UNIVERSITY OF CAPECOAST

COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND LEGAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF ART

DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC AND DANCE

COURSE CODE: ASP104A

TRADITIONAL AFRICAN MUSIC IN CONTEMPORARY AFRICA AND

NEW TRENDS IN AFRICAN MUSIC

ASSIGNMENT: AGBAZA AS AN ENSEMBLE

GROUP 6

REGISTRATION NUMBERS:
1. AR/CMS/23/0119
2. PH/PHA/23/0075
3. SS/GRP/23/0241
4. SB/HRM/23/0104
5. SB/ACC/23/0377
6. SB/ACC/23/0350
7. SB/ADM/23/0159
8. AH/BMS/23/0045
9. AR/CMS/23/0252
10. SE/ECO/23/0024
11. SB/HRM/23/0259
12.
History
1. It is one of the oldest and popular musical types performed by Ewes of southern
Ghana, Togo and Benin. Its performance is open to all: men, women and children,
irrespective of class or religious affiliation. The origin of the name ‘Agbadza’ has two
varied interpretations: Dugbadza, meaning, a dance which is broad based and open to
all. The second interpretation, of ‘Agbadza’ refers to girdle which was worn around
the waist in Atrikpui, a male war dance.

2. Agbadza finds its origin in the times of war. The Ewe people went through various
times of war and oppression before settling down in the Volta Region of Ghana and in
Southern Togo. In order to train their warriors to be ready for battle, the Ewes used
various songs and dances to encourage the warriors. Through this a dance called
Atrikpui was born. This dance later evolved to Agbadza, which is no longer used for
war but rather in events that are more joyful. Through Agbadza, at the time known as
Atrikpui, Ewe singers and poets sang about battles, life and death, heroism,
cowardice, migration, conquest, imperialism, and a warrior ethos The move towards
Agbadza was done due to a period of peace that was enjoyed by the Ewes around the
1920s, and so instead they decided to use some of their old songs as entertainment.
Today, Agbadza is the most famous and widely played Ewe dance.

3. Agbadza is a traditional dance by the Ewes after they escaped King Agorkorli’s
wickedness.
It happened in the 17th century when a wicked king called King Agorkorli ruled the
Anlo’s back in Notsie. The Anlo’s were being treated badly by King Agorkorli. He
made them do any sort of tedious work. This made the Anlo’s very eager to escape
this wicked kings wrath they decided to seek for help from someone, so thy went to
one of the elders in the village, Togbe Tsali for consultation, when they went to him,
he told them to tell their wives and children to be pouring water at the lower part of
the huge wall surrounding them because King Agorkoli didn’t want them to escape,
so he made them build a very huge wall around the village so they don’t escape. The
men in the village informed the women so that they usually port the water they used
for washing the dishes and clothes at the lower part of the wall for some time and the
wall became weak so they decided to escape one evening after the king and his elders
were asleep. The men among them pushed the wall and it fell since they didn’t want
the king to notice they escaped, they walked backwards with their face facing the
village and flapping their arms. This is how the Anlo’s escaped the wrath of king
Agorkorli and how the dance came about.

Performance practice
The structure of Agbadza dance is in five movements: Banyinyi (music seeking
permission from the gods to perform the dance), Vutsortsor (the real dance section),
Adzo (instrumental music for relaxation), Hatsitsia (song cycle) is accompanied with
bells and castanets and Vutsortsor, which is a more intensive and longer dance session
than the second movement.
The costume in Agbadza dance include kaba and cloth for women and men wear
togas with caps on and have a cloth or several cloths tied around the waists.

1. Banyinyi which is a short introductory in prayer to the gods and ancestors,

1. Vutsortsor which is the main dance
2. Adzo- which is less energetic and only the master is made to drum along with
Gankogui and Axatse,
4. Hatsatsa- historical songs are performed along with Gankogui and Atoke,
5. Vutsortsor- finally, another round of the main dance which usually last for a
number of hours

Occasions
Being a social dance, it is performed in every town and village during festival, funeral
and national celebrations.
Instrumentation
The ensemble of the dance include:
Sogo (master drum)

Kidi (supporting drum)

KAGAN (supporting drum)

Gakogui (double bell) which plays the time-line.

Axatse

Asikpe (handclapping).
A recent addition to the ensemble is the Atsimevu which is not used on all occasions
REFERENCES:
1. Ewe music in West Africa: A study in Culture and Performance. By James
Burns.
2. African Music: A People’s Art. By Francis Bebey
3. The Music of Black Africa. By J.H Nketia.