DUBLAB / Future Roots Inc.

SK Kakraba is widely recognized as a virtuoso of the Ghanaian xylophone called gyil. He has lived in Los Angeles for a decade and during that time has generously shared his musical gifts through concerts and recordings, lessons and workshops. He is an emissary of a unique musical tradition that goes back many generations. His hometown of Saru in northwestern Ghana is renowned for its gyil players, largely due to the mastery of the instrument by his forebears, Kakraba Lobi and his grandfather Danaah Domoche. The musical knowledge that SK has brought from Saru to Los Angeles has been of great value to all who have experienced his performances, teaching and friendship.

 

Now, it's time for us to give back by doing our part in preserving the cultural heritage of Saru for future generations. Saru has no consistent source of clean drinking water or electricity and with climate change, the rains that have traditionally provided water for drinking and for growing food are no longer reliable. With an erratic water supply, both hunger and communicable diseases will become a greater and greater threat, destabilizing the life of the village and potentially forcing its people to migrate to cities or other areas.

 

Water is vital for sustaining life and culture. SK hopes that by drilling three wells in Saru, the village will be assured sufficient clean water. This vital resource will minimize the risks to the village’s existence by supporting its people and in turn, preserving their unique musical traditions, which if lost might never be recovered.

 

With the assistance of an engineer in choosing the proper locations for the wells, plus the expense of boring the holes and installing pumps, the cost of installing the three wells will total approximately US$10,000. With the completion of this fundraising campaign, SK will travel to Saru to oversee the project with funds administered by non-profit arts collective dublab.

 

Please help SK Kakraba give the gift of water to the people of Saru. By protecting this all-important natural resource, we will preserve Saru's rich cultural traditions for the benefit of humanity.