LESSON FOR TODAY-060920- ROYAL CEREMONIAL MUSIC AND DANCE

Dance is an important aspect of the culture of the Ghanaian (African). Dance embodies and articulates the philosophies of the culture, the origin, and serves as a unique symbol of identity. Our increasing interaction with various world cultures has undermined certain aspects of our dance heritage. We incorporate ideas which threaten our indigenous philosophies and symbols of our identities to the detriment of our uniqueness as Ghanaians or Africans.

Kete royal court dance-drumming originates from the Akan people of Ghana, West Africa. The term Kete simultaneously refers to a specific set of instruments, the music played by those instruments, and the dance performed to that music. Originally existing exclusively within Asante royal court system, Kete is now heard at funerals and weddings, as well as royal palace events. Kete constitutes one part of the broader Asante dance-drumming repertoire – including Adowa, Akɔm, Apirede, Fɛntɛmfrɛm, Mpintin, Nnwonkoro, Sikyi, and others

The Kete dance has gone through many changes since its break away from the older Adowa form. Joseph Kaminski (2007) states that the music of Kete is reputed to possess the power of attracting good spirits…[Nketia] explains that the surrogated texts extol high moral values through the telling of heroic ideals and aKete dance must be developed with the involvement of symbolic hand gestures reflecting these values. It is danced barefooted and trained male dancers dance with their Lapacloth lowered beneath the chest

KETE ADABAN