Agbadza

Agbadza be an Ewe music den dance wey evolve from de times of war into a very popular recreational dance. Na e cam from a very old war dance dem call Atrikpui wey be usually performed by de Ewe people of de Volta Region of Ghana, particularly during de Hogbetsotso Festival, a celebration by de Anlo Ewe people. In addition, e sanso be performed by Togolese den Beninese of Ewe descent. De dance get five movements in performing am, 1. Banyinyi wich be a short introductory in prayer to de gods den ancestors, 2. Vutsortsor wich be de main dance, 3. Adzo- wich be less energetic wey de master per be made to drum along plus Gankogui den Axatse, 4. Hatsatsa- historical songs be performed along plus Gankogui den Atoke, 5. Vutsortsor- finally, anoda round of de main dance wich usually dey last for a number of hours. Gankogui be an instrument insyd a form of a bell were a stick be used to play. Atoke sanso be an iron banana shaped bell wey be played plus a small forged iron rod. De Atoke fi be used in place of de Gankogui, dem both be used for de same purpose.
De dance usually be played at funerals, weddings, den parties. Essentially, e be played at any occasion wey call for an Ewe identity emblem, since dis music be known by oda ethnic groups to be uniquely Ewe. Everyone be welcam to join insyd de dance, unlike oda Ewe dances, wich sam times be reserved give people of a certain age, religion, anaa gender. De dance sam times be known as de “chicken dance” secof de bird-like motions dem require for de dance.

 Origin 
Agbadza find ein origin insyd de times of war. Na de Ewe people go thru various times of war den oppression before dem settle down insyd de Volta Region of Ghana den insyd Southern Togo. In order to train dema warriors to be ready for battle, na de Ewes use various songs den dances to encourage de warriors. Thru dis na dem born a dance dem call Atrikpui. Dis dance later evolve to Agbadza, wich be no longer used give war buh rada insyd events wey be more joyful. Thru Agbadza, at de time dem know as Atrikpui, Ewe singers den poets sing about battles, life den death, heroism, cowardice, migration, conquest, imperialism, den a warrior ethos. Na de move towards Agbadza be done secof a period of peace wey na be enjoyed by de Ewes around de 1920s, den so instead dem decide to use sam of dema old songs as entertainment. Today, Agbadza be de most famous den widely played Ewe dance.

 Instruments 
Bell: e get a recurring phrase wey dey establish de tempo of de song den dey serve as a timeline give de rest of de ensemble.

Sogo: dis be de ensemble leader drum. E dey indicate to de oda drums wat dem suppose to be playing. Dis drum sanso dey signal de dancers wen dem be supposed to be starting to dance, thru de use of drumming language.

Kidi: dis be de second drum insyd de ensemble. E dey communicate plus de Sogo to create a conversation dey use drumming language.

Kagan: dis be a support drum, wich get a recurring rhythm thru out de performance wey dey interact plus de bell to create a specific melody.

Rattle/ Axatse: dis be a beaded-rattle wey dey follow de rhythm of de timeline closely to complement de Agbadza song.

Handclaps: de handclaps insyd Agbadza be used to add human interaction to de song den create a dense musical texture of high energy.

 Song 
De song be based on a call den responses system, wich be widely present insyd de music of West Africa.

Call: Se Se Se Ioooo

Response: Aho Aho Ahoooo

Call: Se Se Se Iooo

Response: Aho Aho Ahoooo

ALL: Enyo o Egble o ahooo

 Ne meku Agbadzawua nadim hee

 Ne meku Agbadzawua nadim hee

 Ne mekua Kiniwua nadi hee

 Ne makua Kiniwua nadi hee

 References 

Category:Ewe people
Category:African dances
Category:Music of Ghana
Category:Music of Togo
Category:Culture of Ghana
Category:Ghanaian dances
Category:Articles wey dey contain video clips