Abstract
In recent years, there has been much criticism of multiculturalism for its failure to address the power and privilege that keep the status quo in music education. Continued support and education is needed to grow preservice, practicing, and even veteran teachers’ skills in teaching and learning music genres from a broader range of music cultures. To that end, the purpose of this column is to examine the potential for bringing music from Ghana, West Africa, into the general music setting. A brief introduction to the music culture of Ghana is presented first, then a traditional song with teaching suggestions, followed by a list of suggested print and recorded resources.
During a conversation about diversifying repertoire in general music classes, an ethnomusicologist said to me, “You mean multiculturalism? Didn’t we do that already?” I understood what he meant, even while knowing that the ideals of multicultural education in school music have not yet been met. In recent years, there has been much criticism of multiculturalism for its failure to address the power and privilege that keep the status quo in music education (Campbell, 2017; Hess, 2013). With the music teaching force in the United States holding strong at close to 90% white, and with repertoire deeply rooted in the long-standing traditions of Western European culture, multiculturalism did not succeed in diversifying either the teaching force or the repertoire and pedagogical strategies that music teachers implement in their curricula.
Continued support and education is needed to grow preservice, practicing, and even veteran teachers’ skills in teaching and learning music genres from a broader range of music cultures including representation of the people who make the music. To that end, the purpose of this column is to examine the potential for bringing music from Ghana, West Africa, into the general music setting. A brief introduction to the music culture of Ghana is presented first, then a traditional song with teaching suggestion. This is followed by a list of suggested print and recorded resources.
Over the past 20 years, drumming traditions from southeast Ghana have become increasingly popular with musicians and educators in the United States. Teachers tell stories of their musical growth from traveling to Ghana in person, by taking a class from Ghanaian culture bearers 1 , or by learning from students of culture bearers who have been given approval by their teachers to pass on cultural practices (Howard, 2014).
Hesitation about how to approach cultural context, language pronunciation, and concerns of appropriation may contribute to music teachers sticking to the repertoire they learned in their undergraduate methods courses (Campbell, 2017; Howard & Kelley, 2018; Lind & McKoy, 2016). It is not uncommon to experience false starts and stumbling blocks when adapting music for a general music class. Do not let this discourage you from continuing to try. Even a simple presentation, and possible misrepresentation, of the features in a tune from Ghana is an important learning experience for students and their music teachers (Schippers, 2010). Even if you experience initial missteps, you will improve with practice, just like our students will improve their music skills and increase their cultural competence over time.
It is essential to acknowledge the culture of origin, even more so when it is music from a culture that has experienced marginalization and oppression as Ghana did during colonization and slavery. While these are certainly not the only stories of Ghana, they are relevant when teaching Ghanaian music in the culture that participated in the colonization. The amount of cultural information to include in lessons depends on the age of the children, and it is dictated by your comfort level in having critical conversations. While never easy, these conversations become more comfortable over time.
Ghana is a democratic country and was the first colonized African nation to declare independence in 1957. Cultural practices are still deeply tied to older traditions even as more contemporary practices have emerged in urban settings. There are more than 100 cultural groups in Ghana, including the Akan, Hausa, Ewe, and Ga. No area of Ghana is ethnically homogeneous, and many Ghanaians speak several languages. Music is an integral part of life throughout all ethnic groups in Ghana. It is organized to mark the cycles and milestones of life, to enliven religious rituals, and to communicate social values. The context and structure of the music is often determined by the social event. There are types of music that include every member of the community, while others are restricted by age and/or gender. There is music related to ceremonial rites and songs that include advice on being a parent and partner, healing the sick, and celebration of life events including births, puberty, marriages, and deaths. There are specific children’s story songs, and some of the texts are based on nonsense syllables, while others contain teachings that help youth understand what they need to know to be reliable members of society. It is common to find that singing is vital in rural settings in that it accompanies most daily activities and events from household chores, working in the fields, group projects, and village festivities. At the same time, popular music genres from Ghana and abroad are evident anywhere that there is access to radio or Internet.
A Song From Kpanlogo
Consider a simple song from the Ga people who live mainly in and around the capital of Accra. “Dzen a Myeh” (Figure 1) is one of many songs that belong to a recreational genre known as kpanlogo. While kpanlogo was created in the 1960s in a specific region, it has become well-known throughout the country.
Dzen a Myeh.
Early Elementary
With younger children, the main melody (top line) can be used. The song can be analyzed for its form, lyric repetition and variation, and melodic direction. The harmony part can be sung by the teacher after the students are confident with their part. Simplified rhythms can be developed by listening to kpanlogo recordings and deriving what you feel your students are ready to try.
Upper Elementary
Depending on their experience with harmony, these students may be ready to sing in unison and then divide into two parts. The main melody also works well on recorders, or it could be arranged for xylophones. Students of this age are able to play more complex accompanying rhythms on percussion.
Middle/High School
Percussion parts may be added based on experience and availability. Double iron bells (gankogui) and gourd shakers (axatse) are easily found online. Using Jeremy Cohen’s digital mixer (see the Suggested Resources section), teachers and their students can learn the parts one at a time and then add them in as they are able.
Suggested Resources
Recordings
African Songs & Rhythms for Children (1990). Smithsonian Folkways Records. Retrieved from https://folkways.si.edu/african-songs-and-rhythms-for-children-recorded-and-annotated-by-dr-wk-amoaku/childrens/music/album/smithsonian
Folk Music of Ghana (1964). Smithsonian Folkways Records. Retrieved from https://folkways.si.edu/folk-music-of-ghana/world/album/smithsonian
Ghana Children at Play (1976/2004). Smithsonian Folkways Records. Retrieved from https://folkways.si.edu/ivan-annan/ghana-children-at-play-childrens-songs-and-games/world/music/album/smithsonian
Books/Articles
African Songs and Rhythms for Children. By W. K. Omoaku. Schott Publications. The book (with companion recording available on Smithsonian Folkways) includes cultural context for children’s games, chants, and songs with suggestions for extensions.
Drum Gahu (1998). By David Locke. Mel Bay Publications.
Song of Bobobo. By Kwasi Dunyo. Retrieved from http://www.dunyo.com
Let Your Voice Be Heard! (1997). By Abraham Adzeniyah, Dumisani Maraire, and Judith Cook Tucker. Danbury, CT: World Music Press.
Sowah Mensah. Materials available through http://www.sowahmensah.com
YouTube/Videos/DVD/Websites
This World Music [website]. https://thisworldmusic.com/gahu-african-drumming-and-dance-from-ghana/. Created by percussionist and international teacher Jeremy Cohen, this interactive website includes a digital player that allows the user to hear isolated parts and combination of polyrhythmic drum ensembles. This tool is useful for teachers to learn the parts themselves, to review previously learned materials, and to help students hear the parts within the ensemble, and to practice on their own.
Note. Image used with permission from Jeremy Cohen.
Por Por Honk Horn Music of Ghana: The La Drivers Union Por Por Group [video]. (2007). Retrieved from https://folkways.si.edu/la-drivers-union-por-group/world/music/video/smithsonian
theghanaproject2013. (2014, March 10). Sample video of Ghanaian traditional music [YouTube video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMhyohZ-6cY
SublimeWorldProd. (2014, August 28). Sounds from Ghana [YouTube video]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/_MDrb24vfvM
Footnotes
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.