Mama Fasi in Ghana: “Retired? Yes. Finished? Never.”

Posted: September 28, 2026 by Mary Oluonye

I first met Mama Fasi almost 10 years ago in Cleveland, Ohio. Her full name is Linda Thomas Jones. She is a renowned African drumming instructor, educator, artist, and motivational speaker.

But I didn’t know all of that when I met her.

At the time, I was simply looking for something artistic and creative for my young nieces. I think I first noticed her drumming studio one day while I was driving through Cleveland’s Larchmere neighborhood.

When I stopped by the studio, my youngest niece, who was about six or seven at the time, showed an immediate interest in the drums. So, we enrolled in Mama Fasi’s classes.

At first, I watched as Mama Fasi engaged with the children. It was an amazing thing to watch. She gently encouraged and educated them—not only about drums, drumming patterns, counting, and beats, but also about listening, purpose, goals, discipline, and collaboration.

She was a firm educator, but she was also warm and loving. And she taught them to respect the drum. Respect for the drum was one of her absolute requirements.

Through her instruction, I could see the children developing their listening skills and learning how to work collaboratively. They were gaining discipline, too.

It was a joy to watch their growth and to see their excitement as they learned techniques, patterns, and rhythms and discovered the different sounds of the drums. And when they began playing together, often in a remarkably short amount of time, the class sounded awesome.

Passersby walking outside the studio would often slow down or pause to listen to the driving rhythms of the drums. They were even more amazed when they realized how young the drummers inside were.

At first, I was an observer. But before too long, characteristic of Mama Fasi, if you were in her studio, you were going to learn how to drum.

So I joined, too.

And soon, my mother and godmother, both in their 80s, joined Mama Fasi’s drumming lessons. They loved it.

She Retired and Moved to Ghana

Years later, I was there when Mama Fasi and her students, including my niece, performed at a popular outdoor concert. That day marked her official “resignation.” I put the word resignation in quotation marks. You’ll understand why in a minute.

She was retiring, and she had made the decision to retire in Ghana.

Soon after that soul-stirring concert in Cleveland, she was in Ghana, where she lives today in Cape Coast.

Retired? Yes.

Still drumming? You bet.

I’ve met up with Mama Fasi in Ghana over the years—in Accra, Prampram, and Cape Coast. Whenever I see her, it seems she looks younger and younger.

I always tell her, “Ah, you’re aging in reverse.”

I’m not the only one who says this.

Ghana looks good on her. She seems to glow. There is an ease about her that I notice every time I see her.

At 76, Mama Fasi is taking life easy. But don’t get it wrong. She is still very much active.

Ask her how she’s doing, and she’ll tell you, “I’m blessed.”

Well, what does that mean?

It means she lives where she wants to live. She lives frugally, but well. Her daughter, granddaughter, great-granddaughter, and other family members live in Ghana. She has friends and people who check on her when her daughter is out of town.

She is also still sought after when tourists visit Cape Coast and want to experience a one-of-a-kind drumming workshop. She offers workshops for people of all ages, either individually or in groups.

And now, she can choose how much of that work she wants to do.

She can still do many of the things she loves while making a little income in the process.

I like that.

What Does Retirement Look Like for Mama Fasi?

Mama Fasi’s energy is mesmerizing to watch. I often find myself asking, where does she get all that energy?

Maybe it’s from living the life she wants in Ghana.

Maybe it’s because living on the African continent had been a lifelong dream.

Or maybe that’s simply where her spirit needs to be.

She is adventurous, curious, and a lifelong learner. She travels within Ghana and occasionally to other West African countries, continuing to learn about African cultures and traditions.

She did return to the United States a few years ago for knee surgery. But as soon as she could, she returned to Ghana, which she now considers home.

And what does a typical day in Cape Coast look like?

Well, for starters, there is no alarm clock.

A Typical Day in Cape Coast

Mama Fasi gets up when she wants to. She stays up late when she wants to. Sometimes she’s up until 2 a.m. creating artwork.

She rises in her own time, goes through her morning rituals to greet the day, and eases into it.

Many mornings, she heads over to YouTube to research all sorts of things. After all, she is a lifelong learner.

When her stomach calls—or, as she puts it, when “the ancestors of the stomach make their presence known”—usually around noon, she prepares something to eat.

And yes, she cooks her own meals. She prefers not to eat out.

She has some support, too. A driver comes and goes when she needs him and helps with whatever is needed. He also knows how to shop for her, so she doesn’t have to go into town if she doesn’t want to.

For the past five years, a woman has come in weekly to clean the house and do the laundry. They have developed a wonderful relationship.

Mama Fasi’s daughter and her family now live in Accra, about a three- to four-hour drive from Cape Coast on a good day. They previously lived in Cape Coast, so the move has meant a little more distance, but family remains an important part of Mama Fasi’s life.

Her home is in a compound where three other women live in their own homes. One of the women, who is about 55, is an herbalist and grows plants in the compound.

And because trash pickup isn’t as frequent as Mama Fasi would like, she recently decided to learn how to compost.

Always learning.

These days, she is doing a lot of creative artwork and has created a line of products that she sells. She speaks when invited, is still asked to perform at events, and sometimes welcomes tourists and visitors to her home studio for drumming lessons or group experiences.

She also teaches drumming classes, both one-on-one and for groups.

In other words, Mama Fasi is in control of her life.

She keeps as busy as she wants to be—or not be.

And I think that distinction matters.

What Ghana and Aging Are Teaching Her

Living in Ghana isn’t without its surprises.

Mama Fasi says one thing that surprised her was how some people may initially begin calling you “Mama” or “Mummy” and offering to help with things—perhaps delivering something, helping you fix something, or taking you somewhere.

The help can feel wonderful.

But sometimes, she says, that is just the beginning. Before long, some people may start looking to you for financial help. When several people are doing the same thing, it can become overwhelming.

Another surprise has been being called obroni. The word can refer to a foreigner and is commonly translated as “white person.” For African Americans living in Ghana, hearing the word can be surprising because it can feel unexpected to be viewed simply as a foreigner in a place that may feel culturally familiar.

Mama Fasi has also had to adjust to the realities of aging.

She still plays the drums when she feels like it, but not as much as she used to. She is getting older, she says, and is less mobile.

And she’s okay with that.

She waters her plants. She talks to her ancestors and gives water and fruit in honor of the deities in her compound. She occasionally travels to other West African countries.

She also acknowledges that she doesn’t receive as many calls as she used to.

That’s part of aging, she says.

And she is okay with that, too.

She continues to teach when she wants to. She sometimes offers classes or is invited to teach or perform for tourists and locals. She also offers a six-week Mama Fasi Drumming Course, taught one-on-one, with a certificate upon completion.

Her life has changed.

But it has not stopped.

Legacy and the Wisdom of a Bold Sage

What continues to inspire Mama Fasi creatively at this stage of her life?

For her, simply being on the African continent is an inspiration. The culture, traditions, and art continue to feed her creativity.

She is also inspired by Orisha, sacred spiritual beings in Yoruba religious tradition and related African diaspora traditions. She is an Orisha priest.

But her inspiration comes from within as well as from the world around her.

Mama Fasi thinks often about what she will leave behind when she is gone.

Her legacy matters to her.

That’s why, at the end of her drumming classes, she asks her students a question:

“How do you want to be remembered?”

The question takes people by surprise, both adults and children.

But Mama Fasi explains that the way you are remembered is being determined by who and what you are today. The memories you are creating in the minds of people now are shaping your legacy.

I think that’s a powerful lesson.

And it is especially meaningful coming from a woman who has spent decades teaching children, adults, families, and generations of students.

It’s Never Too Late

So what would Mama Fasi say to someone who dreams of creating a new chapter after 50, 60, or even 70?

Her answer came quickly.

Ask yourself:

What did you want to do or be when you were little?

Then ask:

Why didn’t you do it?

And now, at your age:

Why are you not doing it?

Her message is simple.

It’s never too late to pursue the purpose and desire that have been with you from the beginning.

It’s never too late.

This Is the Woman I Know as Mama Fasi

I use the term Bold Sage for a woman who has accumulated wisdom and experience but has no intention of becoming a spectator in her own life.

A Bold Sage continues to learn. She remains curious. She adapts. She creates. She makes her own choices. And she understands that growing older doesn’t mean she has to stop growing.

This is the woman I know as Mama Fasi.

A woman who spent decades teaching others.

A woman who dreamed of living on the African continent and eventually made that dream a reality.

A woman who moved to Ghana and made it home.

A woman who still teaches, creates, travels, learns, writes, speaks, and drums—although these days she chooses when and how much.

A woman who has learned to adjust to the changes that come with aging without allowing those changes to define her.

And perhaps most importantly, a woman who seems to understand what it means to have enough.

She doesn’t have too much.

She doesn’t have too little.

She has enough.

Family. Creativity. Purpose. Community. Freedom. Curiosity.

A life that belongs to her.

At 76, Mama Fasi is retired.

But finished?

Never.

And as for that question she has asked so many of her students—“How do you want to be remembered?”—I think Mama Fasi has already been answering it for more than five decades.

Her legacy is still being created.

And it will remain long after she goes on to join the ancestors.

Learn More About Mama Fasi

Interested in Mama Fasi’s drumming, workshops, performances, artwork, or educational programs? Visit her official website to learn more and contact her.

drumwomanproductionsllc | Legendary female african drum Instructor

Email: drumwomanproductionsllc@gmail.com

Her current site features drumming workshops, performances, educational programs, artwork/products, and other offerings.

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