© IJARW | ISSN (O) - 2582-1008 July 2020 | Vol. 2 Issue. 1 www.ijarw.com PERFORMING ART: A PIVOT OF TRADITIONAL FESTIVALS IN GHANA Linda Armah 1, Appiah Salomey Darkoa 2, Theresah Ampomah 3, Frank Osei-Sarfo 4 1Atwima Kwanwoma Senior High School, P.O.BOX 5401, Trede -Kumasi Ashanti Region Ghana 2Offinso College of Education, P. O. Box 7, Offinso Ashanti Region, Ghana 3St. Ambrose College of Education, Dormaa-Akwamu P. O. Box 25, Wamfie, Bono Region, Ghana 4Bolgatanga College of Education, P. O. Box 767, Bolgatanga, Upper East Region, Ghana ABSTRACT Festival celebrations in the Eastern Region of Ghana are occasions where people make merry and also exhibit their cultural values. These values are mostly seen through the performing art forms that go on during the celebrations. Though these performing art forms give a lot of education, not much has been researched into. This study sought to identify, describe and discuss the role performing art forms in festivals celebrations. Phenomenology method which is under qualitative research approach was used. In all 45 respondents were sampled for the study using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. The primary data was collected using interviews, observations and opinionnaire. The results showed that performing art forms provide essential knowledge to visitors and community members who attend traditional festivals celebrated in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Some of the knowledge that they acquire are the meaning of some gestures used in dances, tonal variations of poems that are recited and symbolical meanings of libation offered in during the celebration. The study concludes that music, dance and drama which are all within the domain of performing art forms educate a lot of people. Also, it brings out the culture and traditions of the people in the Eastern Region and then unite them. Keyword: Performing art, traditional festival, celebration, gesture, libation. 1. INTRODUCTION festival celebration is generally believed to provide both intrinsic and instrumental benefits Performing arts are the art forms perceived by our to the people in a particular community. McCarthy senses especially the kinesthetic sense. These et al. (2004) explained that the intrinsic benefits art forms are not made but they are executed or of performing arts in festival celebration comprise performed thus the artists use either their body or deep emotional experience, cognitive growth, voice to convey artistic expression such as music, empathy and social bonding. They further clarified dance, drama, storytelling and acting that the instrumental benefits in performing arts (Adinku,1994). on the other hand are the community development, economic activity and cross-cultural Similarly, Adjepong and Obeng (2018) are of the understanding of activities. The relevance of these view that performing arts comprise of music, performing arts forms in these festivals enrich dance and drama which normally go on during people’s lives and educate them. Appiah (2004) is festival celebration, funeral rites, durbars, of the view that performing art comprise of marriage and naming ceremonies to entertain drumming, dancing, jubilating and chanting to people. They added that these performing arts promote religious and cultural activities such as promotes physical fitness and also teaches societal festivals, funerals, naming ceremonies and other norms and values. rites in the African traditional society. In supporting Appaih, Lopes (2007) added that Apart from the emotions that performing arts performing arts comprise dance, music, opera, elicit, Amenuke, Dogbe, Asare, Ayiku & Baffoe oratory, mime and other art forms in which (1991) also assert that the dances and poetry human performance is the main product. Lopes recitals that go on during festivals celebrations further elucidated that those who involve educates and teach people how to behave in the themselves in the performing arts normally put on societies in which they live. Performing arts in IJARW1332 International Journal of All Research Writings 95 © IJARW | ISSN (O) - 2582-1008 July 2020 | Vol. 2 Issue. 1 www.ijarw.com special costume and make up to attract the Music in festivals is regarded not only as a audience who observe their activities. medium of artistic expression but also provides an avenue for individuals and corporate expression 2. METHODOLOGY of feelings. During Akwantukese festival The data presented below was gathered from celebration, different kinds of songs are sung for towns such as Akropong-Akuapim, Koforidua, specific purposes. This includes veneration of the Akwamufie and Kyebi all within the Eastern gods and the ancestors for leading them peacefully Region of Ghana. The study made use of to the New Juaben (Koforidua) landscape. Other qualitative techniques and tools (Creswell,2012; songs are also sung to express their Fraenkel &Wallen,2009 and Kothari (2004) in acknowledgement to the landlords who gave them undertaking the study. A phenomenological some place to stay. (Nana Obugya Asante and research design was used. Phenomenology aims at Nana Adjin Asamoah Kwame, personal th creating rich and deep interpretation of a communication,2017, 28 October). Below are phenomenon through instinct and focuses on the some of the songs sung during the festival relevant knowledge. It also encompasses cerebration; interviews, observations and narratives about the Krobea Asante Kotok], ]botan tim nie ee, festivals celebrated by the various towns (Kafle,2011; Leedy &Ormrod, 2005). Using Asante Kotok] a, ]da asuo Pra ne Offin ho oo. purposive (Etikan et al.,2016) and snowball Creswell (2012) and (Battaglia,2011) sampling ]botantim a asuo yiri na entumi pia no, techniques, the researchers selected 45 ]botantim a ]da nsukεseε ho a Akwamu, Akyem, respondents for the study. The data were collected Agona, Asebu, Ahanta, Bono, Gyaman, from respondents using interviews, observations Komenda,Kumawu, Ns]k], Wasa ne Wenchi sa bi and opinionniare. The unstructured and semi- nom. structured interviews were used to source information from respondents. Thus face- to-face Sε krobea Asante Kotok] di amia ne Dwaben dea and telephoning were the main media through ]b]ma ooo. which the interviews were conducted. More so, Asante Kotok] Ayokoman, ntumi nk] nya Dwaben, the various performing art forms in the festivals were observed and opinions were also sort from sε mpo Asanteman tete pansam a, Dwaben yε respondents. Several photographs were taken by krobea Asante aniwa ooo. the researchers on the field to support the study. Data collected from the primary and sources were Translation assembled, critically analyzed, summarized and Krobea Asante Kotok], the mighty rock, conclusion were drawn from them. The entire information was described and presented in Asante Kotok] who lies between river Pra and descriptive form (Gibbs,2007). Offin. 3.RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS The mighty rock that cannot be pushed by flooded river, a mighty rock which lies around a big river The study revealed that the traditional festivals that Akwamu, Akyem, Agona, Asebu, Ahanta, celebrated in the Easten exhibit several Bono, Gyaman, Komenda, Kumawu, Ns]k], Wasa performing arts forms which educate, elicit and Wenchi fetch some to drink. emotions and also enrich the lives of people. More so, the study established that performing arts If Krobea Asante Kotok] gets a problem, Dwaben forms such as music, dance, drama and verbal art does not get some. Asante Kotok], an Oyoko state were found in Akwantukese festival celebrated in cannot go without Dwaben. Even if Asante Kotok], Koforidua, Odwira festival celebrated in becomes despair, Dwaben becomes the hope for Akropong-Akuapim Ohum festival celebrated in Krobea Asante. Kyebi and Apafram festival celebrated in Akwamufie. These performing arts forms are The above song proclaims the power and strength of the Asante state of which New Juaben grouped under the following sub-heading which are music, dance, drama and verbal art. (Koforidua) is part. It also appreciates and gives recognition to the two big rivers (Offin and Pra) 3.1. Music which supply water to Asante and its IJARW1332 International Journal of All Research Writings 96 © IJARW | ISSN (O) - 2582-1008 July 2020 | Vol. 2 Issue. 1 www.ijarw.com neighbouring towns. Besides, the song declares year during the Akwantukese festival celebration the tremendous role Dwaben played in the to remember these ancestors. Furthermore, some numerous battles that Asante had with other songs are also sung to acknowledge the various states. This song is sung to announce to people the river deities for their contribution to them. An New Juaben’s affiliation to the Asantes and their example of such song is seen below; contribution toward the Asantes in the numerous ]domankoma b]}Asuo bɔɔ ɔkwan, εmu panin ne battles they won. Moreover, some of the songs praise some of the chiefs who contributed so much hwan? in the successful accomplishment of their journey. Asuo se ofiri tete. ɔkwan se ofiri tete, emu panin ne One of such songs is as follows; hwan? Dwaben eee, Dwaben a ]de ne nsapan ato ]benfo. Asuo Suhyien, ɔbaatanpa a ɔda ɔkyeman mu. Aketewa Nam nsa yεm nso ]domankoma wuo a fa Asuo ɔbaatanpa a ɔgye ahɔhoɔ, na ahɔhoɔ di emu no ooo. Nana Adarkwa Yiadom ne Osei Hwedie yε mpataa ne atidie. Nana Asafo Boateng, Nana Anka ma mo amo oo na mo ayε bi a ma yεn ooo. Akyeamfour εne Nana Yaw Omane New Asantehene Nana Agyeman Opambo] yε wo ase sε Juabenman da moa se yi moayε. ]ko ba a no wo ka yεn b]] mu. Dwaben dada ne Asuo suhyien, asuo kwao ne nesuwansuwa a aka Dwaben fofor] bεka wo daa aaa. Sεdeε ]dasani nsa New Juabenman da mo ase ooo. Mo ayεyie sε, na ntumi nkata Onyame ani nti, Dwaben fofor] kae εfata,mo susan mpo yi nnɔbae ma New εkona Asokore, Biretuo Effiduase ne Agona Oyoko Juabenman, ma wɔdidi meen. w] Akwantukeseε afahyε ama New Juabenman Akwantukeseε abenedie mu daa aaa. biakoyε, asomdwoε ne ɔdɔ. Kɔfabaeε Daasebrε Oti Boateng, New Juabenman ma wo a mo oyame Translation nyhira ooo.