THE ARTS OF THE KOFI-OO-KOFI CULT Owusu-Boakye, Michael A Thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN AFRICAN ART AND CULTURE Faculty of Art College of Art and Social Sciences July, 2012 Department of General Arts Studies DECLARATION 1 I hereby declare that this submission is my own work towards the MA African Art and Culture degree and that to the best of my knowledge, it contain no material previously published by another person nor material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree of the university, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text. Owusu-Boakye, Micheal ID No. 20068573………………… ….……………… Signature Date (Candidate) Certified by Dr. Eric Appau Asante ….…… …………. …………………. Signature Date (Supervisor) Certified by Nana Afua Opuku Asare (Miss) …..……………… …………………. Signature Date (Head of Department) ABSTRACT 2 This thesis identifies the various forms of art used in the Kofi-OO-Kofi Religious cult, been operated by Nana KwakuBonsam. How these arts are used and their importance to the cult has been studied. In unveiling this, the qualitative research method was used to collect data from a homogeneous population using purposive sampling method. Critical observation of the cult processes, questioning and interviewing some of the high ranking officials who are prime users and performers of the arts of this cult, took place. Kofi-OO-Kofi’s cult has resulted from a dissenting view by the priest. Dissenting views results from his perceived spiritual being called Kofi-OO-Kofi who has bestowed powers on him that enables him achieve his targets and aims. In his mission to see to achieving his vision of expanding the knowledge of the deity to his followers, he uses the magical powers to assist people who care for his assistance using basic ideas of the mainstream religion, African Traditional Religion. The total embodiment of the religion includes the use of belief systems. These belief systems can also be expressed in worship of the deity and basic moral codes which individuals are to observe. These can also be expressed in the use of various art forms. Categorizing the arts into four main aspects thus the environmental, visual, verbal and body, these arts come to full play in the cult dealings. The arts are used as shrine for the deities, protective charms, medication for various ailments and other basic needs of people who patronize the cult. It is therefore incumbent on whoever visits the cult to understand the arts and their roles they play in the cults. The knowledge in the art will help to demystify some aspects of the cult. This basic knowledge will also be a source of information to the anthropologist, art historians and the Ghana Tourist Board for their use. It is 3 therefore the researcher’s recommendation that the knowledge established in this research made available for such bodies. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 4 It is impossible for me to adequately acknowledge the debts of gratitude that I owe various individuals in connection with this research. I derived a lot of useful materials from people at different places of work, lecturers, colleagues and various authors. I must however acknowledge my special indebtedness to Dr. OseiAgyeman a senior lecturer at the Department of General Art Studies, College of Art and Social Sciences, KNUST, Kumasi who read through my work and whose meticulous attention and unreserved constructive comments, criticisms and suggestions, this thesis might not have been accomplished. I wish to acknowledge Dr. Eric Appau Asante, who supervised this work and through diverse ways contributed to the successful completion of this work. It was through his advices , interventions and corrections that has led me to this far. I am grateful to the head of the Kofi-OO-Kofi religious cult, Stephen OseiMensah also known as Nana KwakuBonsam whose headquarters is at Akomadan-Afrancho for granting me access to the cult. Special mention should be made of the Bosomfo, Nana Kwadwo Poku and the spokeman of the cult, Nana Yaw Owusu who provided the emit information of the cult and directed the researcher to other source where necessary. My sincere thanks also go to Mr. Clifford Addo-Diabene and Mr. Joseph Quansah, Science and Business Management teachers respectively of KNUST Senior High School who in diverse ways despite their tight commitments, have helped me in the collection of data and giving me suggestions that have gone a long way to add value 5 to this thesis.Besides, I express my thanks to the Chief Executive Officer of El Net Café, Mr. Appiagye iKusi-Mensah who gave me access to this facility for the period of research without paying for anything. I am also grateful to the typist, Richard MawutorLoglo, a student of the Integrated Rural Art and Industry, KNUST who helped me to produce this thesis. Likewise Mr. Richard Sarkodie, a friend and a colleague whose guidance and assistance made this thesis a success.Finally, my thanks go to the Lord Almighty who gave me strength throughout the study. July, 2012 MOB 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page i Declaration ii Abstract iii Acknowledgement V List of Figures vii List of Plates vii Table of Contents ix LIST OF FIGURES PAGES 1.1 Map showing study area 2 4.1 The wall with the cross 57 4.2 The D shrine 60 4.3 The Buta 63 4.4 The fly whisk 65 4.5 Drawing of nnaa 67 4.6 The gong () 77 LIST OF PLATES PAGES 4.1 A sample of fliers given to Client 37 4.2 A sculpture piece representing a shrine of a deity 40 4.3 AteaMframa’s shrine on the dais 42 4.4 A photograph of the dais of the cult 44 7 4.5 A photograph of the Dwarfs Kingdom 46 4.6 A section of the porch with some officials of the cult 49 4.7 A black armchair with a horn decorated footrest 50 4.8 A girl being caned at the porch for invoking curse with Anfanfiri deity 53 4.9 A fence wall with a mural of someone playing the talking drum 54 4.10 The wall with a cross and a shrine hung on it 56 4.11 with a hole at the top 58 4.12 pot on its concrete pedestal 60 4.13 Some of the cooking pots used in the preparation of medicines 61 4.14 Kofi Baah, the herbalist of the Kofi-OO-Kofi cult 62 4.15 The ringing of 67 4.16 The act of kneeling as observed by cultists during a ritual performance 68 4.17 Silver pans containing prepared medicine resting on pedestals made of 71 blocks 4.18 Threads of different colours tied around a spear 72 4.19 Some artefacts being used in the preparation of some special medicine 73 4.20 A client standing behind the priest, Nana More with the hands on the 74 shoulder of the priest, ready for the shooting ritual 4.21 Some of the instruments used in the religious cult 76 (a) The (left) and the talking drum () (b) The(left) and the (right) 4.22 Some of the shrines being painted with blood 89 8 4.23 Pouring libation onto the shrine 93 4.24 The mango tree supposed to have germinated from a leaf 103 4.25 A photograph of the 104 4.26 The priest covered with kaolin 108 4.27 The priest, Nana KwakuBonsam dancing wearing a Batakari 112 4.28 The priestess is in white with a cloth wrapped on it 113 4.29 The priest dancing wearing the doso(palm fibred kilt) 113 CHAPTER PAGE CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Overview 1 1.2 Background of the study 1 1.3 Statement of the problem 3 1.4 Objectives 3 1.5 Research questions 4 1.6 Delimitation 4 1.7 Limitation 4 1.8 Definition of Terms 4 1.9 Importance of the study 6 1.10 Organization of the text 6 CHAPTER TWO 9 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 8 2.1 Forms of art in religion 8 2.1.1 Environmental art 9 2.1.1.1 Sculptures 9 2.1.1.2 Architecture 10 2.1.1.3 Textiles 11 2.1.1.4 Pottery 11 2.1.1.5 Leather 12 2.1.1.6 Metal art 12 2.1.2 Verbal art 12 2.1.3 Body art 13 2.1.4 Performing art 14 2.2 Role of art in religion 14 2.3 Importance of art in religion 23 CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY 29 3.1 Overview 29 3.2 Research design 29 3.3 Library research 30 3.4 Population for the study 30 3.5 Sampling 31 3.6 Data collection instruments 31 10 3.7 Types of data 32 3.8 Administration of data 32 3.9 Data collection procedure 33 3.10 Data analysis plan 33 CHAPTER FOUR 34 ANALYSIS OF DATA 4.1 Environmental arts 39 4.1.1 Sculpture as shrines 40 4.1.2 Dais 43 4.1.3 Dwarfs kingdom 45 4.1.4 Patoso (the porch) The seat of the shrine 47 4.1.5 Fence wall 53 4.1.6 Pots 57 4.1.6.1 Mmotia-Ahina 57 4.1.6.2 Daayambosom (shrine) 59 4.1.6.3 Cooking pots 61 4.1.7 Buta 63 4.1.8 The fly whisk 64 4.1.9 The Umbrella 66 4.1.10 The Nnaa 67 4.1.11 The flower garden 69 4.1.12 Silver pans 70 11 4.1.13 Colourful thread tying 71 4.1.14 The gun, machetes, pestle and the mortar 72 4.2 Performing art in the cult 75 4.2.1 Music 75 4.2.2 Dance 82 4.2.2.1 The dance and healing 84 4.2.3 Drama 86 4.2.3.1 Sacrifice 86 4.2.3.2 Libation 90 4.2.3.3 Drama in egg throwing 93 4.2.3.4 Drama in breaking of eggs 94 4.2.3.5 Thread tying 95 4.2.3.6 Magical acts 98 4.3 Verbal Arts used in the shrine 100 4.4 Body Arts used in the shrine 106 4.4.1 Coiffure 106 4.4.2 Body painting 107 4.4.3 The ring and chains 109 4.4.4 Costume 111 4.5 Discussion on Findings 115 4.5.1 Social Importance 115 4.5.2 Economic Importance 116 4.5.3 Religious Importance 116 12 4.5.4 The art of the cult of Kofi-OO-Kofi and Chieftaincy 117 4.5.5 The art of the cult of Kofi-OO-Kofi and Superstition 118 4.6 Summary of Discussion 119 CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 121 5.1 Summary 121 5.2 Conclusions 124 5.3 Recommendations 124 Reference 128 Appendix A: Interview guide 133 Appendix B: Observation guide 134 13 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 Overview This chapter deals with the motivation which necessitated the researcher to undertake this research.