By Mohamed Faray Kargbo
Clad in traditional Temne folk costumes, the celebrants shook their bodies with unimaginable swiftness. As the drums beat, so does the dancers. The festival attracted onlookers from neighbouring communities especially the Fourah Bay area. It was the final presentation of the Heritage Club of Henry Fergusson Junior Secondary School, Kennedy Street in Freetown. The Club was doing their final performance for a national/international cross-cultural film contest that is sponsored by the International National Trusts Organization (INTO).
Facilitated by Sierra Leone’s Monuments and Relics Commission, Heritage Clubs in Freetown are producing short films for a cross-cultural competition that would be judged by a panel of judges In Sierra Leone and peer reviewed by experts in Uganda or Zimbabwe. The winning video would be awarded a prize.
Being the first club to record their video, they braved the rains by putting up an outstanding performance. The drummers were relentless to get the dancers to dance as fast as they drummed. The dancers tried to reciprocate by using whatever is left of their energy to catch the pace. Onlookers watched in awe as the performances unfolded.
The trainer must have done a great piece of work to choreograph a dance of that nature especially when they were performed by pupils. In their presentation, the Heritage Club of Henry Fergusson School outlined the processes involved in food cultivation. From clearing the farmland to harvesting the crops, the message was laid bare. A tray-dancer spiced up the show by displaying specialized skills to the admiration of all who witnessed the event.
The Patrons of the school and the Principal, Mohamed A. Joaque are optimistic that the school’s Heritage Club would win the competition. They were pleased that the school was considered for such a contest whilst assuring the Monuments and Relics Commission that their school was open to promote cultural and arts education in Sierra Leone. Various other schools will be doing their films in the next couple of weeks.
Education and Outreach Department
Monuments and Relics Commission
23 Pultney Street, Freetown
Email: [email protected]
