Dr Yael Mehl, scholar of Israeli
Folklore and wife of Israeli Ambassador to Ghana took a long trip to Jasikan, a
town in the Volta Region of Ghana. It
was at the invitation of Rev. Dr. Elias Asiamah, a lecturer of Theatre Arts at
the University of Ghana, to speak at the Story-telling Festival, a Buem
community cultural heritage recovery program with schools.
The program started with a visit
to the Jasikan District Forestry Department and then to the Akrofo Human and
Environmental Resource Development Centre. Rev. Dr. Asiamah who is also the
owner of the center, took Dr. Yael and some students from the University of
Ghana around and showed them how he is preserving nature and culture through
the centre.
The main event of the day was at
the Bueman Secondary School where she was warmly welcomed by the Headmaster,
PTA leaders and tutors of the school. At the Assembly Hall of the school, over 1500
students, and leaders of the community gathered for the Story-telling Festival.
After playing the Ghana National Anthem, the School’s Brass Band surprised Dr.
Yael with ‘Hatikva’ (The Hope), National Anthem of Israel. Dr. Yael was deeply
moved as the students played; it was a real surprise that got her to almost
tearing.
As the Guest of Honor for the
event, Dr. Yael in her speech told an Israeli-Jewish Talmudic story about Honi,
the Circle-Drawer. She concluded that knowing tradition and transferring it
between generations is very important for every person, family, ethnic group
and nation. It creates an important and fruitful dialog between the past, the
present and the future, and helps in preserving tradition and people's identity.
The program was filled with
Drama, story-telling and traditional dance performances. In the end, the over
five-hour journey was worth it. It was a great opportunity to share Israel with
the people and also learn a lot about Ghanaian culture. Dr. Yael hopes that the
Jasikan cultural heritage recovery project, will flourish and help preserve the
culture of the people.