WAKA TRADITIONAL MUSIC AND DANCE AMONG THE GAs

The Ga and Dangbe people are both part of the Ga–Dangme ethnolinguistic group. The Ga-

Dangbes are a Ghanaian ethnic group that predominantly dwell in Greater Accra.

An ethnolinguistic group (or ethno-linguistic group) is a group that is unified by both a common

ethnicity and language. Most ethnic groups share a first language. However, the term is often

used to emphasize that language is a major basis for the ethnic group, especially with regards to

its neighbours.

The Ga-Dangbes believe in the ancestry of their forefathers and their influence on our daily lives.

They believe in the afterlife that is why a special ceremony is held for the departed brethren to

prepare him for the journey in the next world.

Among the natives of James Town, a ritual of dance and music is performed around the body as

soon as it is brought to the home to be laid in state which symbolizes the first stage of farewell

by the family to the deceased.

According to oral histories, the Ga arrived in the 16th century from the vicinity of Lake Chad (a

historically large, shallow, endorheic lake in Central Africa).

It is also thought that by the 17th century, they had moved down the Niger River (principal river

of West Africa) and across the Volta to present-day Ghana.

The Ga people were traditionally farmers who were into large plantations of corn, but today, they

are mainly engaged into fishing due to the fact that their settlements is along the coasts. This has

influenced why “a Ga man would choose kenkey and fish over fried rice with chicken and

vegetable salad”.
Boxing is a prevalent sport among the Ga’s. this is evident by the numerous boxing arenas one

will find within the Bukom and James Town vicinities with the Bukom Boxing Arena being the

main boxing square. Boxing clubs in Bukom and James Town have produced famous

professional fighters like as David Kotei, Alfred Kotey, Joshua Clottey, and former WBA

Welterweight Champion boxer Ike Quartey, as well as Azumah Nelson, and Bukom Banku.

James Town is a fishing community. The Lighthouse is one of James Town's most prominent

sight or landmarks, located just east of the Korle Lagoon.

Waka music is a widely known Yuroba music by the Nigerians. Waka music was introduced into

the mainstream Nigerian music by Batile Alake around the 1950s who performed at concerts and

parties throughout the Yuroba land. Waka is purely an Islamic oriented Yuroba music.

Drumming and dancing is part of the Ga-Dangbe music. Kpanlogo, Kpatsa, Fume-Fume, Dipo,

Kple, Gome and Waka are some of the traditional drumming and dances among the Gas

however, the Waka music and dance by the Gas has no connection with the Waka music of

Nigeria or the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup ‘Waka Waka’ which is a traditional

song for African soldiers from Cameroon.

Waka is a traditional music and drumming which was created around the 1980’s by Mustapha

Tettey Addy. History tells that when some Liberians migrated to Ghana as refugees, came along

with their drum purposely to entertain themselves. After a hard day’s work, our forefathers

would gather around a palm wine joint with their Liberian co-workers to get relieved off the

day’s stress by drinking palm wine and engaging in chats. After a while when nothing much is

left to be discussed, the Liberians would bring out a drum, play it amidst singing of a repeated

call and response phrase which goes; “Waka gigbo se woya ee waka gigbo” which means “my

brethren come let us have a drink” and the exact phrase is repeated as the response.
Mustapha Addy found interest in the rhythm being played on the drum by the Liberians, adapted

it, modified it and later added a dance to it. Instruments used in the early performances of Waka

were the “Waka mi”, gome and saw. The saw was used as an instrument by rubbing a metal on

the cutting edge which produces a sound to accompany the song. History tells us that whiles our

forefathers were on short breaks during their working days, they would often use their tools to

create sounds, many of which were modified or replaced and adopted in our traditional music.

Today, the instruments used in the Waka music and dance include the Kpanlogo mii,

shakashaka, ngongo, clappers and the use of the voice to sing. The dance is featured by

movements from various dances and typical among those dances are the kpanlogo, Gome and

Fume-Fume.

The Waka traditional music and dance is open for anyone who knows about the dance to join in

its performance however, it is a rule in the James Town Waka ensemble that only members of

the ensemble are permitted to perform.

Adopting characteristics of the Gome music and dance, performance of Waka was termed the

“oldies” dance and the story line goes like this;

An old man who has nothing much to do is attracted to a middle-aged woman with big butts,

trying his possible luck to win the heart of the lady.

These days, the youth perform the dance by being dressed like middle to old aged persons to

depict the traditional texture of the music and dance.

The costumes used include (for women) Kaba and slit, head scarf, ladies hand bag and an

artificial butt. (For men) Adasan/dzwakoto, jumper or sometimes dress like the old English
emperors by wearing long sleeve shirt, shorts, a bow tie or a flying tie and a long pair of socks

covering their legs up to their knee.

Originally, there is only one song for Waka which is in a form of call and response.

Call: Waka gigbo, se woya eee waka gigbo

Response: Waka gigbo, se woya eee waka gigbo

Translated: brethren come and lets have a drink

In recent times as the music and dance is performed to a large audience which in effect extends

the performance time from 15 minutes to about an hour, other songs used in the kpanlogo

repertoires are employed as the continuous use of the original song tend to make the performance

boring.

The originator of the music and dance, Mustapha Tettey Addy in a video bearing the handle

‘Mustapha Tettey Addy’ explained that his father used the approach of vocalizing the rhythms to

him and it was his duty to replicate the vocalized rhythm on the drums when practicing.

However, in his teaching tour in Germany and the Britain, he used the replica approach and that

is, his students learn by playing as he plays. Taking the life of the interviewee, Mr. Richard

Koomson into account, he made it know in the interview session with regards to this project that,

in his early years, he used to live near a local drink seller whose costumers often play the Waka

rhythm while they sit to enjoy their drinks. The sound of the drum caught his attention which

made him developed interest in drumming. One day he was called upon to assist by playing the

metal bell and when the leader of the group realized he had the potential of drumming, they

adopted him to be trained. He learnt a lot through observation and practicing. His mother was a

professional traditional dancer who often carries him along whenever she is going for rehearsals.
Sustenance of not just Waka but the Ga-Dangbe music is a major problem and due to this, many

have still not heard of some music and dances by the Ga-Dangbes.

Unlike the Ashantis, Ewes and the Northerners, who have inculcated the performance of their

traditional music and dances at every occasion which has given them numerous platforms to

show to the world their culture through music and dance, Gas hardly include the performance of

their traditional music and dance in their activities. Most of the folk tunes are regarded old

fashioned which has heightened the crave for ‘popular’ music.

The repertoires of Waka which happens to be originally just one, makes it difficult and

uninteresting for academicians to give it a scholarly. Also, since the performance of Waka is

almost like Kpanlogo, people would prefer Kpanlogo to Waka as because Waka is considered

exotic due to the adopted rhythm from the Liberians while Kpanlogo is considered as an original

Ga music and dance.

In an interview with the legend Naa Amanua of Wulomei fame granted by MzGee of TV3, she

lamented that the radio stations have over the years, refuse to air the Ga-Dangbe folk tunes and

this has made these folk tunes loose relevance in the society. Some few minutes of the songs are

aired during the Homowo festivities after which the songs are put back onto the shelves.

The Ga-Dangbes would prefer to play electronic music rather than the traditional music because

of “modernization”.

Sources

One-on-one interview with Mr. Richard Koomson, Leader of James Town Waka Ensemble.
You tube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pPhCVf0YLo