1. Describe some of the incredible hardships Africans faced traveling against their will to America that you’ve learned. Unquestionably their journey was frightening beyond belief. Because they were not allowed to take possessions with them, how important do you think their musical traditions became to them on their journey? What did their music mean to them in a foreign land?
2. Next, describe when you many have been in an unfamiliar, frightening, or disappointing situation. Did you perhaps seek familiar music for comfort? Did music help you through those moments? Briefly describe a situation in which you may have sought music as an antidote to disappointment, or as magic to enhance a particular moment. What music did you choose? Does that particular music still have a similar effect when you hear it now?