ARTICLES

I.

THE  DANCE  IN TRADITIONAL  AFRICAN  SOCIETY

by A.M.  Opoku*

Dance  is the oldest  art  form and  from  the African  point

of  view the most  complete,  and  satisfying  of  the arts which
form  part  of  the African  Dance scene.  The basic materials of
Dance are Space, Time, rhythm  and  as motivation  for  the move-
ments of  the human  body  in space and  time.  Architecture  is a
space art  form and music  and  poetry  are time or  temporal  art
forms.  Dance  is a Space-Time Art  form since  it employs  the use
of  both  Spatial  and  Temporal  patterns  in expressing  ideas and
emotions  in time and  space by  the use of movements  disciplined
by  rhythm of  sound,  locomotion  and  body-movements.

Early man  had  to polish  his movements  by constant  use
and  experience  to make  them  better  tools and materials  for  his
needs, and  as means of  transporting  himself  from  place to place;
just  as we  learn  to use new  tools or materials  today,  after  the
first  crude attempts due  to our  being  unfamiliar with  them.  Most
important  of  all, man  learnt  to use movements  to express  himself
to others, even as we do  in a foreign  country or  as the deaf  and
dumb  today.  It  is amazing  how much we can  say with our  bodies,
heads, hands, feet  and  facial  expressions, when we meet  a people
whose  language  is unknown  to us and  therefore unintelligible  to
us.  One can  at  least make oneself  understood well  enough,  to
satisfy  his basic needs  for  food, water, help or shelter.  Just
as children  learn  to control  their movements  to satisfy  their
daily needs  and  soon  learn  to apply  their use for  play activities,
for  the fun of  it, so have  people of  all  nations, through  the ages
made use of movement, not only  to find  food  and shelter, but  as
a means of  inner satisfaction, which  is the result of  discovery,
creation  and  achievement,  to make  life more bearable within  their
environment.  Thus  leaping  and  running  after  an escaping  antelope
until  it  is brought  down, may  in the retelling  of  the chase, show
different ways of  running, stalking,  jumping,  slashing or  hacking,
seizing or grasping,  shaking,  twisting  and  turning  usually
embellished  just  for  the relief  and  joy  they give  to our  emotions
and  the effect  on  a captive  and  perhaps  admiring  audience,  like
one's wife  and  children.

Mr. A.M.  Opoku  is Artistic  Director,  Ghana  Dance  Ensemble,
Legon.

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2.

Such movements, consciously or even spontaneously  acquired,
cease  to be copies of  the original  movements  but specially created
imitations of  them.  Because of this, they can be repeated  again
and  again with  a few refinements, or even exaggerations, to a
pattern according  to the mood  and will  of  their creator,  This
orderly  plan of movement  sequences, sometimes of one part of the
body, followed  by another  pattern of movement-answer,  is visually
and emotionally  sensed  as rhythm.  Stamping  tends  to halt or
frighten an enemy  and stamping  and advancing may chase away a
dog or a human enemy who  threatens us.  In Tongo, the Goigo dance
which  is performed  as a mock battle between  the Highlanders and
Lowlanders may have had  its origin  In stamping  and brandishing  a
cudgel  and  advancing  on  a wild  animal  to the accompaniment  of
shouts or chants meant  to scare  It.

"Late  in the afternoon  an army of swordsmen  appeared.
A soloist chanted  a trunting  song and  the rest  responded with
a deep grunt  followed  by a chords made more effective by the
sound of  the boat-shaped  jingles tied  to their  right ankles.
As  they stamped  hard with  their  right  feet a step forward, the
elbow was  pulled  back to lower  the sword  and the fore-arm  flexed
with  the sword  outward.  On count  two, which was  taken  as a step
on  the left foot, the elbow came forward and the sword was thrust
forward  and upward with  the right  arm flexing  into the original
position.  The body was  inclined  slightly  forward when  stamping
with  the jingles on  the right  foot with  the sword  lowered.  As
the  left  foot came down,  the body was  pulled  rigidly  erect and
the sword  held  high.  It  is also usual  to find other movements
of  the body  in addition  to the stamp and even  the stamp was
developed  as gesture-steps  to varied  rhythms of jingling  sounds
and  shuffling  stamps  and kicks with  the right  leg or both  legs
simultaneously".  Movement  is essential  to life, and rhythm makes
movement more efficient.  Movement which  is fashioned  and dis-
ciplined  by  rhythm of sound  and  body develops  into dance movements.

Rhythm  in movement  and  rhythm  in sound combine  to make

work  lighter  as the Frafra grass cutting  labourers show by stamp-
ing and grunting  to the rhythm of their  traditional  fiddle and
gourd  shakers, bending  down,cutting  the grass and advancing  as
they  raise their  bodies  in rhythm,as  in a dance chorus.  Or, take
girls from  the Upper  or Northern  regions of Ghana or Nigeria,
pounding millet  in long mortars  and creating counter  rhythms with
the pestles  in pounding  and knocking  the  inside of the mortar  as

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3.

they come up for another  thrust  Into the mortar.  Sometimes the
rhythms  Induce singing  too.  Fishermen move  in rhythm as they
haul  in their nets and  sing  instinctively  to their  occupationally
rhythmic movements.  Thus music  and dance which depend on  time
and rhythm have always been  linked  together.  In the African  Dance
scene this  is even more apparent  in the use of clapping,  stamping,
singing, and  the use of gongs and  rattles or sticks.  In the African
Dance expression we are made to see the music, as  It were, and  to
hear  the dance.  A first  rate dance group, must  have good drummers,
good singers  and good dancers.  The Akan word  'Goro' means alt  this
and  a group may  be said  to dance well  or  sing well  or drum well
but  If the over  all  result  is expressive and satisfying  the term
'Goro1  "to play1  is used.  The dance  In Africa  then must  express
fully and clearly  through movements, the  inner feelings, which are
acceptable to a region, and  is disciplined  by the rhythm suggested
by  the music  In the mode or  form of  that social  group, and  the mind
of  the dancer  and  audience.

Although  dancing  is common  to most  people, even  in Africa,

where the dance  is the major art and has an  integral  function  in
the  lives of  the people at all  levels, different communities  differ
in their dance styles.  In some areas, there are dances for women
only or men only or for both as the occasion  dictates.  Dances may
be slow or fast, solemn or  joyful  consciously  funny or grave and
majestic.  All  these differences are the result of  the environment
or  physical  conditions, climate, occupation, means of  communication
with other societies, and social, religious, and political  conditions
and standards  acceptable  to a particular  social  group.  In these
diverse culture  patterns, one  thing  is common  to all.  That  In a
traditional  society the dance  is a way of expressing  the lives of
its people, their  hopes and  fears, their  antagonisms  and comrade-
ships,  their  religious beliefs, their joys and reaction  to group
or  individual  tragedies.  In the words of Miss  Pearl  Primus:
"Dance was and  still  is critical  importance.  Every phase  In life
Is accompanied  by dance.  Here people use their  bodies as  instruments
through which  every conceivable emotion or  event  Is projected.  The
result  is a strange hynotic marriage between  life and dance.  The
two are  inseparable.  Love, hatred,  fear, joy, sorrow, disgust,
amazement, all  these and other emotions are expressed  through
rhythmic  movement".

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k.

Much has been written  about  the African Dance but few

realise that  just  as other  people seek to draw attention  to
conflicts  and  joys  in their  society, so does the African  seek
to express similar  ideas  in his own  life from birth to his final
departure to what  is his real  home - the spirit world.  For the
African,Art. is life,and  the fullest expression of  the African
Drama  is the Dance.

For  purposes of study and convenience only, one can

classify  the manifestations  of  the African  Dance under  two main
headings; but we have to be clear  in our minds that  social  needs
and some functions by  their complexity  and content,  tend  to create
overlapping  in the use of dance for such occasions.

1.  Ceremonial  Dances:

Royal  or Court  dances  provide opportunities  for  chiefs
and other dignitaries  to create auras of majestic  splendour  and
dignity  to  impress  their office over  the community  at festivals
or durbars  and  in the case Of  royal  funerals, a deep sense of  loss.
In either  case  the populace demonstrate  their  loyalty  and homage
for  the person  and office of  the chief who  Is a father-godhead
figure.  Alive, the chiefs command  respect, pride and  love through
their  proficiency  as dancers  at such Thanksgiving  Festivals  as
the Damba Festival  of  the Dagbani, Ohum of  the Akyem or  Odwira
of  the Asante.  Such dances are rarely  performed  except within
the environs of  the palace for  joyful  occasions or state funerals,
although  in essence  the drums and musical  instruments used  belong
to the unit of society with  the chief  as titular owner of  the
drums and  instruments.  In processions, the chief  is preceded  by
various court officials, pages, guards and others each with
distinctive ceremonial  dances or movements.  In his  palanquin,
or on horse back,, the chief  expresses himself  as a fearless
warrior, a  leader of his people and as a kindly father  but a
strict  disciplinarian.  As the funeral  of the  late Asantehene
demonstrated  the traditional  funeral  cortege re-enacts  this
pageant with  the coffin  taking  the place of a living  ruler.
A chief's dance movements must  at al1  times  reflect  his position
to win  the acclamation  of his people, who while exhorting  him
to make graceful, studied  and  regal  gestures, use stronger  dynamic

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5.

forms of the same movement  patterns  to express pride  in Mm  as
the embodiment  of  the highest within  his society and  their
willingness  to die for him  in peace or war.  This  is not a mere
piece of  theatrical  demonstration  but often meant  especially
during  funeral  procession  for chiefs or  installation  ceremonies
of new chiefs such as was witnessed  at  the  installation of Nans
Poku  as Otumfos Opoku Ware  II.

Re Ijgious Dances:

These are of  two types.  The more common  type  is for

individual worshippers on  the day of worship at  particular
shrines.  The second  type may  involve  a whole  community.the
religious dances ending  a festival  for planting or  harvesting.
The Golgo Festival  of  the Tongo community,  is one of free dancing
with  the spiritual  heads, moving  in circular dances with  slow
movements  and miming  to represent  the sowing of millet.  The
'Akarn' of the Akans  involves specialised dances by  individual
priests or priestess with  fast  intricate steps, spin  turns, leaps,
jumps  and  virtuosity.  The dancer  tries to portray  the attribute
of the deity who  possesses him or her.  In Shango worship of the
Ede-Oshogbo, the dance  is formal  and skilful  and  is performed  by
priests and  initiates.  This  is also true of the Yeve cult  in the
Anlo and Togo areas.  In the Ga Kpledzo Festival, the Obene dance
is performed  in free style  by the mass while  the priests and
priestesses dance Kple  in formation  as specialists.  In the main,
priests dance to come out of  induced  trance.  Guild,  Secret,
Warrior  and Hunters' dances are exclusively  performed  by members
of the particular  groups.  Secret  society dances  take the form
of masked  dances  like the Egungun Masquerades of the  Igbomine of
Nigeria.  The Bird  Dance of Guinea  is an example of this secret
society dance.  Because of the disguise, masked dances are usually
free and unrestrained  and uninhibited  in movement  expressions.
In some  instances  they can be violent or even anti-social.
Nigeria's Annual  Masked  Dance Festival  takes  the form of a parade
in which  individual  participants display  ingenuously carved  and
painted masks and head  pieces usually prepared  in secret  for  this
spectacle of colour, gaiety, and  free and expressive movements.

Warrior  dances and Hunters' dances are mimed  versions

of  the actual  experiences of  the dancers or  the achievements df
dead  relatives.  Recently  the Hunters Guild held a colourful

r

'4b

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6.

funeral  for  a master  hunter who had killed  99 elephants.  This
provided  an occasion  for  individuals  to boast of  their  fame
as hunters while paying  tribute %o the dead great hunter.  In
Ashanti where chiefs hold military  ranks, the dance of  the
chiefs  in the Fontamfrom Atopretta  takes the form of a mock
battle  in which  the chief, clad  in battle dress studded with
talismans, re-enacts  past  personal  achievements or that of his
predecessors or regiment with  a gun and sword supported  by
dancing  attendants.  In this dance, the ordinary  dancer  is not
permitted  to use the gun and  the sword and  therefore uses his
whole arms for slashes, thrusts, feints.  Side stepping, manoe-
uvres are discernible, ending  In the capture and beheading of
the opponent.

The team spear dance,  is the accepted  form among  the

Konkomba  of Ghana while  in Ethiopia, we have the group and
individual  sword  dances of the Esa Somali  tribes of  dramatic
interest.  In times of war, these dances  instilled courage and
raised morale  In the warriors and  the thundering,  challenging
boom of  the war drums mingling with  the horn calls of units,
taunted  the enemy  and was calculated  to frighten  and  demoralise
them.  In peace-time,  these dances  took the form of military
display of the army's  strength,  their  past glories  and disasters.
The Lelik Dance  is an example of  this and  Is performed  in full
battle dress, swords, bows and arrows  and a hooked  harpoon.

Hunting  dances, at  least  in Africa, are not  performed  to

bring  success  to the hunter but  to retell  the adventures  encounter-
ed  in a successful  hunt.  The Abofoo of the Akan  and  their  Frafra
version bear  testimony  to this.  Dances marking  phases  in life take
many  forms.  Some societies  emphasise  birth,puberty,  and  funerals
while others highlight  marriages, but nearly  all make  the most of
funerals  for  individuals, heroes or chiefs  as a mark of their  last
respect  and as occasions for  consoling  a member  of the  community
while  remembering  a long deceased  relation.

11. Recreational  or Social  Dances are usually created  by the more
youthful  members of  the society  for entertainment  and  recreation.
If the new creations  based on the movement  forms of the region
prove popular, older  people adopt  the dances and  in time  include
them  in the repertory  of  regional  recreational  dances.  Such

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7.

recreational  dances as have become regional  dances are, Agbadza,
Agb
Adowa, Adenkum, Nagla.  They serve to bring the young of both
bot
sexes together  In a clean atmosphere which results  In marriages.
They encourage the youth  in providing opportunities for creating
new rhythms, dances, songs and presentation.

These are some of the uses of the Dance  In African

Traditional  Society;  in all, the spirit  and character of the
society,  its sanctions,  its joy are reflected.  Thus  it can
be said  that  a study of the African  Dance  is a study of  Its
peoples.