Then began the story that Sister Wall had adapted from African folklore about a little spider named Kwaku Ananse who had a large calabash or gourd. In Ghana, families like to sit around in a circle and take turns telling stories.  One of their favorite characters is Kwaku.

Kwaku, played by Desmond Ahwireng, wants to collect good things from all over the world and collect them for himself into his calabash.

With his calabash balanced on his head, he goes from place to place collecting courage, service, music, differences, love, families, and, of course, the gift of following the prohet. 

With each quality he gathered, the LDS youth performed an African dance, with the grace and natural rhythm that can only be a gift.

Their dances included the Apatampa, the Kete, the Kundum, the Damba-Takai, the Boboobo, the Adowa, and the Kpanlogo, choreographies of meaning and happiness that remind us this is not the Gold and Green Ball of yesterday. 

The international Church is in a new era.  Join in the African Day of Celebration through these photos.