OREGON LAWS 2015 HR 3 HOUSE RESOLUTION 3 Whereas Obo Addy founded Homowo African Arts and Cultures, an educational institution now known as the Obo Addy Legacy Project that focuses Whereas Obo Addy was born in 1936 in Ghana on creating, performing and teaching African arts to a priest and medicine man; and primarily in African drumming and African dance; Whereas Obo Addy was designated as a “master and drummer” at the age of six and built a career by Whereas Obo Addy received the Governor’s Art performing with numerous bands that blended west- Award in 1993, a National Heritage Fellowship from ern pop music with traditional African sounds; and the National Endowment for the Arts in 1996 and Whereas Obo Addy toured with his brothers fellowships from the Regional Arts and Culture worldwide, performing at such venues as the 1972 Council and the Oregon Arts Commission; and Olympic Games in Munich, before moving to Port- Whereas Obo Addy passed away on September land in 1978; and 13, 2012; and Whereas Obo Addy continued to tour and per- Whereas Obo Addy was a pioneer in the Pacific form with music groups such as the African jazz Northwest for African music and culture whose leg- octet Kukrudu and the traditional Ghanaian percus- acy will continue through his timeless music; now, sion and dance ensemble Okropong; and therefore, Whereas as a renowned composer, Obo Addy’s Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives best known piece is “Wawshishijay,” which was of the State of Oregon: commissioned by the Kronos Quartet for their That we, the members of the House of Repre- groundbreaking album, Pieces of Africa; and sentatives of the Seventy-eighth Legislative Assem- bly, honor and celebrate the life of Obo Addy, whose Whereas Obo Addy’s music has been performed music and legacy continue to inspire and bring joy by the Third Angle New Music Ensemble and used to those who experience it; and be it further by dance choreographers such as Mary Oslund; and Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be pre- Whereas while continuing his career as a per- sented to the family of Obo Addy as a token of our forming artist and composer, Obo Addy also joined sympathy and condolences. the faculty at Lewis and Clark as a professor of Filed in the office of Secretary of State April 3, 2015 music; and 1.