Our ancestors were very realistic people. It is true that most of their time was taken up by work but still, they observed some moments of leisure. Leisure was valued and closely integrated in African lives. It was looked at as a rhythm of life that is, Africans realised the need to work and rest. Africans spend their free time in the following ways:

Beer parties.

Men would work during the day but when time for evening comes, they would come together and drink local beers. They co-operated in providing for this beer. In some tribes, each evening would be spent at the home of a different elder. Beer drinking was valued so much because of the following reasons:

Socially, it brought people together to share a drink with each other. Hence beer drinking provided an opportunity to develop and strengthen inter-personal relationships.

It provided entertainment to the people in the sense that beer drinking was always accompanied by singing, laughing and dancing.

In away, beer drinking was a source of nourishment because it was made out of food stuffs- such as millet, sorghum, yams, bananas etc. In particular, the dregs from local brew were believed to provide extra sexual power to men.

Through beer drinking, Africans appeased their ancestors mainly because all beers were shared with these ancestors.

Taking evening beers helped people to kill boredom.

Also it helped to console people who were in problems.

It promoted the traditional African virtues of sharing and co-operation.

Preparing the beers was done communally as well as drinking it.

It was a source joy and pleasure.

Discussions were held during the drinking parties and solutions to difficult problems were provided.

Beer drinking facilitated co-operation between clans, villages and tribes.

It was a source of informal education-the elders would use beer parties as an opportune moment to pass on information to the growing up youths. Note that at times, fathers went with their ''big'' boys to attend these beer parties. These grown up boys were not supposed to drink with elders and didn't participate in elders' discussions. Their role was to listen, learn and probably ask a few calculated questions concerning a certain story-or proverb not understood.

Beer drinking helped in solving disputes among people and bringing about reconciliation.

It was used on almost all-cultural ceremonies as a matter of Custom.

Story telling:

During free time, the elders would gather the young and tell them various stories. These were usually very marvelous and heroic stories. How important was story telling then?

Through these stories, the young were taught to be careful and slow in decision making.

They were encouraged to be brave. Telling them stories of victories in tribal wars did this.

These stories inculcated in the young a spirit of love for their tribes, clans and villages.

These stories warned the young against any form of misbehaviours.

These stories encouraged the young to be humble, hard working, generous and so on.

Examples of stories told were those of the hare and the Leopard, the hare and the elephant, the hare and the rhino, the elephant and the frog etc. Elders usually recounted these stories in evening hours around a fireplace. In all stories concerning the hare and other animals, the former is shown as a very cunning animal. Hence these stories were told to encourage wisdom among the young.

Singing, dancing and playing musical instruments

Singing, dancing and playing musical instruments were also important pass-time activities. Gifted persons composed folk songs and dances and entertained others during free time. Others were not passive spectators.

They would clap, cheer up the singers and dancers and at times would join the singing and dancing.

Through music dance and drama, talents were exploited and skills shown.

The different values and cultural aspects of the people were put in songs and drama, hence making it easier for the young to learn their customs and cultural demands.

Songs were full of disciplinary advice.

Singing, dancing and drumming made people happy and relaxed.

Music, dance and drama made people creative and imaginative. It was an opportunity for young boys and girls to come together and sing together but nothing more was done.

 Comparative games and sports

Comparative games and sports activities were also arranged between villages and clans. For example wrestling matches, boat racing and rope pulling.

Proverbs and riddles

Proverbs and riddles were also ways of passing time. These proverbs were educational and were related to the economic, political, social and religious, needs of African communities. The young would exchange riddles and proverbs in a" competitive manner.

Playing the board games

Playing the board games was common for adult men while the children had their games and sports too. For example hide and seek, rope racing etc. Usually the grandmothers could watch the children playing 'and spot out the bad characters and encourage good characters. They would then guide the young about fair play) balance between work and play and would warn them against selfishness.

Community celebrations

Community celebrations formed part of African leisure time. These included initiation days, wedding days, introduction ceremonies and so on. These were days of resting, days of joy, educating the young, promoting African customs, meeting ancestors and asking for blessings.

Hunting

Hunting was a famous leisure activity as well as an occupation for some people.

African art

African art was closely related to leisure. Painting, carving, making masks, baskets, mats and so on were usually done by skilled men and women during their free time. Through these arts and crafts, the cultural expressions of the people were made;

Sacrifice to the gods

Sacrifice to the gods and ancestors were usually done during peoples' !tee time. This enabled Africans to cement their relationship with their gods and the living dead.

Observations

Traditional African leisure activities were free of charge.

Leisure activities were community creating or community building.

Leisure activities were educational.

Leisure time activities were organized by elders and therefore purposeful.

Leisure time was very limited since most of the time was taken up in work.

Leisure time was closely related to the traditional ways of life. (the rhythm of life) Leisure activities were experienced according to events and seasons.

Most leisure activities were carried out during the dry season when there w~ less work.