Ghanain Borborbor Dance

by Gloria Ssali

Title

Ghanain Borborbor Dance

Artist

Gloria Ssali

Medium

Drawing - Drawing

Description

Bobobo
The Central Ewe of the Volta Region of Ghana performs a social dance that is believed to have originated in the Kpando, a community in the Kpando District of the Volta Region of Ghana. Akpese
This dance later developed into Borborbor.The special features of the dance are determined by the occasion i.e. (funeral, naming ceremony, marriage, and installation of a chief or initiations. The use of handkerchiefs by the performers accents certain movements of the dance as well as give more meaning to the occasion. White handkerchiefs attract good omens while red handkerchiefs reflect bad omens. As a social dance form, the lyrics are centered on social vices, insinuations, cautions and precautions, appreciations and other activities related to the life cycle.

The Ewe-speaking people in the central and northern parts of the Volta Region of Ghana cultivate Borborbor. Borborbor might have originated in the Kpando area and is said to have been created by the late Mr. Francis Kojo Nuadro. He is thought to have been an ex-police officer who returned to Kpando and organized a group in the middle to late 1940�s. It has its roots in the Highlife popular music of Ghana and other West African countries. Borborbor gained national recognition in the 1950�s and 1960�s because of its use at political rallies and the novelty of its dance formations and movements. It is generally performed at funerals and other social occasions. This is a social dance with lots of room for free expression. In general the men sing and dance in the center while the women dance in a ring around them. There are two types of Borborbor, a slow and a fast. The fast Borborbor is believed to come from the Kpando area and the slow version from Hohoe. The slow one is called Akpese and the fast one is termed to be Borborbor. Lolobi-Kumasi is known for doing a particular fast version of the slow version.

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September 5th, 2011

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