In West Africa, specifically in the nation-states of Ghana and Togo, there is a type of singing and drumming called Agbekor (pronounced ah-gbeh-kaw). The music usually features a chorus of singers and a percussion ensemble. The songs are usually call and answer. The origins of Agbekor are very mystical: according to elders, the music is derived from a monkey’s dance. Legend tells of hunters using special herbs to meet and talk with animals that eat human beings. They would then bring back their experience through the convoluted messages in Agbekor.
Originally, Agbekor was used to announce war and prepare warriors for battles but also to recount heroic actions taken in battle. This type of Agbekor used to be called Atamuga (ah-tam-gah), meaning “the Great Oath” but was changed to Agbekor when the Anlo people no longer went to war. Some elders claim that the meaning of Agbekor is to enjoy life. Agbekor is often accompanied by cheerful dancing which would also signify appreciation for life. The word itself is a compound of two: agbe meaning “life” and kor meaning “clear” which together translates to “clear life” referring to the clean slate after war is passed.
Most Ewe music and dance is learned through enculturation however, Agbekor is requires special training. The training process is very slow and requires the musicians to partake in different activities at different parts in his or her life. They must observe other performances and learn from them. Contrary to other music which is often taught in theory first, Agbekor is taught purely through experience. Large ensembles work together and grow as a whole.
The piece I have chosen to analyse is the three slow-paced songs at the beginning of the recording Agbekor on track 15 of CD 1 of Worlds of Music. The track is 2 minutes and 52 seconds in length.
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