Ghana | tour
Awaken Wild Moves in Ghana
Annual drum & dance cultural study tour
June/July or January
Email to register your interest and request an application form
A four-week intensive study of traditional Ghanaian drumming, dance, singing and lessons in social life. Experience the heart of the African Spirit by journeying into the Living Library of the Land of Gold. Rich in centuries of tradition and ritual, celebrate Ghana’s way of life. Identify with their sense of place and belonging, their connection to ancestors, chiefs, Queen Mothers and community. Learn from the Masters, Elders and fetish priests with local cultural performing groups. Engage in your Naming Ceremony. Prepare to learn something....share something.
Includes social & cultural excursions through out Cape Coast (sea), Accra (city), Volta (lakes), Tamale (game park), Kumase (Asante King), Kakum (Forest). Learn from the Elders, Masters and Fetish Priests of the regions; graduation performances with professional cultural groups; participate in festival and cultural celebrations steeped in centuries of ritual. Witness how the Arts are a way of life. $1,000 deposit. Pay and structure your tour while in Ghana directly with the cultural groups.
Wild Moves certificate in
1) Traditional Ghanaian drumming, dancing, singing,
2) Intercultural program: teaching any skills to professional cultural groups
3) Professional School or Industry Experience: in local schools, community groups, health or medical centres, co op, tertiary, game parks, museums
Possible Itinerary
We begin in the ‘hot’ city of Accra - ‘freestyle Hip-life’ with Omari & the Miracle Dancers along with clubbing and High-life music; a visit to the ‘Arts Centre’ to watch your drum being made or get lost in the buzz of vibrant colour, delicious smells and bartering of Makola market. Participate in a street party dance that is taught by Wala, Ga fisher people of Ngungua. Engage with intensive study and training with Asanti Dance Theatre for a community graduation performance in traditional Ghanaian as well as djembe drum & dance, complete with a Wild Moves certificate and T Shirt.
On to the magical mountainous Volta Region with the Ewe people and participate in your own Naming ceremony at Daowa Shrine, Atimpoku. Visit the famous Akosombo dam and bridge, waterfalls, monkey sanctuary. Travel by canoe ride, up the Volta River to Doddy Island to study Gota and plant trees for Xofa, eco-tourism.
By ferry, we travel up river to the Northern Region to visit the elephants and wild life of Mole national park and study warrior dance and drumming with the Dagarti people of Zo Zimula Centre for National Culture. Tamale is a multi ethnic ‘bike’ city where Muslims and Christians worship side by side. A visit to the fetish priest will open new realities of being, while Kintampo Waterfalls will cleanse and recharge you.
On to the ancient royal city of Kumasi and the Asanti King’s palace; Adaddam cultural group for workshops in dance of the Royal Courts Kete, Adowa; palm wine music with the world renowned, Ko Nimo; Kente cloth weaving; tye ‘n’ dye batik making; Adinkra printing and beautiful sculptures of unity and love.
On to the Central Region with the coastal Fanti people – trek into Kakum national park to study medicinal properties of the forest and walk the tree canopy swing bridge. You will stay in tree huts in Mosomagor, a typical farming village to study bamboo orchestra performance with Namebkyere Kukykukyeku. This is a first hand experience of village life, farming, dance and story telling under moonlight.
One of the highlights will be as a ‘witness’ at the Dombo ritual as lead up to the Bakatue Festival in Elmina and meet the King, Nana Condhua VI. Experience the colourful pageant of Chiefs, Elders and Queen Mothers at the River Regatta as they pay homage to their ancestral heroes and their guardian water spirit, Benya. Participate in your own Puberty rites ritual as a divine honouring of your body. Visit the many museums, castles, and forts or perhaps escape to the beaches of Cape Coast.
In collaboration with Deakin University, individual projects are negotiable for professionals and students of performing arts, health and education with credit points towards a teaching or Arts degree. For further details, in Performing Arts Education.
Lodging will be in guest houses, tree-huts or home stay with strictly Ghanaian dishes. Cooking lessons are expected.
Witness how the arts are very much a part of everyday life and survival.
Annual drum & dance cultural study tour
June/July or January
Email to register your interest and request an application form
A four-week intensive study of traditional Ghanaian drumming, dance, singing and lessons in social life. Experience the heart of the African Spirit by journeying into the Living Library of the Land of Gold. Rich in centuries of tradition and ritual, celebrate Ghana’s way of life. Identify with their sense of place and belonging, their connection to ancestors, chiefs, Queen Mothers and community. Learn from the Masters, Elders and fetish priests with local cultural performing groups. Engage in your Naming Ceremony. Prepare to learn something....share something.
Includes social & cultural excursions through out Cape Coast (sea), Accra (city), Volta (lakes), Tamale (game park), Kumase (Asante King), Kakum (Forest). Learn from the Elders, Masters and Fetish Priests of the regions; graduation performances with professional cultural groups; participate in festival and cultural celebrations steeped in centuries of ritual. Witness how the Arts are a way of life. $1,000 deposit. Pay and structure your tour while in Ghana directly with the cultural groups.
Wild Moves certificate in
1) Traditional Ghanaian drumming, dancing, singing,
2) Intercultural program: teaching any skills to professional cultural groups
3) Professional School or Industry Experience: in local schools, community groups, health or medical centres, co op, tertiary, game parks, museums
Possible Itinerary
We begin in the ‘hot’ city of Accra - ‘freestyle Hip-life’ with Omari & the Miracle Dancers along with clubbing and High-life music; a visit to the ‘Arts Centre’ to watch your drum being made or get lost in the buzz of vibrant colour, delicious smells and bartering of Makola market. Participate in a street party dance that is taught by Wala, Ga fisher people of Ngungua. Engage with intensive study and training with Asanti Dance Theatre for a community graduation performance in traditional Ghanaian as well as djembe drum & dance, complete with a Wild Moves certificate and T Shirt.
On to the magical mountainous Volta Region with the Ewe people and participate in your own Naming ceremony at Daowa Shrine, Atimpoku. Visit the famous Akosombo dam and bridge, waterfalls, monkey sanctuary. Travel by canoe ride, up the Volta River to Doddy Island to study Gota and plant trees for Xofa, eco-tourism.
By ferry, we travel up river to the Northern Region to visit the elephants and wild life of Mole national park and study warrior dance and drumming with the Dagarti people of Zo Zimula Centre for National Culture. Tamale is a multi ethnic ‘bike’ city where Muslims and Christians worship side by side. A visit to the fetish priest will open new realities of being, while Kintampo Waterfalls will cleanse and recharge you.
On to the ancient royal city of Kumasi and the Asanti King’s palace; Adaddam cultural group for workshops in dance of the Royal Courts Kete, Adowa; palm wine music with the world renowned, Ko Nimo; Kente cloth weaving; tye ‘n’ dye batik making; Adinkra printing and beautiful sculptures of unity and love.
On to the Central Region with the coastal Fanti people – trek into Kakum national park to study medicinal properties of the forest and walk the tree canopy swing bridge. You will stay in tree huts in Mosomagor, a typical farming village to study bamboo orchestra performance with Namebkyere Kukykukyeku. This is a first hand experience of village life, farming, dance and story telling under moonlight.
One of the highlights will be as a ‘witness’ at the Dombo ritual as lead up to the Bakatue Festival in Elmina and meet the King, Nana Condhua VI. Experience the colourful pageant of Chiefs, Elders and Queen Mothers at the River Regatta as they pay homage to their ancestral heroes and their guardian water spirit, Benya. Participate in your own Puberty rites ritual as a divine honouring of your body. Visit the many museums, castles, and forts or perhaps escape to the beaches of Cape Coast.
In collaboration with Deakin University, individual projects are negotiable for professionals and students of performing arts, health and education with credit points towards a teaching or Arts degree. For further details, in Performing Arts Education.
Lodging will be in guest houses, tree-huts or home stay with strictly Ghanaian dishes. Cooking lessons are expected.
Witness how the arts are very much a part of everyday life and survival.
© Jacqui Dreessens & Wild Moves 2008
