Music and Dance Traditions of Ghana

The music and dance traditions of Ghana’s four main ethnic groups are covered comprehensively in this book. It discusses concepts of music, dance and performance in general, and also goes into cultural perspectives, performance practices and the form and structure of 22 musical types or dance drumming ceremonies. As a guide to multicultural education, it provides teaching methods and components of curriculum development. Numerous photographs, maps, and musical scores generously illustrate the book.

Paschal Yao Younge is an associate professor of multicultural music education and the director of the Annual International Summer Program in African Interdisciplinary Arts and co-artistic director of the African Ensemble at Ohio University. He is also a multi-talented, award-winning musician.

Paschal Yao Younge
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 466
Bibliographic Info: 404 photos (25 in color), 13 maps, appendix, glossary, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2011
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4992-7
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8531-4
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      xi

Forewords

African Arts in Education: Theory and Practice      1

DANIEL AVORGBEDOR

Perspectives on Ghanaian Music      2

KOMLA AMOAKU

Perspectives on Ghanaian Dances      5

FRANCIS NII-YARTEY

Preface      7

Introduction: Ghana in Perspective      9

PART ONE. Dance-Drumming of the Southeastern E3es      13

1. Historical, Geographical, Cultural, and Social Background of the Southeastern E3es of Ghana      16

2. Adzogbo Ritual Dance-Drumming Ceremony      33

3. Agbadza Funeral Dance-Drumming Ceremony      46

4. Atibla2 ekame Women’s Funeral Dance-Drumming Ceremony      52

5. Atrikpui Warriors’ Dance-Drumming Ceremony      61

6. Atsiagbek4 Warriors’ Dance-Drumming Ceremony      70

7. Gadzo Warriors’ Dance-Drumming Ceremony      78

8. Gah3 Recreational Dance-Drumming Ceremony      84

PART TWO. Dance-Drumming of the Central and Northern E3es      91

9. Historical, Geographical, Cultural, and Social Background of the Central and Northern E3es of Ghana      94

10. Ade3u Hunters’ Dance-Drumming Ceremony      104

11. B4b44b4 Recreational Dance-Drumming Ceremony      112

12. Egbanegba Recreational Dance-Drumming Ceremony      120

13. Gbolo Recreational Dance-Drumming Ceremony      125

PART THREE. Dance-Drumming of the Gas      131

14. Historical, Geographical, Cultural, and Social Background of the Gas of Ghana      134

15. Gome Recreational Dance-Drumming Ceremony      147

16. Kolomashie Recreational Dance-Drumming Ceremony      155

17. Kpanlongo Recreational Dance-Drumming Ceremony      160

Between pages 166 and 167 are 16 color plates containing 25 images

PART FOUR. Dance-Drumming of the Akans      167

18. Historical, Geographical, Cultural, and Social Background of the Akans of Ghana      170

19. Adowa Funeral Dance-Drumming Ceremony      180

20. Asaadua Recreational Dance-Drumming Ceremony      189

21. Sikyi Recreational Dance-Drumming Ceremony      193

22. Kete Royal Dance-Drumming Ceremony      198

PART FIVE. Dance-Drumming of the Dagbamba      203

23. Historical, Geographical, Cultural, and Social Background of the Dagbamba of Ghana      206

24. Baamaaya Recreational Dance-Drumming Ceremony      213

25. Bla Religious Dance-Drumming Ceremony      222

26. J1ra Religious Dance-Drumming Ceremony      230

27. T4 ra Women’s Recreational Dance-Drumming Ceremony      238

PART SIX. Songs and Percussion Scores      245

28. Transcriptions and Analysis of Songs      246

Southeastern E3es Songs      246

Central and Northern E3es Songs      270

Ga Songs      285

Akan Songs      294

Dagbamba Songs      303

29. A Taste of the Percussion Ensembles      314

Southeastern E3es Percussion Ensembles      314

Central and Northern E3es Percussion Ensembles      326

Ga Percussion Ensembles      332

Akan Percussion Ensembles      337

Dagbamba Percussion Ensembles      345

PART SEVEN. Teaching African Music and Dance-Drumming      351

30. Components of an African Music Dance-Drumming Curriculum      352

31. Activities for Teaching B4b44b4 Dance-Drumming      367

Appendix: Performing Groups and Notes on DVDs      405
Glossary      419

Bibliography and Further Reading      429

Index      439

“this is a list that is hard to match. This book is a boon to an already-popular subject, and will be greatly welcomed by anyone involved in African music and dance. Highly recommended”—Choice; “a specialist in African art, Younge provides other educators with more resource materials to enhance their intercultural teaching in a liberal studies program”—Reference & Research Book News; “outstanding”—The Journal of Pan African Studies.