Dagbon music and dance

**Dagbani music den dance** be key tradition for Dagbamba people for West Africa. Dem be de main ethnic group wey dey Dagbon kingdom for Northern Region insyd Ghana. Music plus dance dey play big central role for Dagbon. Na thru music den dance de Dagbamba take keep dema history for plenty centuries. Dagbamba see dance as way to show emotion, socialize, do spiritual performance, anaa even exercise, all to explain ideas anaa tell story. For Dagbon, music mostly dey go plus dance so de story go complete well.

## Music insyd Dagbon
Dem best know Dagbani music  for an extremely advanced drumming tradition dem carry out by hereditary praise-singers den oral historians dem know as de *lunsi*. Dema tradition, wich primarily dey feature de hourglass-shaped *lunga* (talking drum) den de cylindrical *gungon* (bass drum), be a vital aspect of Dagomba culture.

## Dancing insyd Dagbon
Dem usually compose Dagbon music specifically to facilitate anaa accompany dancing.

De Dagomba tribal get different kinds of traditional dance wich be facilitated by drummers wey dey play different rhythms den de dancers move accordingly. Sam of de traditional dances be popular wey fi be performed on any occasion while odas be a reserve for special events den occasions such funerals, coronation ceremonies den during spiritual sacrifices. Each dance get special regalia buh wat be common be de smock, "kurugu" den de "muɣuri".

Sam of de popular dance be as follows:

### Takai
De Takai dance be de most common male dance wich dem perform insyd groups insyd concentric circles. De usual regalia for dis special dance be de smock den "kurugu"- an extended trouser, a hat, metallic rods wey dem dey use for de clutching sound, "muɣuri" - a of show den sam adornment of metals on de shanks of dema legs to provide sam rhythmic tune.

### Baamaaya
De Baamaaya, anaa "de valley be wet," be a popular social dance wey dey originate from de Dagbamba of northern Ghana. Ein history dey trace back to a 17th-century drought, wer, according to legend, men dress insyd feminine clothing to appeal to de gods for rain. Dey follow de successful rainmaking ceremony, na dem shout "baa maaya," wich dey commemorate de end of de drought. Now both genders dey perform during festivals, funerals, den national celebrations, de Baamaaya dey feature graceful, fluid movements, plus dancers wey dey perform waist twists den swift footwork while dem dey move insyd a circle around de drummers. Dancers sam times dey wear anklet den waist bells den carry fans, wey dey create a rhythmic den vibrant spectacle.

### Tɔra (Tora)
Tɔra, a dance wey women primarily perform, be one of de oldest dances insyd de Dagomba tradition, wey dey date back to de early stages of de Dagbon kingdom. Ein origins be rooted insyd a tragic den deadly tale wey dey concern a power struggle over de chieftaincy during de reign of Naa Yenzoo. Today, dem typically dey perform de dance at funerals for de elderly, wer e dey serve to generate energy den action over several days. Women den girlies dey form a line den dey take turns moving out to meet a partner, wey dey engage insyd a percussive knocking of buttocks on de drum ein downbeat. Dis energetic, spirited performance be accompanied by vibrant, call-and-response songs wey dey enhance de powerful movements.

## Contemporary Music and Dance
Dagbamba people don blend modern music into their culture, but traditional Dagbani music and dance still dey show for official events and universities across de world. For local level, e easy now to hear Dagbanli music inside non-traditional styles like Reggae, Hip hop, Hiplife or Islamic music. Sometimes too, dem go mix dis non-traditional Dagbanli music small with traditional things like drumming, but e no dey happen plenty.

Mordern artists wey perform for dagbanli include  Sherifa Gunu, R2bees, Fancy Gadam, Macassio, Fadlan, Don Sigli, Sherif Ghaale, and Awal Alhassan.

The Just Dance rhythm game add soundtrack ‘Dagomba’ inside their games. Sorcerer compose am, and de song take samples from Dagomba people dema music.

The sound engineers wey help produce the ‘Dagomba’ rhythm be Blue Bratz, Dr. Fiza, Stone B, Ojay Dramz plus many others.

## See also

* Kambon-waa
* Damba festival

## References