© University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST CREATIVE PROCESSES, STRUCTURES AND PERFORMANCE OF SHRINE MUSIC OF THE NORTHERN EWES: THE CASE OF AWUDOME PEOPLE OF GHANA SENYO ADZEI 2020 Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui ©Year (2020) SENYO ADZEI University of Cape Coast Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST CREATIVE PROCESSES, STRUCTURES AND PERFORMANCE OF SHRINE MUSIC OF THE NORTHERN EWES: THE CASE OF AWUDOME PEOPLE OF GHANA BY SENYO ADZEI Thesis submitted to the Department of Music & Dance of the Faculty of Arts, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, University of Cape Coast in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy degree in Ethnomusicology MAY 2020 Digitized by Sam Jonah 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 original research and that no part of it has been presented for another degree in this university or elsewhere. Candidate’s Signature: 19/05/2020 Name: Senyo Adzei 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: Prof. Florian Carl Co-Supervisor’s Signature:..................................................... Date:.................. Name: Dr. Ralf Alexander Kholer ii Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui ABSTRACT This thesis researched into the Creative Processes, Structures and Performance of Shrine Music of the Northern Ewes. I focused on three shrines at the Awudome Traditional Area in Ghana as a case study. As its methodological approaches, I combined focus groups discussion and one-on-one interviews. The overriding objectives of this study are to move the history of Awudome from the realm of oral tradition into a written document; and to investigate the creative processes in composition and performance of traditional music, using musicians at the shrine. The research, however, revealed four creative processes at the shrine in song composition: Hada`ugbledede/hakpakpa (conceptualization or song meditation), hakpakpa (pealing of the song or composing) hadada kp4kp4 or hanu4 kp4kp4 (meeting the mother or leader of songs/poet/cantor), and finally haxexe (catching the song). This finding is contrary to some views that the traditional musician only improvises and without following any creative procedures. iii Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ‘To God be the Glory Great Things he has done …..’ (Methodist Hymn 313). I do not have to write an acknowledgement to my thesis, because it has become a traditional ritual in academia. Deservedly, however, I write this acknowledgement because, several individuals and institutions have contributed in no less a measure to the successes of this thesis; hence, they deserved their rightful place of commendations. Firstly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisors, Prof. Florian Carl on whose lap this thesis started for his support and cooperation. To Dr Ralf Kohler, co-supervisor who provided the roadmap, and sacrificed so much for the completion of this thesis. Words cannot express the in-depth of my appreciation to you, Dr. Kohler, for your kind and genuine gestures of criticisms, motivation and immense knowledge. Your comprehensive guidance helped me all through the research and writing of the thesis. Once again, I say thank you. My second appreciation goes to Professor Naomi Andre of the Department of Afro-American and African Studies (DAAS), University of Michigan. Prof. Andre served as my mentor during my fellowship at the University of Michigan. She sacrificed her sabbatical leave, returning to her office twice a week and sometimes throughout the week to attend to me. She got me to understand that supervision is neither a teacher versus student relationship, nor one who is well-read than the other, but rather a process of mentoring. I know this space cannot be enough to express my gratitude to her. Be that as it may, Prof. Andre, I sincerely appreciate every minute you spent iv Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui with me, guiding and directing my work. I am thankful for your genuine support in every measure. God Bless you. May I single out Professor Richard Isaac Amuah, the man who identified me from Sibelius Academy, Finland and brought me to the University of Cape Coast to launch my career. His constant admonishing and encouragements have brought me this far. To my Head of Department Dr. Eric Ochere Debrah and other colleagues in the Department of Music and Dance and Colleagues from other Departments, I appreciate their comradeship. I am very thankful to the Distinguished Professor Kofi Agawu at the Graduate Centre, City University of New York and Emeritus Professor of Princeton University. His recommendation opened the doors for me to be granted ‘African Presidential Scholars Fellowship’ by the University of Michigan, African Studies Centre. His concern for my work and constant intellectual conversation contributed significantly to the completion of this work. Thank you, Prof. Kofi Agawu. My appreciation goes to the following who have contributed in one way or the other to the successes of this work; Dr. Christine Feak, Prof. Lester Monts, Prof. John Collins, Prof. Kwasi Ampene, Dr. Veronica Dzomeku and my UMAPS cohorts. To my course, mates at the University of Cape Coast, thank you all for your contributions and intellectual engagements. To my mentors who have gone ahead of us into eternity, Prof. Willie Anku, Dr. Pascal Zabana Kongo, and Dr. Alex. A. Agordoh, I remain grateful for their immense contributions and confidence in my potentials. I am filled with nostalgia at this moment that you are not with us to see the evolution of the v Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui seed you sowed some years ago. While I continue to be grateful to all of them in every endeavour, I say, may you rest well with the Lord. We shall keep the touch burning. I am thankful to the Management and Administration of the University of Cape Coast; The Provost of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies; The Dean of the Faculty of Arts; The Dean and Staff of the School of Graduate Studies and Research; there was no other way I could embark on this project without their express permission, and financial support in the form of study leave with pay. To the University of Michigan, African Studies Centre, under the directorship of Prof. Askew Kelly, I say Thank you. Without a doubt, your award of African Presidential Scholarship fellowship offered me the opportunity to complete 80% of my thesis under the tutelage of my dearest Mentor, Prof. Naomi Andre. May I use this space to acknowledge the leadership of Prof. Askew Kelly. She, together with her enthusiastic staff, created an unbelievable conducive platform and space for me to work at the University of Michigan. I am obligated to the Chiefs and people of the Awudome Traditional area where this research was conducted. I thank them for their availability, valuable and insightful responses to my constant interrogations. The few surviving priests and priestesses where this research took place, I am grateful. And to all the musicians and the devotees, without them, there would have been no research. vi Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui I am sincerely grateful to my siblings and parents, the late Andrews Kofi Adzei, and Yohana Adzo Adzei. They have provided me with the needed moral and emotional support throughout my life. You have all been a real source of inspiration and encouragements. I owe my existence and whatever I have accomplished to my late father and surviving mother. I am also grateful to other family members and friends who have supported me along the way. To the most influential persons in my life, my wife Hannah Aimee Adzei (Mrs), Toivo Setutsi Adzei (son), Helmi Semefa Adzei (daughter) and Ilona Senyonam Adzei (daughter), I deprived you of many things to conduct my research and get my thesis done. I left Ghana for the United States two weeks after Ilona was born, leaving the mother alone to fend for the kids and a newborn baby. I cannot tell how possible it was for my wife to agree to my travel for fellowship; neither did I know how she managed the situations in my absence. I do not think ‘thank you’ can atone for her sacrifices and wholehearted support all the way. Mother and children, I remain indebted to you. Your help and sacrifices were worth it. You remain indelible in my life. To all other persons who have not seen their names written in this space, I have not forgotten you, and I am thankful to all. vii Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui DEDICATION In memory of my father, Andrews Kofi Adzei and Sister, Enyonam Afi Adzei. viii Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ..........................................................................................