University of Cape Coast Doctor of Philosophy

© University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY JENNIES DEIDE DARKO 2017 Digitized by Sam Jona Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui PhD. JENNIES DEIDE DARKO 2017 Digitized by Sam Jona Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui © Jennies Deide Darko University of Cape Coast Digitized by Sam Jona Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST NEGOTIATING RELIGIOUS IDENTITY THROUGH DANCE IN THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF GHANA: A CASE STUDY OF IMMANUEL CONGREGATION, MADINA. BY JENNIES DEIDE DARKO Thesis submitted to the Department of Music and Dance of the Faculty of Arts, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, University of Cape Coast, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology. JULY 2017 Digitized by Sam Jona Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui DECLARATION Candidate’s Declaration I hereby declare that this thesis is the result of my own original research and that no part of it has been presented for another degree in this university or elsewhere. Candidate’s Signature……………………………...Date……………… Name: JENNIES DEIDE DARKO Supervisors’ Declaration We hereby declare that the preparation and presentation of the thesis were supervised in accordance with the guidelines on supervision of thesis laid down by the University of Cape Coast. Principal Supervisor’s Signature………………………... Date….......... Name…………………………………………………………………… Co- Supervisor’s Signature……………………………. Date…............ Name…………………………………………………………………… ii Digitized by Sam Jona Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui ABSTRACT Dance as a complex cultural phenomenon contains elements that define people as belonging to a particular cultural group. As a form of self-expression and communication, dance has the power to bring people together in peaceful coexistence. This thesis examines dance as a tool for identity negotiation in the church. It focuses on the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, specifically the Immanuel congregation at Madina, Accra. The Presbyterian Church was the first Christian church to be institutionalized in Ghana and has survived continuously since its establishment in the 1820s. The thesis examines dance as an expressive medium to complement the worship style of the church in order to make the institution more attractive to its members. It adopts a qualitative mode of investigation using ethnographic fieldwork to explore the use of dance as a medium for identity negotiation in the church. The study conceptually draws on the work of Taylor (1994), to capture the dialogic aspects of identity negotiation and to affirm that identity is meaningless outside a system of representation in social space. The study combines perspectives from ethnomusicology, dance studies, psychology, history, theology, and anthropology to establish dance as an important medium for identity negotiation in the church. iii Digitized by Sam Jona Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui KEY WORDS Religious Identity Identity Negotiation Multi-Disciplinary Study Dance Dialogue Culture iv Digitized by Sam Jona Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful to God for enabling me to “finish this race”. It has not been easy, but those with the Lord on their side are always victors. My heartfelt thanks go to my supervisors who have literally “parented” me through this work. Their words of encouragement were crucial during the difficult times. Dr. Florian Carl and Dr. Kwashie Kuwor; God bless you. I am also grateful to the Ministers and the members of Immanuel Presbyterian Congregation, Madina for allowing me the use of their church as my sample location. My special thanks go to Irene Ahornu the Church administrator and Mr. S. A Newman. I am again grateful to Rev. Prof. Cephas Omenyo, Rev. Prof. Kpobi, Rev. Dr. Elias Asiamah and Rev. Josephine Mateko Ankrah for their inputs on the Presbyterian history and governance. My sincere gratitude also goes to Prof. Daniel Avorgbedor, Prof. Kwesi Yankah, Rev. Gladys Joyce Ocran, Mrs. Sandra Whyte, Margaret Numekevor, Dr Ajayi, and Anastasia Dankwa for their encouragement. I also thank Dr. Obádélé Kambon for his assistance in the Akan orthography. My heartfelt thanks go to my siblings, Lawrence Newman, Rosemond Taylor and Michael Newman and my lovely daughter Nana Akua Darko. Finally, to my husband, Mr. John Solomon Darko, I say a very big thank you for your immense support. To all my in-laws also I say thank you and God bless you. v Digitized by Sam Jona Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui DEDICATION To my husband, John Solomon Darko. vi Digitized by Sam Jona Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DECLARATION ii ABSTRACT iii KEY WORDS iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v DEDICATION vi TABLE OF CONTENTS vii LIST OF FIGURES xii LIST OF ACRONYMS xvi CHAPTER ONE: DANCE IN THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Dance as a culture 5 1.3 Church Landscape 5 1.4 My Presbyterian roots 8 1.5 My dance experience 11 1.6 Purpose and significance of the Study 13 1.7 Research Questions 16 1.8 Theoretical Approach 16 1.9 Research Methodology 18 1.9.1 Case Study 19 1.9.2 Sampling 19 vii Digitized by Sam Jona Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui 1.9.3 Participant Observation 19 1.9.4 Interviews 20 1.9.5 Video recording 22 1.10 Literature Review and Theoretical Orientation 23 1.11 Research Perspectives 28 1.12 Data Analysis 30 1.13 Accessing the Field 30 1.14 Organization of Thesis Chapters 38 1.15 Summary and Conclusion 42 CHAPTER TWO: FROM BASEL MISSION SOCIETY TO THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF GHANA 2.1 Introduction 43 2.2 Basel Mission 43 2.3 Early Mission Works in the Gold Coast 45 2.4 Departure of Basel Missionaries and arrival of Scottish Mission 57 2.5 Impact of the Basel Mission 61 2. 6 Colours and Logo of the Presbyterian Church 65 2. 7 Mission and Vision of the Presbyterian Church 67 2. 8 Four Courts of the Presbyterian Church 68 2.9 Core Result Areas of the Presbyterian Church 70 2.10 Generational and Inter - Generational Groups 75 2.11 Historical Background of the Immanuel Congregation 77 2.12 Order of Service 83 2.13 Summary and Conclusion 84 viii Digitized by Sam Jona Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui CHAPTER THREE: INTER - GENERATIONAL GROUPS AND THEIR IDENTITY NEGOTIATION 3.1 Introduction 85 3.2 Hymns 89 3.3 Church Choir 103 3.3.1 My Contribution to the Church Choir 109 3.4 Praises Team 110 3.5 Singing Band 113 3.6 Summary and Conclusion 117 CHAPTER FOUR: YOUTH IDENTITY NEGOTIATION THROUGH DANCE 4.1 Introduction 119 4.2 Children’s Service (CS) 126 4.2.1 Song and Dance Repertoire of Children’s Service 129 4.2.2 Movements by Children’s Service 132 4.2.3 My Contribution to the Children’s Service 140 4.3 Junior Youth Fellowship (JY) 143 4.3.1 Song and Dance Repertoire of the JY 147 4.3.2 Dance Movements of the Junior Youth Fellowship 147 4.3.3 Ethics of Movements by JY 150 4.3.4 My Contribution to the Junior Youth Fellowship 151 4.4 Young Peoples Guild (Y.P.G) 155 4.4.1 Dance Repertoire of the YPG 159 4.4.2 Movements of the YPG 161 4.4.3 Ethics of the movements of the YPG 162 ix Digitized by Sam Jona Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui 4.4.4 My Contribution to the Young Peoples Guild 163 4.5 Summary and Conclusion 167 CHAPTER FIVE: IDENTITY NEGOTIATION BY ADULTS IN THE IMMANUEL CONGREGATION. 5.1 Introduction 169 5.2 Young Adults Fellowship (YAF) 173 5.3 Women’s Fellowship 178 5.3.1 Visit by International Christian Dance Fellowship 188 5.4 Men’s Fellowship 195 5.5 Summary and Conclusion 203 CHAPTER SIX: NATIONAL AND ETHNIC IDENTITY NEGOTIATION 6.1 Introduction 204 6.2 Ghana Dance Ensemble as a National Symbol 208 6.3 Northern Outreach Ministries (N.O.M) 210 6.4 Traditional Day 221 6.5 Summary and Conclusion 250 CHAPTER SEVEN: SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION 7.1 Identity Negotiation in the Presbyterian Church 252 7.2 Autocracy to Democracy 255 7.3 Dance Repertoire of the Church 257 7.4 Gleanings from Outreach Programmes 262 7.5 Reflections on Musical and Dance Repertoire 262 7.6 Reflections on Dance Movements 264 7.7 Major Challenges encountered by the Study 272 x Digitized by Sam Jona Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui 7.8 Summary of Chapters 275 7.9 Recommendations 282 7.10 Conclusion 283 REFERENCES 286 ONLINE RESOURCES 301 APPENDIX A - List of Interviews 302 APPENDIX B - Introduction letter to the Church 305 APPENDIX C - Introduction letter to MDPG 306 APPENDIX D - Semi - structured Interview 307 APPENDIX E - Interview Guide 309 APPENDIX F - Consent Form 310 APPENDIX G - Immanuel Congregation Meeting Schedule 311 Church Service Programmes 312 P.C.G Constitution 318 APPENDIX H - Songs by Children’s Service and JY 323 APPENDIX I - Picture Gallery 331 APPENDIX J - VITA 334 xi Digitized by Sam Jona Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Residence of the Missionaries 50 Figure 2: Residence of the Missionaries 50 Figure 3: Missionaries and Ghanaian vocational training 51 Figure 4: Missionary teaching the indigenes 52 Figure 5 Converts learning a vocation 53 Figure 6: Logo of the Presbyterian Church 67 Figure 7: Organogram of the P.C.

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