EVOLUTION OF THE FfiWfE SACRED LYRIC by ATO TURKSON* 1. Introduction "If The Fante Sacred Lyric or Ebibindwom, as these songs are called, are traditional songs and have evolved out of certain musical types as a result of social change These musical types which are rather old, are still per- formed by some Fante traditional musical groups. The rise and growth of the lyric reveals evidence of social change in a new development of a musical type without evidence of change of musical culture. In determining the causes of social change, it is necessary to consider society as a system in which there are in- ternal and external interacting components which are constantly working. The internal components are made up of certain psychological factors which motivate mem- bers of the society to act while the external components consist of certain environmental factors. On the other hand, however favourable the external components may be, no change will be effective unless the psychological drives and dispositions of the individual are involved. Change is an idea which is given very concrete external expressions. As a matter of fact, the external compo- nent, with its ideational, cognitive emotional content and the internal component with all that it offers, interact to effect change. In Africa we have evidence of early contact with the external world, and also contacts of African peoples with one another. These contacts have produced new musical values as well as social values and customs. Very often these contacts have resulted in both new musi- cal hybrids and re-creation of entirely new musical types as for example, the Fante Sacred Lyric. • Lecturer in Music, I,A,S,, University of Ghana Legon. '•**'] 2. Music Syncretism There are theories which musicologists have put forward relating to the external influence on culture in culture contact. Anthropologists have referred to this as a process of internal change in the accultura- tive situation. The process of internal change in music syncretism1 which in itself is an aspect of re- interpretation. Re-interpretation is a process by which new values change the cultural significance of old forms.2 TO permit music syncretism in any two given societies, there should be enough similarity be- tween the given societies.3 The relative homogeneity of music based on the concept of harmony and basic scale patterns in the two areas should be similar. Several anthropologists and musicologists have made certain generalizations on music syncretism. Alan P. Merriam4 asserts that when two human societies which are in sustained contact have a number of characteri- stics in common in a particular aspect of culture, ex- change of ideas therein will be much more frequent than 1. . I have borrowed this term from theology. It Is a tendency to reconcile various systems of philo- sophy or religious opinion, especially against a common opponent. 2. M.J. Herskovltzi DaHomean Narrative* (Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1967) p. 553. 3. Richard Waterman: African Influence on the Americas, In Sol Tax (ed.) Acculturation in the Amerioae, (Chicago: Proceedings of the 29th International Con- gress of Americanists) 1952. 4. Alan P. Merriam: The Anthropology of Music, {Bvanston: North-western University Press) 1967. if the characteristics of those aspects differ markedly from one another. 5. Several factors have contributed to the development of new musical types including the lyric. Reinterpretation of old forms in a new situation. But the lyric owes its growth princi- pally to European evangelism in Ghana. Since its inception the lyric has reached other areas in Ghana especially Ashanti through culture contact and similarity of common musical characteristics. Some of the characteristics common to the music traditions existing between Fantis and Ashantis are the concept of harmony and melody based on the heptatonic diatonic scales. But Fante and Ashanti are dialects of the Akan language. The tendency to borrow, substitute and blend musical elements from the two cultures is therefore easy and only requires a slight push. This was provi- ded by the spread of the Christian church and communication. These features may be seen as favourable syncretic conditions. 3. The'Growth The lyric and other hybrid musical types lie alongside the old representing additions rather than substitutions. The old musical types are still prac- tised and enjoyed in many areas as living tradition. The speculation, which is rather widespread, is that . the creative impulse in traditional music is somewhat levelling off and that some of the older forms may die out. These traditions are constantly being revived 5, Note that Merriam worked his hypothesis In con- nection with the differential acculturation as exists in Africa and Flathead India. His con- tention was that the syncretism of both Africa and Europe in their stylistic characteristics identical to both areas which facilitate exchange and blending while in the case of European and Flathead Indian styles there was a lack of syncre- tism due to absence of common stylistic characteri- stics. £•*# in the light of the present cultural awakening in Ghana. The rise and growth of the Pante Sacred lyric which developed among the older female members of the Methodist Church is an instance of positive effect of social change. The lyric as a musical type was developed during the office of the Rev. Thomas Birch Freeman by the non-literate in Cape Coast in 1838.6 I ts background tradition is a simple one. Rev, Freeman realized at some point that the non-literate members of the Metho- dist Church did not participate in the singing of the English hymns.7 He therefore encouraged members to sing bibli- cal texts to traditional tunes. And it worked like this, whenever a member drew inspiration from the sermon of the day she composed suitable texts derived from the sermon which she sang to a traditional tune. This process is very true even today. it is intere- sting to note that even today, the lyric which drew entirely on the resources of indigenous traditional music has not absorbed anything from western music regularly heard during worship. This developmental aspect of the lyric reveals evidence of social change in the growth of a new musical type which does not show evidence of change of musical culture. *• Traditional Background of the Lyric The story of the evolution of the lyric may be sought in many ways. Rev. Dr. S.0. Williamson has suggested two possible directions in which the tra- ditional background of the Fante Sacred lyric •imay be sought r 6. This is the year in which Rev. Thomas Birch Freeman arrived in Ghana. Since there is no written account of the lyric I have used this year for conve- nience . • 7. The early Methodist missionaries did not con- cern themselves with reducing the local languages into writing. This was a great set back in their evangelical work. The English hymns were not translated into local languages for use by members of the church. rfc'- Thus in the folk-tale Anansesera it is tradi- tional for the narration to suffer interruption (as the sermon Is interrupted by the introduction of a lyric). Such interruptions may be either by way of diversion, similar to the entracte in Western dramatic productions, or may serve the purpose of commentary on the story or some aspect of it. Th'.ese 'musical interludes may take the form of a regular, metrical song, or of recitative (call) and response.8 The lyric may be likened to the mboguo or song-interlude in an ananse story situation in that it provides a com- mentary on the sermon and brings out some interesting points in the sermon. But there are some differences between the mboguo and the lyric in their musical aspects. Musically the mboguo is shorter than the lyric. The similarity between them may be found in their interruptive function as well as commentary. . The second direction in which Williamson sought the traditional background of the lyric was the asafo mmobone and asvayeve songs: The tmbbom'e and aerayere songs were used in time of war, disaster and emergency, and also at times of rejoicing and exultation, such as the enstoolment of a chief. They can be characterized as songs of invocation, excitement and exultation* and since the welfare and success of the state, at home and in the face of its enemies, was not possible without divine help, these songs might have a religious reference.9 Asafo has been the foundation of several Fanti musical types. The musical types which have probably S.G. Williamson, The lyric in the Fante Methodist Church in Africa, Journal of the International African Institute, Vol. xxviii, No.2, April, 1958. 9, ibid. 1""%. evolved out of asafo include adzewa, adenkum, ompe and many others. All except ompe are performed by female bands but have male drummers especially in the case of adzewa. In certain places these bands have become wings of respective asafo associations. The repertoire of these bands contain songs of sad- ness and exhilaration. I have mentioned above the possible sources of the lyric.10 Of the musical types given, adenkum seems to be the most probable source of the lyric. Some lyrics are adaptations of adenkum songs others are inspired by biblical thought. It is also possible to find adaptations of other musical types especially of asafo. Expert lyricists differentiate between two types of lyrics, the old type and the new. The old type is said to indicate that the lyric is ancient and is based on adenkum or some such song-type. The new type is the lyric based on biblical text.11 **) 10. Rev. Dr. S.G. Williamson has suggested that the lyric may have derived from asrayere And mmobome. Here I will differ substantially in opinion with him in the choice of the musical types to support his argument. In form and content asrayere and mmobome or abobombe as the Fanti's call it differ considerably from the lyric form. I agree that abobombe has some religious reference but I doubt very much that the Methodist Church at the time of Rev. Thomas Freeman would have permitted its adaption in the church because it was used in connection with the local pantheon. The women in offering prayers to the pantheon in time of war, for the safe return of their men, and in disaster and emergency sang abobombe songs. 11. I held a long discussion with Mr. Peter Brown, an expert lyricist during a visit to his village. On the topic of lyric texts he pointed out the distin- guishing features of the lyric types. The Rev. S.B, JEsaamiiah, a lyric collector seems to agree with Mr. Brown's suggestions. ftrfc In examining lyric texts we find that some have little or no reference to the scriptures except for names identified with Gods Nyatne or Ewuradsse or such honor&fics as Gyefo, Baatan, Twferamp'on or Odoyefo which are in themselves expressions native to the ar«a.12 5• T"e Location of the Lyric Of all the traditional songs of the Akan the lyric Is the most suitable for* use in the church. The reper- toire of the lyrio contains song-s that are particularly suitable for use in the Christian church and: includes songs about God, birth, life and death of Christ, songs about the prophets and events of the Christian year, Ther.e are general songs reflecting on the pain iof death, songs in Which explicit references to bereaved , families could be expressed. The home of the Fante sacred lyric is Pantiland where it is regularly heard during worship in th-e Chris- tian church. It grew up in Cape Coast about 1838 in the Wesleyan Methodist Church and gradually spread to other towns and villages with the church. In time the lyric reached other Akan speaking areas through contact with Pantis. The lyric is heard in Pante, speaking areas stretching along the coast from Nyanyano to as far west as the Ivory Coast border with Ghana. This may include Effutu, Ahantaj and Nzima areas where FantJ. is spoken as an alternate language, or where Pante has almost s/uperceded the local language in the home. The first group consists of the people living beyond the estuary of River Ankobra.13 The Ahantas and Nzimas who live in this area have acquired Pante speech through contact with Fante speakers. There is evidence that in this group the singing of the lyric 12. The horiorifics will be discussed in a later paper. 13. The Nzimas in the Ivory Coast also speak the Pante language and therefore included in this group. is influenced by the local language. There is therefore a carry over of the phonological patterns of Nzima and Ahanta in the singing of the lyric. The second is made up of the Effutu speakers.14 Here Pante is also spoken as an alternate language but with the same skill as the Effutu language. in several homes Pante has superceded Effutu. It is interesting to note that there -- Hi In 1875, there had been a Methodist revival • in Ekroful and later many of the new members grumbled because of the financial obligations required of Christians. We hear in 1878 that 251 members were excluded from the Methodist Church at Ekroful. The Methodist Church in a report had declared.24 We allow no member in the enjoyment of his health who refused to pay class money and ticket money to continue in society. 21 . 22. 23, Ghana National Archives: Dispatch of Gov. Griffiths to Secretary of State, 6th November, 1886. Hans Brunner, A History of Christianity, p..241. Hans Brunner and H. and H. Fisher t Early Fan.ti Islam in Ghana Bulletin of Theology, vol. 1 7th December, 1959, pp. 23-35 vol. 1 8th June, 1960 p. 13ff . 24, wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society Report* 1878, p. 152. 12 This latent resentment of the Methodist Church in Ekroful found an outlet in the adoption of the Islam religion in 1880's among the people of Gomua. The churches are not the only users of the lyric. Other organisations have come to be associated with the lyric. I have mentioned that certain societies which are wings of the orthodox churches sing the lyric during society deliber.atidns. The fast springing benevolent societies are contributing to the growth and stability of the lyric. Here it should be understood that majority of the members of the benevolent societies belong to one orthodox church or the other. Like the Hope and Honesty societies these benevolent societies are interdenomina- tional. Many groups are emerging whose principal aim is to promote the singing of the lyric. They also learn and sing other traditional songs too. One such group examined is the Boka Nworaba Kuw (stars of the East Fellowship) resident in Accra and whose membership is mainly Fanti. This group is also interdenominational and like the other societies it helps its members in times of bereavement by attending funerals and contributing fixed sums of money for donations to help defray funeral expenses. Not only does the group attend funerals of its members, it also at- tends other funerals too upon invitation to provide tra- ditional music including lyrics. Fees may be charged for this service to non members. The group also provides lyric singing in all churches during special celebrations. It also performs for Radio Ghana. The lyric as a traditional musical form is signifi- cant as an indigenous mode of expression which has been adapted by the early Methodist Missionaries for use during Christian worship. The lyric may have roots in indigenous traditional worship. As a traditional form the lyric is a vehicle of faith, projecting the true indigenous beliefs in the Christian faith. Some of its texts show the tra- ditional pre-christian devotional expressions of the Fanti. The lyric testifies to God's power of delivery. Such expressions as "He has changed our hell into heaven, or "He will deliver us from evil", all show a basic traditional religious belief that Nyame or Nyankopon (the greatest of friends) is the utmost judge to whom the defenceless can appeal for redress. • • * • • •-