- play the rhythms with body percussion or instruments

- decide how to perform it

This is an excellent reading song and provides opportunities to move and accompany with rhythm instruments.

The melody of "Funga Alafia" is based on the song "Liza Jane." The words have been attributed to LaRocque Bey who played drums with Baba Olatunji. A performance of the song and the dance by Baba in 1993 is found on YouTube.

The rhythm known as "Fanga" is from the Vai people of Liberia, West Africa. The words "Alafia" and "ashe" are from the Yoruba people of Nigeria. “Alafia” is a greeting word. “Ashe” means “so be it.”Jos Wuytak taught this song in many teacher trainings, including one in 1980 in Vancouver. He taught the simplified version of the Fanga dance and the interpretations of the meaning that is shared in Musicplay.

Learn the movements.

The first time you: step-close step-close step-close step-clap, then go the other way

The second time: push arms right 2x, left 2x, (continue)

The third time: tap head 4x, touch sides of mouth 4x, touch heart 4x, make prayer motion 4x

The fourth time: step-close step-close step-close step-clap, then go the other way

The third time is supposed to show that 1: with my thoughts I welcome you; 2. with your words I welcome you. 3. with my love I welcome you. 4. with my prayers I welcome you.

- if you have the instruments in the score, play them
- if you do not have instruments, use found sounds - desk, ruler, markers, to play the parts
- read each part together using rhythm names, then play it.
- when confident with the part, have one group sing (say) the song, and the other group play.
- continue learning the parts until you have learned as many as you can
- the audio track is included in the activity.

Sort the rhythms in the song.

- copy the pages of note squares from the supporting resources

- have the students cut out the note squares (12 in total). The last 2 squares (ti ta ti) should not be cut apart - they should be left intact to show that all together the rhythms are 2 beats

- have the students create an 8 beat rhythm composition with the squares

- Transfer the rhythm you create to non-pitched percussion instruments. Use the song Funga Alafia as a "A" section, and use the rhythm you created as a "B" section. Perform together as a class.

Transfer onto the rhythm composition tool.

Decide how to play it. You could use body percussion, instruments or found sounds.

The class could create a rondo by singing (or listening) to "Funga Alafia" as the theme. Then the B, C, D sections would be student performances of their rhythm.

If you have ukuleles, accompany your singing.

You can leave out the G chord and just accompany with the C chord, so it's easy to play.

Skip this step if you don't have a ukulele.

Click on the link below this step's title to go to the full list of resources with Djembe Dan.

Creative Ideas: Set the barred instruments up in C pentatonic. Invite the students to improvise or create a four bar melody to play between repetitions of the song. You could also invite your unpitched percussion players to improvise for four bars between repetitions of the song.