The drum beats in the distance grow louder and the warmth of the flames tickles my arms and face. Dancers around me shimmy at a moderate speed to the rhythm of their own drums awaiting the arrival of the parade of participants from the nearby village. As the two groups merge into one around the bonfire, the sound of the competing drums becomes deafening and the dancing reaches a frenzied pace.
As the evening goes on, I listen to the retelling of countless stories from the decade-long war in Sierra Leone. It’s an intense experience—and it represents one of many approaches aiding the...
