But one man, dressed in all colours of the rainbow, has been trying to change people's perceptions about African culture and music for decades.

He may be 60 years old, but he certainly doesn't feel it, as he tells Sarah Dale.

"Coming to school in England in the 1960s when I was 12 was a real turning point for me," said Kristian Bediiako.

"But going back to Ghana eight years later was tough.

"I realised I had forgotten my own life and that was the biggest culture shock of all."

Kristian's life has been full of unexpected twists and turns. From his father being made Ghanaian ambassador to Israel in 1960 to being offered a multi-million-pound record deal by Pink Floyd in 1997 – and having to turn it down.

He now spends his time visiting schools across West Sussex, teaching students how to play drums and guitar.

*Click on the green play button to see Kristian talking about his life.

"It all started when the head of music at Midhurst Intermediate School, where my daughter Azariah was attending, asked if I would be prepared to teach the children some African music.

"The African group became extremely popular – they performed in front of the Queen and at the South of England Show."

Teaching students

Soon afterwards, Kristian was approached by West Sussex County Council Music Support Service and got a job teaching 15 schools African percussion and dance lessons.

The music of Africa is about bringing people together, says Kristian. "Making everybody feel equal – it's got absolutely nothing to do with competition, the superstar concept in music was imported from the west to Africa. It's good for students to feel a sense of togetherness."

Kristian, who now lives in the Haslemere area of Surrey, also works with colleges and universities in the UK and all over Europe.

"In this country, society tends to look at music as just playing an instrument, that's all, nothing else. But in Africa it's very different.

"There are two other things you have to do in Africa as well as play music – dancing and singing. The three always go together – you never, ever separate them. It is a fact of African life."

Click here to read what happened when Kristian returned to Ghana after school...


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