SONGS SUNG IN THE SCHOOL

[TEH FRANCIS YAI]

Hello. It has taken a while for me to post about our school. In the next few days, I will post some blog post that tells you about our school. Today, I'd like to tell you how song and music is a part of our life here.

School life in Cameroon is colored with singing every morning, before lunch and the individual classes are closing for the day. In the school there is the choral choir, and this choir goes to animate the celebrations on special days. The songs sung in school are of various different types.

We have religious songs, patriotic songs like the National Anthem are song every morning, wedding songs, historical songs, and songs about nature. We are making a collection of the songs in order to put them together. The children love singing and it is always the best moment in their lives when it is time to sing.

Most of the songs are sung playing a drum made of a wood and animal skin. There is the tomtom drum, the long one and small drum. Other instruments are the gong, the gourd, the flute, and the horn. It is always lively African music.
The school is badly in need of a band. They envy other schools playing it every morning and in special occasions.

[lilalia]

Rev. Teh, I am very much looking forward to hearing your children sing songs.

[deb]

Dear Rev. Teh, so much can be felt and learned from singing. I'll bet these times are the children's favourites... In Canada, we would rarely think of going outside to sing; it's too noisy in our urban noisome environment. It sure looks peaceful and beautiful in this photo!
Deb

[TEH FRANCIS YAI]

Hi Deb,
It is great hearing from you this Christmas season. The children really sing wonderful songs in school, and the songs are impacting. I am still working on a program to record the songs and post them online. Nancy whom I work with is trying to put osme of these songs into writing.
Merry Christmas 2008.