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Meet FAITH CONANT, an Ewe-speaking American mother, wife, and lecturer, who plays one of the master drums of Ewe culture like no other. She is a champion in a domain that’s usually the preserve of men called "AZAGUNOR". She is a source of motivation and inspiration, a skilled craftswoman, and wonderful human being.
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I shouldn't call her a “Master Drummer,” and the phrase “Mistress Drummer” will not do justice to what Faith does. She has lived and learned in Togo, and speaks fondly of the generosity, humanity, and dignity she was shown in West Africa. She now teaches Music, Drumming and Dancing of the Ewe people of Southern Ghana, Togo and Benin, at Stony Brook University, New York.
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Four key things stand out for me concerning Faith and her skills:
1. To hear your traditional drumming and dancing performed beautifully in your hometown is one thing;
2. To hear or experience your culture exhibited excellently in the USA is another;
3. To see the master drum of one of your most sophisticated drumming performances played wonderfully by anyone who’s not from your culture or region is great and beautiful;
4. To see that the person who has truly mastered the master drum of the Adzogbo dance is an American woman is quite remarkable.
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Wonderful to have Faith visit us at the UN today. PLEASE, take a moment, and for your weekend pleasure, to hear her say a few things about herself and give you the meanings or distinction in “DZIMAKPLA” and “KPLAMASE” – two deep Ewe words.