Agbadza

Agbadza is an Ewe music and dance that evolved from the times of war into a very popular recreational dance. It came from a very old war dance called Atrikpui and usually performed by the Ewe people

Origin#

Agbadza finds its origin in the times of war. The Ewe people went through various times of war and oppression before settling down in the Volta Region of Ghana and in Southern Togo. Through Agbadza, at the time known as Atrikpui, Ewe singers and poets sang about battles, life and death, heroism, cowardice, migration, conquest, imperialism, and a warrior ethos. The move towards Agbadza was done due to a period of peace that was enjoyed by the Ewes around the 1920s, and so instead they decided to use some of their old songs as entertainment. Today, Agbadza is the most famous and widely played Ewe dance.

Instruments#

Bell: It has a recurring phrase that establishes the tempo of the song and serves as a timeline for the rest of the ensemble. Sogo: This is the ensemble leader drum. It indicates to the other drums what they are supposed to be playing. This drum also signals the dancers when they are supposed to be starting to dance, through the use of drumming language. Kidi: This is the second drum in the ensemble. It communicates with the Sogo to create a conversation using drumming language. Kagan: This is a support drum, which has a recurring rhythm throughout the performance that interacts with the bell to create a specific melody. Rattle/ Axatse: This is a beaded-rattle that follows the rhythm of the timeline closely to complement the Agbadza song. Handclaps: The handclaps in Agbadza are used to add human interaction to the song and create a dense musical texture of high energy.

Song#

The song is based on a call and responses system, which is widely present in the music of West Africa. Call: Se Se Se Ioooo Response: Aho Aho Ahoooo Call: Se Se Se Iooo Response: Aho Aho Ahoooo ALL: Enyo o Egble o ahooo :Ne meku Agbadzawua nadim hee :Ne meku Agbadzawua nadim hee :Ne mekua Kiniwua nadi hee :Ne makua Kiniwua nadi hee

Region: Ghana, Togo