Inver Hills Class Connects Students With Cultural Heritage
A popular African drum and dance group has become a cultural touchstone for African American students at Inver Hills Community College.
For much of her life, Afia Addo's parents have pressured her to learn more about her home country and birthplace: Ghana. But for Addo, who lived in Italy for much of her life then moved to the United States six years ago, taking the time to learn more about her cultural heritage was easier said than done. Until she joined in an African drum and dance group directed by Professor Andrew Martin at Inver Hills Community College. At a school where roughly 20 percent of the student population consists of minority students—many of them African American—Martin's ensemble has become something of a cultural touchstone. For 16 weeks, students train to play African drums, including the djembe, Akan Funeral Drum, Eve Drum and other instruments. …
