Brekete is both the name of a drum from the Dagoma tribe in the North of Ghana and a religious cult in the South of Ghana that use the drum.
Brekete use in Dagbon tribe in the North of Ghana:
Brekete religious cult in Southern Ghana, Ewe tribe.
Yeve
Yeve is believed to be a “Stone or Thunder God” that falls from the sky during or after a rainstorm. This religious society is one of the most powerful and secretive among cults in the southeastern Ewe territories of West Africa. Among the Anlo-Ewe, it is also known as Xebieso, Hu or Tohono. Yeve has strong historical relations with the Yoruba Shango deity of Nigeria and Fon Xevieso of Benin. Yeve music and dance is distinct from other Ewe musical types because of its general structure. It is considered a suite of seven to nine dance forms or movements. Each movement is related to specific phases of worship.
Kinka
Gota
Gota originated from the Kabre tribe of Benin, and was introduced to the Southeastern Ewe in the early nineteenth century through trade. Originally performed in Benin for their war god, Gota is now performed as a recreational music and dance by the Southern Ewe people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jo2YnSDL_o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NJw6Hnpfyo
Gahu
Francis Akotuah performing Gahu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=xO4wuBFBChE&index=32&list=RDOAqmo9ovaSQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAobzTuWeS4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwe-uGaV9m0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5SbyBAPlPk
Babasiko
Babasiko is a recreational music and dance of the Southeastern Anlo Ewe of Ghana, performed mostly at social gatherings; festivals and funerals. Babasiko is flirtatious in character. Its characteristic form is the strutting and bobbing up and down and a display of theatrical elegance. The dancers portray courtship through movements of the arms, eyes and total facial expression. Proposals of intimacy can be seen accepted or rejected through bodily gestures.
Atsokla
Atsokla is one of the movements of Adzogbo music and dance ceremony. Adzogbo originated from Benin as a dzohu (spiritual/religious music and dance). It was then called adzohu, in that during any performance, the men participants/dancers (leshiwo) would display their dzoka (juju/charms) especially the so-called “love charms” to seduce women. When this music was brought to Togo and later Ghana in the late 19th century, its function changed. The southeastern Ewe of Ghana, Togo and Benin now perform it for entertainment during festivals and other social occasions. There are five stages of Adzogbo dance ceremony: Gbefadede (announcement), Adzokpadede (warm up), Tsifofodi (purification rites), atsokla/kadodo (dance for the women) and atsia (main theatrical display of drama, dance and virtuosity of dance skills by men). This presentation features only atsokla, a “show off” dance for women. Mirrors and other props are used to tease, show or bluff during the performance.
Atsiagbekor
Atsiagbekor is among the oldest traditional dances of the Ewe-speaking people of Southern Ghana, Togo, and Benin. Originally a war dance performed after battle when the warriors returned to the village, it is now performed on many social occasions.
One of the outstanding features of the dance is the interaction between the master drummer and the dancers: ‘every rhythmic theme played on the master drum has a corresponding sequence of dance movements which is timed to precisely match the drum rhythms” (Locke, 1978).
Atsiagbekor songs constitute an important heritage of Ewe oral tradition. Most of the songs contain historical references to their chiefs, war leaders, migration stories, themes relating to the invincibility of the Ewes against their enemies, themes of loyalty, bravery, and death etc. To watch an Atsiagbekor performance today in Ghana is to watch scenes, which may have their actual origins in battles that were fought as the Ewes trekked through hostile countries in search of peace.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_lLD7aKFls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMRQ8_P1u_U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHDvwWBJ0NQ&index=3&list=PL60AC2A77353FB85F
Atrikpui
Agbadza
Agbadza is among the oldest musical types performed by the Southern Ewe of Ghana, Togo, Benin, and parts of Southwestern Nigeria. Agbadza is derived from an older war dance known as Atrikpui.
As a social and recreational music and dance, its performance is open to everybody in the comm unity, irrespective of class, age, sex, and religion. There are other varieties of this musical type that have different names: Kini, Akpoka, Ageshie, and Agba– tempo being the main distinguishing factor among these varieties.
There are five sections or movements in Agbadza performance:
- Banyinyi- a short introductory piece that is performed as a prayer to the gods and the ancestors
- Vutsortsor- the main dance section
- Adzo- a less-vigorous dance section, during which only the master drum, Sogo, accompanied by Gankogui and Axatse are used
- Hatsatsa- song cycle, during which topical, historical, philosophical, and reflective songs are performed accompanied by Gankogui and Atoke
- Vutsortsor- another round of the main dance section, which may last for several hours
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDdj1CseWzE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlfR6qanaXM