Music instructor Ian Gendreau says there are a lot of misconceptions about Africa—not to mention the many cultural differences between the 47 countries on the continent.

So on Tuesday, Gendreau came to Old Hammondtown School to set the record straight, explaining some of the not-so-subtle cultural differences while also playing some music from the country of Ghana.

“Most people, when they think of Africa, think of guys dancing around in loin cloths or running around with machine guns,” he said. “They don’t realize the rich cultural history.”
Born near Buffalo, New York, Gendreau said he first learned about African culture and music while playing in a steel drum band in college. With his bandmates, he began taking part in multicultural arts residencies with local schools.

“I realized how much I wanted to get involved, and discovered how much I loved teaching,” Gendreau said.

Today, Gendreau lives in Medford and holds a master’s degree in ethnomusicology from Tufts University. He travels as a teacher of both multicultural and popular music at the Thomas Gardner Elementary School in Allston, Fenway High School in Boston, Bristol Community College in Fall River and at his alma mater.

Gendreau also teaches private music lessons in drums and congas.

“I want to provide all of the information to the kids that they normally don’t have in schools,” he said.

To do this, he says he uses “experiential learning,” which conveys a lot of the culture by allowing the students to take part in demonstrations.

Gendreau said he learned how to play African drums from the people of Ghana firsthand.

Gendreau has traveled back in forth to Ghana several times to study the music of the region.

“Music in Ghana is really tied into everyday life,” he said.

The dozen or so drums used by Gendreau are made in Ghana. The Ga people of this region call the drums “kpanlogos,” which are carved from solid tree trunks. The trunks are then hollowed out and an animal skin (usually antelope) is stretched over the top.

After a few lessons, Gendreau invited 20 students to join him in drumming and in working with other African instruments such as the “gankogui,” a bell-like instrument; the “axaste,” which is a rattle; and the “atoke,” a banana-shaped bell.

Though the workshop was only an hour long, Gendreau said that in Ghana, the drummers can play for a lot longer.

“In Ghana, they play for sets of six hours straight,” he said. “You’re the soundtrack to someone’s party there. It’s all about endurance. It’s like being an athlete: You have to train.”

Gendreau was invited to come to Old Hammondtown by the Mattapoisett Parent Teacher Association. Martha Loer, a representative from the PTA, says the students have been excited to take part in the workshop.

“I think children in this school are fortunate because they have teachers who are aware of multicultural offerings outside of Mattapoisett,” Loer said. “The teachers and the PTO work on bringing artists into the school so the students can experience some of these cultures. This way the world comes to Old Hammondtown.”