When the Upper West regional capital, Wa, postponed National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC) in November, one of the activities at the festival will be a celebration of the xylophone.
It will be an occasion to expose to all and sundry xylophone music and the xylophone instrument itself. Lessons on how to play the xylophone will also be taught during the festivities.
If the celebration succeeds xylophone festival will be institutionalized as an annual event on the entertainment calendar of the region 9 and the country at large0 to boost tourism.
The origin of the xylophone can be traced to Mali, Burkina Faso and the Upper West region of Ghana. Due to the fascinating nature of this musical instrument, many people including students from Europe and the Americas regularly visit the Upper West Region to take lessons on how to play it.
The xylophone is said to be produced from the wood of a local tree known as 'bungee' in the Dadaare language; it comes in three main sizes; 12 keys, 14 keys and 18 keys.
According to Mr. Cletus Dakpaanaa of the Upper West regional office of the centre for National Culture, the instrument was discovered in the country after the fall of the then Ghana and Sudan empires.
Apart from being played for entertainment purpose, the xylophone is also played in churches and at funerals in most parts of Northern Ghana. It is found among three ethnic groups, namely, the Dagarti, Lobi and Sissala in the Upper West region.
Mr. Dakpaanaa says the tone of the instrument depends on the language of these three ethnic groups. Currently, Jirapa and Lawra are said to be the hub of the xylophone instrument in the region. This is because these two areas are believed by many to be the major production centers of the instrument.
Source: Chris Nunoo, Graphic Showbiz
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