SAMPLE VOCAL MUSIC OF AFRICA

Agbekor
Agbekor is one of the popular Warrior Dance forms that is originated with the
Ewa and Foh people who live on the Atlantic coast of Western Africa. Once known as
“Atamga”, it is an ancient and traditional dance form often performed in many functions,
and also in funerals. ‘Ga’ means great, and ‘Atam’ means oath. The legend is that the
ancient Africans took an oath before going into battlefield and it also tends to describe
the warriors’ state of mind after or before the conflict.
Although Agbekor is not so popular outside Africa, but it has attained cultural and
traditional esteem inside the country. Now-a-days this dance form is commonly used in
social gatherings such as weddings and funerals or as entertainment for tourists.

Lambango
Celebrates three twentieth century Gambian leaders: Musa Molo, Dembo Dansa,
and Jewuru Kurubali. The text cites places where significant event in their lives
occurred, praises their generosity, and honors them through recitation of stylized
phrases lyrics.

Nag Beigu
Nag Beigu is a ferocious wild bull, it is a traditional “praise name dance” honoring
the king Naa Abudu from the kingdom of Dagbon.

Say Adzo

Recreation music of
the Ewe people of Ghana,
Togo, and Benin, West
Africa

Meaning: let’s all come

together, play, sing and
dance as joseph does

Basic Dance Movement

Counterclockwise circle
Four step phrase R-R-L-L
Knees bend, torso forward, head-up
Kpanlogo

Meaning: Let’s all get

together and perform.

Dance Movement:
Form a circle with your
hands, facing front, feet
together count 1; R
hand/arm 90̊ to R, turn 90̊
to R, R foot 90̊ to R count
2; form a circle again,
face front, feet together
count 3; L hand/arm 90̊ L,
L foot 90̊ to L count 4