SAT. 14TH SEPTEMBER, 2019 CLASS REVIEW

Today is the special day for my hometown of Mankesim in Ghana, as they celebrate the annual Borborfantse Afahye. In other to bring the experience home, I taught the Class 4 traditional music with a focus on the Asafo. For more data on Asafo read the info below. In our class we focused on 2 Asafo Variations-Sor and OWAMBIR; Gahu and Agbaza rhythms. In this blog the Focus is on Asafo as a dedication to my community and one of my friends, mentor and a master drummer, late Okyerema Panyin Kwaanan who just passed away in Ghana.

Before you read and watch other videos, here is the Impressions from the Mankessim BorborFantse Afahye ( Festival) today.

IGNITE D.R.U.M.S CLASS RESOURCES- MANKESSIM BORBORFANTSE AFAHYE 2019-GHANA

DV IGNITE DRUMS CLASS TODAY 091419

ASAFO

Asafo is the name of the group as well the music and dance that the group performs in the community. Asafo Company are traditional warrior groups in Akan culture especially among the Fante people. The word derives from Sa, meaning war, and fo, meaning people. The traditional role of the asafo companies in the ancient time was defense of the state. As the result of contact with European colonial powers on the Gold Coast (present-day Ghana), the Fante, who inhabit the coastal region, developed an especially complex version of the concept in terms of its social and political organization based on martial principles, and with elaborate traditions of visual art,^[1] including flag banners with figurative scenes.

The beautiful music and dance performed by the Asafo Companies are basically for ceremonial and emergency reasons. Asafo is performed during festival times in the community known as Akwambo ( Clearing the Path). There is also a performance during the coronation of a chief or one of the new leaders of the company or when a special government or dignitary is visiting the community.

In organizing Asafo into an ensemble every community has its own set of instrumental resources but most of the main ones are Asafo-Kyen ( Master Drum), Akoko-Nyin ( The one next to the master drum played with stick and hand) , the ansaba ( smallest and slender played with stick) and ampaa ( played with only hands) plus the Dawuro ( bells).

Asafo have 2 forms- Processional and stationary one.

The processional one is known as OWAMBIR in many community and this is very popular with Ekumfiman community. The best Owambir masters known are Kwesi Nyeynor and his daddy Uncle Annor.

All other communities especially at Mankessim Twafo play the ADAWUR-ANAN without the melodious Owambir beats.

Akyenfo Kokodo and other places play the Owambir with different variations.

The stationary music making version has 2 main variaties- SOR ( TOP) and FAMU ( DOWN).

In conducting research, we found other community playing different variations. Like below.

THIS VIDEO FEATURES THE NKUSUKUM ASAFO COMPANY OWAMBIR DURING THE DAY OF RITES FOR THE COMMUNITY DEITIES.