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I went to the Okaidja Afroso performance with my grandma, and my brother. When Okaidja came out he was filled with so much energy and was fun to listen to. I could hear how much passion Okaidja and the others sang with. I could see how much he cared about the music and his culture. It filled me with so much joy. Okaidja even taught us some words in his language. He told us every meaning of each song.

The band played many different instruments, such as the jilt. It is an African version of the xylophone. They also had a gourd that had beads in it. They shook it different ways to make it make different sounds. Also they played a guitar, a familiar instrument. They had drums and these two bells that they hit a stick against to keep the rhythm. Okaidja played the jilt so fast you could hardly see his hands move.

The African band even brought some of their culture into their outfits. They shared some of their African culture dance. They would jump high in the air and stomp to keep the beat. It spread excitement all around the Rex Theatre. Afterwards, we got to ask them questions and hear all of their answers. It was fun to learn about another culture.

The performance was part of the Sanders County Arts Council’s Tapestry series. The next performance will be a cappella group Sound Exchange on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, at The Paradise Center.