Pomp and Circumstance

Several weeks ago, Savanna asked if I would attend her Graduation on August 1st. I asked what sort of graduation it was and she said Christ Complex Junior High School. Since she is only in (our equivalent) seventh grade, I was a little confused but nevertheless agreed to attend. I was looking for a cultural adventure and I was not disappointed!

Last night Savanna came to say that she had to go at 7:00AM, but that it started at 10:00AM, so I should come with her father (actually her uncle – but I think we’ve been down this cultural road before, so I won’t explain). So, this morning I was ready by 9:45 and went outside. Maxwell (yes the same one from the gutter covering project) said he needed to do "one or two things" before we would go. He said it started at 10:00AM so we would leave the house at about 11:00. I just love GMT (Ghana Maybe Time).

Once I saw the programme – I knew how they got around the whole time thing. It says "Arrival of invited guests and parents - 10:00AM". It doesn’t actually say how long they would give everyone to actually “arrive”. We arrived at about 11:00 and the program finally began at 11:45.

As you may also notice on the program – the event is scheduled for two days! This worried me initially, but then I saw that they are having a thanksgiving service at church tomorrow – so that is Day 2. Day 1, however, was sufficient for me. The official title – highly utilitarian and descriptive - is “12th Graduation, Speech and Prize Giving Day”.

The programme contained 26 items. It started with a prayer, many introductions, a small school choir singing the school anthem, and a wooden-rifle drill team. In all, mostly before the diplomas were even distributed, the programme included 2 prayers, 10 speeches, remarks or addresses, 3 sets of introductions, and a history of the school (Christ Complex is one of the best primary and junior secondary schools in the Eastern Region). In addition, although it was only one agenda item, there were over 80 poetry recitals by the primary class children, along with the other entertainment items, which included two dance groups and two short skit/plays.

[Spike: It reminded me of an FKU karate open house :)]

Some highlights included:

• The speech by the PTA Chairman was entitled “Good God! Bad World” and in it he claimed that an “enemy” is responsible for all evil, sickness, and suffering in the world. Although god is all powerful, he chooses to let these things play out.
  
• The youngest students at Christ Complex Early Childhood Development Center (primary school) recited bible verses in the “Poetry Recitals” agenda item. The youngest was 3 years old. Each recitation (regardless of language) went as follows: “My name is ______ and I am __ years old. I am a student at Christ Complex Early Childhood Development Center (a mouthful at any age!). I am in class ___. My recitation is from _____ chapter ____ verse___: ‘yada yada yada, depending on the verse”. Amen. (Amen from the crowd). As the children aged, there were some actual poems, but the basic format of the recitation was the same.
  
  -- One poem was called “My name is Electricity”, with words like: “My favorite food is water” (all the power in Ghana is hydro) and “My parents are the Water Conservation Board and the Electricity Company of Ghana”. It was cute.
  
  -- Another was called “My name is Mr. Trouble”: “…Mr. Trouble won’t trouble you if you don’t trouble Mr. Trouble…”
  
  -- Two 7 year olds recited a poem together, entitled: “I am Proud to be born a Boy or a Man” – I totally had the giggles.
  
  -- The youngest children recited their poems in English, but it was clear they were just making memorized sounds and didn't really know the meaning of what they were saying.
  
  -- One group of older students recited all their poems in French.
  
  -- When each group entered, they were led by a teacher who was singing – generally a Jesus song. She had a very nice voice and led each group in succession.
  
  -- Then she (same teacher/singer) led a group of 6 Muslim girls with heads covered (attending "Christ" Complex school?!) and she sang a song about Allah as they entered! The girls then knelt and recited verses or poems about Allah in another language, but not Twi as far as I could tell. I was incredibly impressed by this one. The children attend the school because it provides a very good education - and the school respects their beliefs, despite what must be a tremendous drive to proselytize. I have no idea how these children are incorporated into the "Religious and Moral Education" curriculum.
  
  -- Finally a group of children of varying ages in traditional tribal dress recited poems in Twi.
  
• The two skits had strong messages - one was about different people living in harmony and the other was about how to improve sanitation.


• Some of the parents of the children would go up to their child during their recitation and put money in their shirt collar, which was then collected and placed one of the strategically placed collection bowls. They finally asked them not to tuck it in the children’s clothes because they got so distracted from their recitations. After that, most parents just made a big show of waving the money in the air (in pride over their child) and put it in the bowl. Some parents did make such a to do out of prancing up to the bowl, though, that they totally stole the spotlight from their children.
  
• After each group of children finished their performance – poetry, dance, dramatic skit/play, etc. – they could not return to their seats until their parents “ransomed” them for GHC 2.00 each! The longer it took the higher the price went, so a couple parents - who must have been in the bathroom at the time – paid up to GHC 5.00.
  
• Savanna was in one of the dance numbers and was very cute. Maxwell ransomed her for GHC 2.00 – and I think he was thankful his two younger children hadn’t participated in the poetry recitals!
  
• Another dance routine (a group of 14 year old girls in pink) was to a number called “You do me, I’ll do you”, which seemed a bit out of place at a religious Junior High School. Like a lot of dance music though, it was mostly music and the words were just an afterthought. Nevertheless, the group got lots of applause, stomping, shouting, and cheering – mostly from the school boys.
  
• There was an appeal for funds (private school) that went on for at least 45 minutes. One person gave GHC 10.00 (about US$ 7.00) and it went down from there to GHC 2.00. Then, just when I thought it must finish soon, they started working on the dignitaries on the podium – starting back up at GHC 50.00 and working down to GHC 5.00.

All this was finally followed by the presentation of awards – including diplomas for the 36 graduates (19 girls, 17 boys), a “top student” award for each class beginning with Primary 1, the “top student” in each subject among the graduates, the best overall student (academic) among the graduates, as well as sportswoman and sportsman of the year, prefect awards, and best all around student (all activities and classes).

We left after the awards. There were still four programme items left and it was 4:00PM. We had been alternately rained on and baked in the sun (we were in the front row). I'd had one very chemical tasting sachet of water since my arrival, I had to pee like crazy, and both our bums had had enough. Still, it was a very interesting look at a celebrated rite of passage and the pride of parents (and uncles) everywhere in the accomplishments of their children (and nieces!).
XO