Gahu dance - Nigeria
by Gloria Ssali
Title
Gahu dance - Nigeria
Artist
Gloria Ssali
Medium
Drawing - Drawing
Description
Gahu is a colourful circle dance . Dancers wear expensive robes and headgear,a
popular secular dance-drumming among the Anlo-Ewe people of southeastern Ghana. It originated among the Gun-Gbe people of Ketornu in Benin. It was later introduced in southwestern Nigeria where Anlo-Ewe migrant fishermen adapted it from their Nigerian hosts. Whether in Benin, Nigeria or Ghana (three neighboring West African countries), Gahu is a popular communal entertainment performed whenever the community finds the excuse to celebrate life. Popular excuses to celebrate life include, weddings, naming ceremonies, puberty ceremonies, community festivals, communal entertainment such as parties and other social events.
Gahu in the two most popular Gbe languages of West Africa (Gun-Gbe and Ewe-Gbe) literally means an airplane; and it is a metaphor. The metaphor likens the collective energy produced by the rhythmic interlocking of drum, song and dance and the manner in which it transports participants/audience to unbelievable emotional highs to an airplane (gahu) taking off into the skies.
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September 24th, 2011
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Comments (9)
Xueling Zou
What an incredible style! I love the movement! Many thanks for your nice feedback on my "The Spirit of the Sea - Pacific Voyagers I" and "The Spirit of the Sea - Pacific Voyagers II", I do appreciate it!!