Scott here, putting in my two cents. There are unique instruments in this part of the world and, being a bit of a shade-tree musician, I love it! A few days ago I got an invitation from my language helper to go to a drum concert put on by a local group. This group started 9 years ago with one guy who is VERY talented and a bunch of misfit kids! They’ve matured over the years and have now performed all over Europe, winning contests at international festivals. The concert was only about 45 minutes, but it featured some incredible drum routines and great singing.
One of the funnier parts of the time was a very large cameraman who was set up about 2 rows in front of us. The men in the row behind us were heckling him because all the other cameramen were squatting or sitting in chairs, conscious of those sitting behind them. Now that we’re fairly proficient in language I could understand what they were saying; “it’s like trying to look around a refrigerator!” Fortunately because our culture is rife with brutally honest comments, the cameraman was not insulted.
Afterwards because my language helper is from the same town as the drummer group I was able to meet and interact with the drummers. Our host culture is so full of talented artisans, but because of the trauma of the region we often miss this fact. It’s a great place to be and live!
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