- Title: Gahu-Traditional African Dance
- Performer(s): KORYE Dance Theater in Cape Coast, Ghana
- Culture or Origin: Ewe people of Ghana
- Orchestration:
1) gankogui: two tone iron bell
2) axatse: African gourd shaker
3) boba: lead/master drum
4) sogo: low-pitched accompaniment drum
5) kidi: medium-pitched accompaniment drum
6) kagan: high-pitched accompaniment drum - I took an African drumming class last summer that focused on the Ewe people of Ghana. Gahu is one style of music that is performed by the Ewe people and is based on a traditional style of Ewe music but with a much faster tempo and was described to me as "party" music. I feel Gahu is a great example of how "people make music meaningful and useful in their lives." (Wade, 2013, p. 1). The Ewe people took traditional music of their people and "modernized" it to fit their more current needs. They took the music that is "meaningful" to there culture and made it fun and useful for them now. I think this is the case with most music and why people study world music to see how music has evolved in other cultures not just the one they know best.
Reference
Wade, B. (2013). Thinking Musically: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture (3rd ed.). New York, New York: Oxford University Press.
