Valley residents keeping Ghana culture alive through music

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- For Mireil and her mother, Karena Crankson, music means everything.

It's a way of life in their household.

Karena moved from Ghana in 2004 and says one of the many things she brought with her is a passion for music within her culture.

"I grew up on music," she said. "Every time life becomes difficult, I tend back to my music."

Mireil grew up listening, playing, and singing to the beat.

"When they were born, immediately, I started teaching them the culture and music," Karena said.

"When we are home, we are always playing Ghana music and around our family and community of West African people, so there is always that element of culture," Mireil said.

Mireil is enrolled at Clovis Community College.

When she found out the school offered music classes like Global Drumming, she immediately jumped at the opportunity to learn more from her homeland.

Teaching the course is Tony Gennaro.

"This is the kind of music you can have to have first-hand experience learning," Gennaro said. "Being able to learn that music from the masters of the tradition and pass it along the best I can is a real gift and honor for me."

Karena says it's heartwarming to know students are learning about the Ghana culture in a classroom and by a professor who has never been to West Africa.

"For this professor to learn the drums and teach others is phenomenal, and I think more people should be open-hearted and minded to learn new things," Karena said.

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