of a combined performance would be increase educational capacity and provide healthy lifestyles and messages through song and dance. While we'll keep our fingers crossed on the funding, I won't hold my breath--which is why I asked about the goat skin in the first place. : )

Stay happy and well,
ciao tutti
~your local wannabe jedi
~Shawn