GOMM SAHA

GOMM SAHA means “it is time to sleep” in my mother’s Ghanian dialect (Dagomba).

I love words that have an effect. Words that when spoken, turn into ritual. Somehow, no matter what day it is, no matter what my kids are doing, when I say the words “it is time to sleep” something changes. The dynamic of whatever situation we find ourselves in transforms.

These words, “it is time to sleep” or GOMM SAHA create a space in which the day morphs into night. A space in which rhythms change, a space between two poles: from being awake to sleeping, eyes open to closed, vertical to horizontal, seeing things we can physically touch to seeing “projections?”, daydreams to night dreams, losing energy to regeneration… a space in change. A space moving towards calmness.

I love this, words that have an effect, words that when spoken turn into ritual…

It is time to sleep: GOMM SAHA.