DOCSLIB.ORG

Constructing Avatime: Questions of History and Identity in a West African Polity, C. 1690S to the Twentieth Century Brydon, Lynne

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Constructing Avatime: Questions of History and Identity in a West African Polity, C. 1690S to the Twentieth Century Brydon, Lynne University of Birmingham Constructing Avatime: questions of history and identity in a West African polity, c. 1690s to the twentieth century Brydon, Lynne DOI: 10.1017/S0021853707003386 License: None: All rights reserved Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Citation for published version (Harvard): Brydon, L 2008, 'Constructing Avatime: questions of history and identity in a West African polity, c. 1690s to the twentieth century', Journal of African History, vol. 49, no. 01, pp. 23-42. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021853707003386 Link to publication on Research at Birmingham portal Publisher Rights Statement: © Cambridge University Press 2008 Eligibility for repository: checked July 2014 General rights Unless a licence is specified above, all rights (including copyright and moral rights) in this document are retained by the authors and/or the copyright holders. The express permission of the copyright holder must be obtained for any use of this material other than for purposes permitted by law. •Users may freely distribute the URL that is used to identify this publication. •Users may download and/or print one copy of the publication from the University of Birmingham research portal for the purpose of private study or non-commercial research. •User may use extracts from the document in line with the concept of ‘fair dealing’ under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (?) •Users may not further distribute the material nor use it for the purposes of commercial gain. Where a licence is displayed above, please note the terms and conditions of the licence govern your use of this document. When citing, please reference the published version. Take down policy While the University of Birmingham exercises care and attention in making items available there are rare occasions when an item has been uploaded in error or has been deemed to be commercially or otherwise sensitive. If you believe that this is the case for this document, please contact [email protected] providing details and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate. Download date: 24. Sep. 2021 The Journal of African History http://journals.cambridge.org/AFH Additional services for The Journal of African History: Email alerts: Click here Subscriptions: Click here Commercial reprints: Click here Terms of use : Click here CONSTRUCTING AVATIME: QUESTIONS OF HISTORY AND IDENTITY IN A WEST AFRICAN POLITY, c. 1690s TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY LYNNE BRYDON The Journal of African History / Volume 49 / Issue 01 / March 2008, pp 23 - 42 DOI: 10.1017/S0021853707003386, Published online: 23 April 2008 Link to this article: http://journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S0021853707003386 How to cite this article: LYNNE BRYDON (2008). CONSTRUCTING AVATIME: QUESTIONS OF HISTORY AND IDENTITY IN A WEST AFRICAN POLITY, c. 1690s TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. The Journal of African History, 49, pp 23-42 doi:10.1017/S0021853707003386 Request Permissions : Click here Downloaded from http://journals.cambridge.org/AFH, IP address: 147.188.224.226 on 16 Jul 2014 Journal of African History, 49 (2008), pp. 23–42. f 2008 Cambridge University Press 23 doi:10.1017/S0021853707003386 Printed in the United Kingdom CONSTRUCTING AVATIME: QUESTIONS OF HISTORY AND IDENTITY IN A WEST AFRICAN POLITY, c. 1690s T O T H E T W E N T I E T H C E N T U R Y* BY LYNNE BRYDON Centre of West African Studies, University of Birmingham ABSTRACT: Small-scale societies, like Avatime in eastern Ghana, established, maintained and developed themselves in a range of ways, in spaces between large, centralized states, in West Africa in the precolonial era. This essay demonstrates the inclusivity and initiative (in terms of both economic entrepreneurship and bricolage) of this small group before its effective destruction by Asante in about 1870, and looks at the ways in which Avatime was reconstructed in the last third of the nineteenth century. In addition, issues of ethnicity and identity are broadly addressed, comparing Avatime’s inclusivity with tropes of difference discussed in recent studies of small-scale societies in this journal. KEY WORDS: Ghana, Togo, ethnicity, slavery, microhistory, war, settlement histories. INTRODUCTION A group of studies focusing on the nature of non-centralized societies, their organization, maintenance, development and continued integrity, appeared in the Journal of African History in 2001 and 2002.1 These studies, based in Senegambia, Guinea and Burkina Faso, looked at ways in which stateless societies could maintain themselves when faced with much larger-scale neighbours, often large, powerful and centralized states, and focused on the roles of slavery and slaving in these social formations during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The authors of these essays, engaging with debates on slave-raiding and the slave trade, emphasize and illuminate the sometimes tense inter- and intra-state relationships that enabled the maintenance of small-scale and/or stateless societies during the seemingly adverse conditions of the slave era. The general thrust in these pieces is in the direction of specific functional and organizational differences of these small groups in comparison with the larger groups, differences crucial to their continued existence. My concern here is more encompassing. At one level I provide a geo- graphical comparison, from several hundreds of kilometres southeast of * I am grateful to JAH readers and to Chris Wickham and Kate Skinner for reading earlier versions of this paper. 1 Walter Hawthorne, ‘Nourishing a stateless society during the slave trade: the rise of Balanta paddy-rice production in Guinea-Bissau’, Journal of African History, 42 (2001), 1–24; Andrew Hubbell, ‘A view of the slave trade from the margin: Souroudougou in the late nineteenth-century slave trade of the Niger Bend’, Journal of African History,42 (2001), 25–47; James F. Searing, ‘No kings, no lords, no slaves: ethnicity and religion among the Sereer-Safe`n of Western Bawol, 1700–1914’, Journal of African History,43 (2002), 407–29. 24 LYNNE BRYDON Guinea, of the development and survival of a small-scale society, with powerful neighbours to the west and east. I look firstly at the construction and maintenance of this society from the late seventeenth to the late nine- teenth centuries; and secondly, at its destruction and reconstruction in the last quarter of the nineteenth century – in circumstances framed not only by European economic influences, but also by Christianity and colonial rule. Whereas the earlier ( JAH) essays used relationships with (either domestic or Atlantic) slaving, as a lens to focus their discussions, thus contributing to debates about ‘predatory states’, in this discussion slaving is somewhat tangential, and does not provide a differentiating lens. Similarly, I suggest that moves towards centralization in terms of borrowing and adapting chiefship structures and their attendant office(r)s was a kind of ‘optional extra’ to this particular society in the nineteenth century, and more detailed examination of political centralization is not crucial to the arguments here.2 Instead, my findings suggest that a focus on the maintenance of difference, on notions of ur-identity, for example, particularly with respect to the economic and, more generally, ‘modernizing’,3 must be rejected and that identity is tightly bound up with local, regional and global economic op- portunities and constraints. For the society under consideration here, this is as true now as it was in the competitive milieux of the nineteenth century. This investigation of one particular society speaks to broader debates about identity in the global era and provides an opportunity to consider recent anthropological literature in a specific historical context.4 CONTEXT The central part of what is today Ghana’s Volta Region (Map 1) is often referred to as Eue-Dome, bounded on the west by the Volta Lake, and on the east by the border with Togo. Although Eue speakers are in the majority, there is a variety of other ethnic/linguistic groups: there are the Guan- speaking groups of Anum and Boso to the southwest, and Nkonya to the northwest. Around the northern fringes of the area are groups speaking other distinct languages (Likpe, Lolobi, Santrokofi and Akpafu, and, farther north, Borada and Bowiri, Lefana). These groups were formerly referred to by linguists and early ethnographers as Restvo¨lker (remnant peoples) speaking languages known as Restsprache (remnant languages), but now they are re- ferred to as either Central Togo (CT), or Ghana-Togo Mountain, peoples and languages.5 Avatime, at the focus of the essay, is in the centre of Eue- Dome, together with three other CT-speaking groups, Nyangbo, Tafi and Logba, in the mountains and their western fringes.6 2 I acknowledge the comments of one reader in emphasizing the inadequacy of the tropes of ‘centralization’ and/or ‘statehood’, but this is not my major focus. 3 Another inadequate term. 4 Akhil Gupta and James Ferguson (eds.), Culture, Power, Place: Explorations in Critical Anthropology (Durham NC, 1997). 5 Diedrich Westermann and M. A. Bryan, The Languages of West Africa (London, 1952); M. E. Kropp-Dakubu and K. C. Ford, ‘The Central-Togo languages’, in M. E. Kropp-Dakubu (ed.), The Languages of Ghana (London, 1988), 118–54. 6 I have worked in Avatime since 1973 – in particular, Amedzofe. I collected genealo- gies from Amedzofe, oral histories throughout the group, and worked in archives in CONSTRUCTING AVATIME 25 Map 1. Topographical map of Avatime (inset shows Avatime’s location in relation to contemporary towns). (Map drawn by Harry Buglass.) Accra, Ho, Kew, Oxford and Bremen. I was also given access to Amedzofe Church records and several family diaries. 26 LYNNE BRYDON In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries Eue-Dome had the empires of Asante to its west and Dahomey to the east. The Volta River provided some protection from Asante depredations and it also afforded an easy access to the coast (the extreme west of the former Slave Coast).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Ndwomkro Musical Type As Cultural Preservation Medium Among the Akan in Ghana
    Quest Journals Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Science Volume 9 ~ Issue 6 (2021)pp: 05-11 ISSN(Online):2321-9467 www.questjournals.org Research Paper Ndwomkro Musical type as Cultural Preservation medium among the Akan in Ghana Ndah Divine Selorm Creative Arts Department, SDA College of Education, Koforidua, Ghana Francis kojoKokro Industrial Art Department, Tamale Technical University, Tamale Ghana Priscilla Walden Department of Creative ArtsSt Monica.s College of Education, Mampong, Ghana Jessica Amoah Department of Creative Arts, St Monica’s College of Education, Mampong, Ghana Adom FaithMawunyo Department of Performing Arts, St Francis College of Education, Hohoe, Ghana Corresponding author: Ndah Divine Selorm ABSTRACT Many traditional musical types exists in Ghana. These musical types are affiliated or associated with the ethnic groups. Few example of these musical ensembles could be identified as Kpalongo, Kete, Agbaza for Ga, Asante and Ewe ethnic groups respectively as well as Ndwonkro which was the focus for this study. The study was a qualitative research and for that matter adopted interview and participant observation as some of the research instruments in carrying out the research. The research sought to find out whether Ndwonkro musical type could be regarded as a traditional music as well as discussing some social values that are hidden in this musical type. Purposive and snowball sampling method were used to sample the population for the study. The study revealed that, Ndwonkro musical type has link with the traditional events such as funeral and as such could be classified as a traditional musical type. Also, the study pointed out some values that are embedded in the musical types as communication, socialization and carrier.
    [Show full text]
  • Oryza Glaberrima
    African rice (Oryza glaberrima) cultivation in the Togo Hills: ecological and socio-cultural cues in farmer seed selection and development and socio-cultural cues in farmer seed selection development African rice ( Oryza glaberrima ) cultivation in the Togo Hills: ecological Togo ) cultivation in the Béla Teeken Béla Béla Teeken African rice (Oryza glaberrima) cultivation in the Togo Hills: ecological and socio-cultural cues in farmer seed selection and development Béla Teeken Thesis committee Promotors Prof. Dr P. Richards Emeritus professor of Technology and Agrarian Development Wageningen University Prof. Dr P.C. Struik Professor of Crop Physiology Wageningen University Co-promotors Dr H. Maat Assistant Professor Knowledge, Technology and Innovation group Wageningen University Dr E. Nuijten Senior Researcher Plant Breeding & Sustainable Production Chains Louis Bolk Institute Other members Prof. Dr H.A.J. Bras, Wageningen University Prof. Dr S. Hagberg, Professor of Cultural Anthropology, Uppsala University, Sweden Dr T.J.L. van Hintum, Wageningen University Dr S. Zanen, Senior Trainer Consultant, MDF Training & Consultancy, Ede This research was conducted under the auspices of the Wageningen School of Social Sciences (WASS). African rice (Oryza glaberrima) cultivation in the Togo Hills: ecological and socio-cultural cues in farmer seed selection and development Be´la Teeken PHD Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of doctor at Wageningen University by the authority of the Rector Magnificus Prof. Dr A.P.J. Mol, in the presence of the Thesis Committee appointed by the Academic Board to be defended in public on Tuesday 1 September 2015 at 4 p.m. in the Aula. Béla Teeken African rice (Oryza glaberrima) cultivation in the Togo Hills: ecological and socio-cultural cues in farmer seed selection and development 306 pages PhD thesis, Wageningen University, Wageningen, NL (2015) With references, with summaries in English and Dutch ISBN: 978-94-6257-435-9 Abstract Teeken B (2015).
    [Show full text]
  • Defining Our Lives with Music a Case Study of the Krobo Woman
    University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh DEFINING OUR LIVES WITH MUSIC: A CASE STUDY OF THE KROBO WOMAN ATHALIAH NANA DARKOA OPARE-DARKO 10508320 MPHIL THESIS PROJECT THIS THESIS IS SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT OF THE AWARD FOR MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (MPHIL) IN MUSIC. JUNE 2016 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh DEDICATION I dedicate this work to the Almighty God for His inspiration, protection, and guidance and with whose strength has made my work see the light of day. i University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh DECLARATION I, Athaliah Nana Darkoa Opare-Darko, do hereby declare that apart from references of people’s work which has been cited, this research is my own original work and that no part of it may be presented elsewhere without my permission. Signature Signature …………………………… …….……..…………… Student Supervisor Athaliah Nana Darkoa Opare-Darko Prof. Daniel Avorgbedor Date……………… Date………………… ……………………..…. ………………..………… Supervisor External Examiner Prof. John Collins Date………………. Date………………. ii University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I owe gratitude to the Almighty God who in His power has made it possible for me to see this day. His name is praised for His wondrous works. My sincere gratitude goes to my grandfather Rev. Emmanuel Mate-kodjo, my parents Mr. Davies Opare-Darko and Mrs. Fabiola M. Opare- Darko for their constant attention and dedication throughout my stay on campus. Also to my friends in the department who contributed immensely to the success of this work, I say may God replenish all your efforts.
    [Show full text]
  • Gender, Migration and Rural Livelihoods in Ghana
    GENDER, MIGRATION AND RURAL LIVELIHOODS IN GHANA: A CASE OF THE HO DISTRICT By JUSTINA EYRAM DUGBAZAH A thesis submitted to The University of Birmingham For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Centre of West African Studies School of Historical Studies Faculty of Arts The University of Birmingham August 2007 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. 2 ABSTRACT This thesis seeks to examine the interrelationships between gender, migration and rural livelihoods in Ghana. The central argument of the study is that policy making on migration and livelihood, tends to ignore gender as a critical issue in development planning. The study suggests that effective development policy interventions should take into consideration the dynamics of gender relations because men and women experience migration differently. Employing primary and secondary data, the study demonstrates that when men and/or women migrate, there are consequences for households. For those migrating, this can result in either empowerment or increased vulnerability. And for the agricultural households in the sending areas, the departure of men and/or women affects their livelihood and division of labour.
    [Show full text]
  • Òåçèñû Abstracts
    ХIV Международная конференция африканистов АФРИКА И АФРИКАНЦЫ В НАЦИОНАЛЬНОМ, РЕГИОНАЛЬНОМ И ГЛОБАЛЬНОМ ИЗМЕРЕНИЯХ Москва, 17–20 октября 2017 г. ÒÅÇÈÑÛ XIV International Conference of Africanists AFRICA AND AFRICANS IN NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND GLOBAL DIMENSIONS Moscow, October 17–20, 2017 ABSTRACTS И ГЛОБАЛЬНОМ ИЗМЕРЕНИЯХ АФРИКА И АФРИКАНЦЫ В НАЦИОНАЛЬНОМ, РЕГИОНАЛЬНОМ ХIV конференция африканистов АФРИКА И АФРИКАНЦЫ В НАЦИОНАЛЬНОМ, РЕГИОНАЛЬНОМ И ГЛОБАЛЬНОМ ИЗМЕРЕНИЯХ Москва, 17-20 октября 2017 г. ТЕЗИСЫ 14th International Conference of Africanists AFRICA AND AFRICANS IN NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND GLOBAL DIMENSIONS Moscow, Russia. October 17-20, 2017 Abstracts Спонсоры конференции: Российский фонд фундаментальных исследований (грант 17-07-14005) Федеральное агентство научных организаций (ФАНО России) 1 ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОЕ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЕ БЮДЖЕТНОЕ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЕ НАУКИ ИНСТИТУТ АФРИКИ РОССИЙСКОЙ АКАДЕМИИ НАУК НАУЧНЫЙ СОВЕТ РАН ПО ПРОБЛЕМАМ СТРАН АФРИКИ ХIV конференция африканистов АФРИКА И АФРИКАНЦЫ В НАЦИОНАЛЬНОМ, РЕГИОНАЛЬНОМ И ГЛОБАЛЬНОМ ИЗМЕРЕНИЯХ Москва, 17-20 октября 2017 г. ТЕЗИСЫ 14th International Conference of Africanists AFRICA AND AFRICANS IN NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND GLOBAL DIMENSIONS Moscow, Russia. October 17-20, 2017 Abstracts Ответственные редакторы академик А.М. Васильев профессор И.О. Абрамова Ответственный секретарь к.и.н. Н.А. Жерлицына ISBN 978-5-91298-198-2 2 МОСКВА 2017 ОГЛАВЛЕНИЕ CONTENTS I. Cultures and Languages Культуры и языки I-1. Anthropology’s Contribution to the Study of 21st Century Africa Вклад антропологии в изучение Африки XXI в. 7 I-2. Human Sciences and Identity Studies for Cooperation and Development in Africa – Examples from the Field Гуманитарные науки и исследования идентичности для сотрудничества и развития в Африке – примеры применения 17 I-3. Languages of Africa: Traditions and Perspectives Языки Африки: традиции и перспективы 23 I-4.
    [Show full text]
  • Kente Cloth Weaving Among the Asante in Ghana a West African Example of Gender and Role Change Resistance
    University of Al berta Kente Cloth Weaving among the Asante in Ghana A West African Example of Gender and Role Change Resistance Mari Elizabeth Bergen O A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Textiles and Clothing Department of Human Ecology Edmonton, Alberta Fall 1998 National Library Bibliothèque nationale m*m ofcarda du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services senrices bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington OttawaON K1AON4 ûtrawaON K1AON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire' prêter, distncbuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantieIs may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Kente doth weaving on the namw4p West Afn'can loom is traditionally a male role among the Asante in Ghana. 1 conducted forma1 and informal intewiews with residents of al1 age groups, in Bonwire, to soli& opinion on why or why not women should weave in the village.
    [Show full text]
  • Pushing Back Linguistic Time in the Trans-Volta: Movement, Assimilation and Loss
    PUSHING BACK LINGUISTIC TIME IN THE TRANS-VOLTA: MOVEMENT, ASSIMILATION AND LOSS M.E. Kropp Dakubu University of Ghana, Legon This paper attempts to reconstruct the geographical distribution of the Ghana- Togo-Mountain languages before the Ashanti incursions of the 1870s, which caused considerable disruption of the population. Migration stories and assimilation of other groups are examined first for Heine’s KA group of languages, then for the NA group. Finally the evidence for languages having disappeared from the area is considered. It is concluded that indeed a number of languages have disappeared, but those that remain have moved very little in the past two or three centuries, although the populations that speak them have changed considerably. Because of the nature and circumstances of the change in population, it is clear that the distribution of languages on the map reflects movements of people much older than any that might be recovered through oral tradition. Cette article essaye la réconstruction de la distribution sur le plan géographique des langues montagnardes Ghana-Togo avant les invasions des Achanti dans le dix- neuvième siécle, qui avaient des résultats majeures pour les peuples du pays. On discute les histoires orales de migration et de l’assimilation des étrangères parmi les parleurs des langues du groupe KA de Heine, et puis parmi ceux des langues du groupe NA. On examine aussi l’evidence pour la disparution des langues. On conclut que bien que plusieurs langues ont disparu, ceux qui se parlent encore ont été essentiellement stabile au point de vue géographique, malgré des changements importants dans les populations parleurs.
    [Show full text]
  • The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies
    THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL STUDIES ISSN 2321 - 9203 www.theijhss.com THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL STUDIES Mmensoun Ensemble Participation among Female Students of the Department of Music Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana Augusta Arko -Mensah Lecturer, Department of Music Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana Dr. Emmanuel Obed Acquah Senior Lecturer, Department of Music Education , University of Education, Winneba, Ghana Abstract: The study was an investigation into female students’ involvement in mmensoun, ensemble in the Department of Music Education, University of Education, Winneba. It sought to find out the motivation as well as the importance of females’ participation in traditional ensembles and Through ethnographic research, rooted in the theory of self-determination, 6 female students were purposefully sampled and interviewed on phone calls and WhatsApp platform using semi- structured interview. It was seen that participation of musical activities in the cultural setting of females is a great motivation to unearth the innate abilities of the females. It is concluded that females should be assisted and not stigmatized in all their endeavours to pursue what would give them inner satisfaction that would consequently improve their well-being. Keywords: Mmensoun, UEW, self-determination, ethnography, organismic integration 1. Introduction It is traditionally and culturally known that the role of women in any musical practice in Africa has been dominated with singing and dancing. Even in female musical types, accompaniment has always been the prerogative of men. However, recent scholarly documentations have changed the status-quo on their roles in such ensembles. For instance, Ebeli (2015), citing Acheampong (1996) highlighted the monopoly of women in performing music during bragoro (a traditional initiation that usher’s a young female into adulthood).
    [Show full text]
  • Journal of Performing Arts
    JOURNAL OF PERFORMING ARTS PUBLICATION OF THE SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS UNIVERSITY OF GHANA AT LEGON Volume 4, 20009/2010 Number 1 ISBN NO. 0855-2606 ELECTRONIC VERSION 1 GENERAL INFORMATION FOR AUTHORS JOURNAL OF PERFORMING ARTS is the official organ of the school of Performing Arts, University of Ghana. This journal was established in the 1990‘s originally with an Editorial Board that consisted of Dr. Nissio Fiagbedzi, Professor Ofotsu Adinku, Dr. Mohammed Ben Abdallah, Professor Kofi Anyidoho and John K. Djisenu. After a period of dormancy the Journal has now been re-started by the new Acting Director of the School of Performing Arts, Dr. Awo Asiedu, and a new Editorial Board has been formed JOURNAL OF PERFORMING ARTS is hereby inviting for publication original articles in the field of the performing arts of music, dance, theatre and film as well as in such other fields that are related to the practice of the arts in Africa and the Diaspora. Contributions submitted for publication will be refereed, and views expressed in the articles accepted and published will not necessarily represent those of the School. Book, record and performance reviews, research reports and notices are also welcome. Please submit the article either of these two forms. In electronic form with the text in Microsoft Word format (New Times Roman Script size 12) with footnotes (not endnotes) and sent to the following email addresses. [email protected] & [email protected]. Or as hard copy - in which case three copies on A-4 sized paper with ample margins should be sent to The Editor, Journal of Performing Arts School of Performing Arts P.
    [Show full text]
  • Women Chiefs and Power in the Volta Region of Ghana
    WOMEN CHIEFS AND POWER IN THE VOLTA REGION OF GHANA Lynne Brydon This paper considers the roles of women as significant actors in public life, the life of communities, and particularly the roles of women who have the status and title of 'chief', however that is interpreted in the local context. I am particularly concerned to show the significances of these roles over time in one part of Ghana, the Avatime traditional area.1 However, I do not intend to enter the debates on the origins and evolution of chiefship in Ghana and women's roles therein (nor would I claim to be competent to do so). My aim is to look briefly at the structure of chiefship in very general terms in the Volta Region, and, more specifically, in Avatime, where I have been working intermittently since 1973. The 'traditional' roles of women chiefs/ Queen Mothers (the terminology itself could be a focus for debate) are discussed, but I want to do more than just to give a static, single frame and historic (antiquated?) picture. Whatever the roles and significances of women chiefs in the past, the intention here is to show how the contemporary influence of women office holders in particular is linked to their active involvement in the affairs of community. My major point vis-à-vis current politics and development in Ghana is that it is not enough just to hold a title: in order to be influential women have to be active in currently relevant organisations concerned with politics or development. Women without formal titles may now have more influence or sway in local affairs than official office holders, even though they may be constrained to work through the channels of office holding.
    [Show full text]
  • Continuity and Change in the Musical Traditions of the Avatime of Ghana
    CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN THE MUSICAL TRADITIONS OF THE AVATIME OF GHANA A thesis submitted to the College of the Arts of Kent State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts by Divine Kwasi Gbagbo May, 2012 Thesis written by Divine Kwasi Gbagbo Dip.Ed. (Mus. and Ewe Lang.), University of Education, Winneba, Ghana, 1996 B.Ed. (Mus. And Ewe Lang.), University of Education, Winneba, Ghana, 1999 M.A., Kent State University, 2012 Approved by _____________________________, Advisor Kazadi wa Mukuna _____________________________, Director, School of Music Denise A. Seachrist _____________________________, Dean, College of the Arts John R. Crawford GBAGBO, DIVINE KWASI, M.A., MAY, 2012 MUSIC CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN THE MUSICAL TRADITIONS OF THE AVATIME OF GHANA (PP. 196) Director of Thesis: KAZADI wa MUKUNA This thesis studies the continuity and change in the musical traditions of the Avatime people. The Avatime are a minority ethnic group in the Volta Region of Ghana whose musical heritage has evolved for over two hundred and fifty years. During this period, various factors such as migration, affinity with other ethnic groups, contact with Christianity, and the introduction of Western education system contributed to the abandonment, retention, modification, assimilation, reinterpretation and creation of various musical traditions in the Avatime society. The study looks generally at the evolution of musical traditions in Avatime, and focuses on aspects of songs that the Avatime people perform in their indigenous Siyase language, as well as languages of the Akan and Ewe groups, to reveal how the various aspects of their musical traditions affect social order, benefit the children educationally, and shape the entire culture.
    [Show full text]