Lauryn Robinson

Lauryn Taylor Robinson spent 4 weeks traveling the regions of Ghana, Africa. While traveling through the Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Accra, Northern and Central regions on weekends, Lauryn studied African Traditional Religion and Ghanaian music during the week. While learning local languages like Twi, Ewe and Ga Lauryn spent time with locals uncovering Ghanaian music and it’s impact on local culture. Lauryn worked with professors at the University of Cape Coast to discover the many techniques and styles like highlife, reggae and hiplife. While in Cape Coast, Ghana, Lauryn visited the Cape Coast and Elmina castles that served as key slave trading posts for the Portuguese and English for decades. Lauryn spent most of her time in Cape Coast learning about the history of the historic city while revealing a sense of origin. Throughout her journey, Lauryn learned about religious dynamics through attending several Christian, Traditional African Religion and Muslim services and places of worship. One of Lauryn's favorite visits was that to the Larabonga Mosque, which is the oldest Mosque in Ghana and possibly all of West Africa. In efforts to immerse herself in every aspect of the culture, Lauryn volunteered at local schools and got to know several school teachers in the northern and central regions. While in Kumasi, Ghana Lauryn explored the depths of Africa Traditional religion by attending a traditional service, and meeting a traditional African Priest and Chief. After learning about the complexities of African Traditional Religion through her coursework, she witnessed a traditional procession of a Priest and a 10 year old soon –to- be priest. Lauryn spent other weekends traveling to the northern region’s Mole National Park to see local baboons wandering their streets and visiting the central region’s Kakum National Park for canopy walks over 160 feet in the air.  In her short time in Ghana, Africa Lauryn fell madly in love with the culture and the people. She hopes to travel back to Ghana within the next few years to work with an international organization that focuses on helping Ghanaians that are transitioning to America.