Sikyi originated in the 1920s as a dance of the youth became very popular at Ghana’s Independence from Britian in 1957. It is similar to Kpanlongo and Boborbor in how it performed by the youth, expressing their experiences in life, from covering such areas as love and the dramas of daily life.
Sikyi, pronounced SEE-chee, is a dance of the youth of Asante. It’s meant as a flirtatious dance. The rhythms played are intended to bring about romance. The Sikyi ensemble is made up of a total of nine different instruments. A basic timeline for the piece is kept by a metal bell, called a Frikyiwa. The master drummer plays with the hands on a drum called a Oprenten.
Sikyi is a form of drumming and dancing which came into vogue not only with the Ashanti, but also in the whole Akan area of Ghana in the 1920’s. It is characterized by dance postures and movements which simulate the dynamics of courtship through con- trasting demonstrations of strutting and bobbing, theatrical elegance, pastoral innocence, and abandonment.
Instruments: Lead Operenten, Support Apentema, High,
Middle and Low Tamalin, Bell and Shaker.
Ben Teaching Sikyi Residential in Kent June 2016