Ghana Day Of Percussion 2010 Held In Ghana

An explosion of melodious percussive music, beautiful choreographed and cultural dances, educational theatre, workshops and a durbar were some of the important programmes for this year's Ghana Day of Percussion held in Accra in the Greater Accra region and at Mankessim in the Central region of Ghana.

The festival that took place in August 21st 2010 in Accra and at Mankessim from 7th to 12th September, 2010 attracted performers and participants from all over Ghana. Kpanlogo for Peace Percussion Festival as the Accra programme was called attracted many youth cultural groups.

Days of Percussion (D.O.P) is a major percussive arts project by member chapters of the world's famous music service organization, the Percussive Arts Society with the headquarters in the USA. Through sponsorships, local chapters all over the world host DOP to celebrate percussive music with a theme relevant to local needs. Ghana Percussive Arts Society, which is primarily the local host of this spectacular percussion festival christened the DOP, Kpanlogo for Peace Percussion Festival to make the events relevant to our need for peaceful coexistence.

The Ghana Percussive Arts Society (GPAS) is the premier chapter in Africa of this important organization. GPAS in collaboration with the International Center for African Culture & Arts, Ghana is dedicated to undertaking research into percussion, documenting and the promoting of percussive arts culture in Ghana. The GPAS which has an open membership, organises percussive related events in many Ghanaian institutions and communities as well as host annual Days of Percussion in collaborations with a number of local non-profits and community based organisations. These events bring performers, teachers, cultural instructors and drum enthusiasts from all over Ghana and beyond to share the arts, network, inspire creativity, create awareness about the work of PAS and help to preserve and promote percussion as a valuable tool for national development and social change.

Speaking to the media in Accra during the Accra event, Mr. Harold Akyeampong, the president of the Ghana PAS said he was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm that the theme "KPANLOGO FOR PEACE” had generated among the youth in most of the suburbs in the greater Accra metropolitan area. He called on the government to make cultural studies especially the musical arts a priority since it has a lot to offer by preparing the youth how to build communities, increase confidence level and nurturing a better informed youth to become good citizens.

He also called on Ghanaians to forget their difference and support the government in its efforts to making a better Ghana. He continued that, during these times, we should know that democracy thrives well when we are tolerant of opposing views.

Among the headliners groups were Africussion Ghana, Atuapem, Ankaakor CYO, Mensakrom Bosoe, Kakatuntum, The Power Drummers and Obaatanpa Cultural groups.

Mr. Dag Akyeampong, a retired educationist and a former Assemblyman of the Mfantseman Municipal Area and currently the acting President of the International Center for African Culture & Arts speaking during the Mankessim event lauded the Percussive Arts Society for its consistency in hosting the annual Days of Percussion in Ghana since 2004. He also used the opportunity to appeal to donors and well-wishers to support the Cultural Village that they are putting up in the community. The Cultural Center which will include a library will be used to preserve and educate the people about Ghana's culture.

"When our Center is completed, we can do activities related to our traditions. It will reinforce our being productive, teaching language, cultural arts especially percussion and having facilities for children to learn traditional practices," Mr. Akyeampong said.

"We want to carry on this momentum of instilling in our children their cultural identity. We want to see a museum and library so everyone can benefit from preservation of past cultures and the historical significance of the BorborFantse Community.

Opanyin Agya Mbir, a prominent farmer from Mensakrom and a board member of a collaborative non-profit, the Centre for Human Development & Social Change, Ghana, who was a guest of honour at the Mankessim event also called on the youth to take to agriculture as a career instead of travelling to cities for non- existing jobs. He appealed to the government to make agriculture attractive to the youth by putting in place incentives such as loans and credits facilities so that poverty can be alleviated. He said rural-urban migration can be minimized when there are jobs available to the youth in their own communities.

Nana Ama Aminsah III, the queenmother of Mankessim appealed to the government to intervene to help solve for good the protracted chieftaincy dispute in the community. She said, development would not go on smoothly when the people are also engaged in litigations. She said, the people have to use the occasion to settle whatever differences they have and to live together in peace.

Mrs Felicia Naa Morkor, the CEO of the CHDSCGhana also called on all Ghanaians to embrace good cultural values to live fruitful and beneficial lifestyles that would support community development. She said, there is so much problems confronting the society because many of the people have abandoned their rich cultural values and are embracing foreign ones which is not helping them in any way. She said, the people have to have a hybrid of values to support their personal and community growth. She also commended the sponsors, the Mankessim Traditional Council, Municipal Assembly, Percussive Arts Society and all the participants for their respective roles in making the year's DOP a success.