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INSPIRATION AFRICA!
Project 11
Alexandra Infants School
INTRODUCTION DAY 1


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introduction day at Alexandra Infants School
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Amoafi began the introduction day at Alexandra Infants School with a warm-up story and game based around a song. This was followed by Viv showing the musical instruments from the African Worlds handling collection. Please roll your mouse over the pictures to see more.


Please roll your mouse over the pictures to see more.

There were many instruments including gourd shakers, thumb pianos (mbira), talking drums and horns. These would be drawn by the children later in the day and then cut out as shapes to be printed on the introductory banner.

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introduction day at Alexandra Infants School
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Next it was time to try on the African garments. First of all Viv showed a wooden circular block from Ghana, West Africa, and asked the chlidren what it looked like -

"The sun, a tyre, a biscuit"

Viv explained that it had a meaning which was -

"May the sun always shine on you".

May the sun always shine on you symbol
Adinkra garment

The shapes can be block printed onto fabric as shown on the left and below. This is called an Adinkra or mourning cloth from Ghana. Adinkra means farewell and these cloths are worn at funerals.


Adinkra garmentWest African garments
Pupils modelling African garments
African hats
Girls can wear garments tied around their heads		African hats
Boys wear African hats

Amoafi teaching Ghanian song

To end the morning Amoafi taught the children a Ghanian song called Twi which was very similar to Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.

You can read it and hear the children singing by clicking on the button below.


Move onto afternoon session --->

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