The Akan Traditional Music
The music of the Akan people of Ghana and Ivory Coast is based on some
of the oldest musical traditions of West Africa and it includes many
traditional and neo-traditional styles which are especially prominent in
central Ghana, where it overshadows other important genres such as Ewe Music, Ga music and Dagomba Music.
Traditional Akan music is sung in the local language, either Twi or Fanti (the Akan languages). There are two types of traditional ensembles: those which play ritual music, and hence are part of a certain institution, and those which play recreational music without any affiliation. Regardless of the ensemble, the instrumentation is mainly composed of idiophones and membranophones. The main types of Akan drums are the from, the eguankoba and the atumpan. Polyrhythmic structures and call and response are also inherent to Akan traditional music.
During the late 19th century and early 20th century, the British population introduced popular styles such as European brass band marches, American vaudeville and ballroom dance music, which were then Africanised by the indigenous Akan population giving rise to neo-traditional Akan variants such as konkoma (or konkomba) marching music, which recreates Western brass bands with rural instrumentation and traditional singing. Urban Ghanaians who could afford brass instruments made adaha music.
The Fanti (or Fante) are one of the main subgroups of Akan people. Fanti osibisaaba music is a neo-traditional genre that combines Akan percussion with guitars and accordions brought by sailors. Originating in the coastal regions of the Ghana, osibisaaba also reached rural Ghana, where the seprewa (an Akan harp-lute) was adopted as the lead instrument. This lead to the formation of Palm Wine Music, which in turn became the roots of Highlife.
Other important subgroups of Akan people are the Baule (or Baoule) and the Ashanti (or Asante). The latter is the biggest and best characterized group; the vast majority of studies on Akan traditional music are specifically focused on Ashanti practices.
Traditional Akan music is sung in the local language, either Twi or Fanti (the Akan languages). There are two types of traditional ensembles: those which play ritual music, and hence are part of a certain institution, and those which play recreational music without any affiliation. Regardless of the ensemble, the instrumentation is mainly composed of idiophones and membranophones. The main types of Akan drums are the from, the eguankoba and the atumpan. Polyrhythmic structures and call and response are also inherent to Akan traditional music.
During the late 19th century and early 20th century, the British population introduced popular styles such as European brass band marches, American vaudeville and ballroom dance music, which were then Africanised by the indigenous Akan population giving rise to neo-traditional Akan variants such as konkoma (or konkomba) marching music, which recreates Western brass bands with rural instrumentation and traditional singing. Urban Ghanaians who could afford brass instruments made adaha music.
The Fanti (or Fante) are one of the main subgroups of Akan people. Fanti osibisaaba music is a neo-traditional genre that combines Akan percussion with guitars and accordions brought by sailors. Originating in the coastal regions of the Ghana, osibisaaba also reached rural Ghana, where the seprewa (an Akan harp-lute) was adopted as the lead instrument. This lead to the formation of Palm Wine Music, which in turn became the roots of Highlife.
Other important subgroups of Akan people are the Baule (or Baoule) and the Ashanti (or Asante). The latter is the biggest and best characterized group; the vast majority of studies on Akan traditional music are specifically focused on Ashanti practices.
Below is a video of an Akan traditional music
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