Akuma Dance Ensemble
The drums rumbled and the dancers came on with some well-rehearsed movements when the Akuma Dance Ensemble hit the open-air theatre stage at the W.E.B. Dubois Centre for Pan-African Culture on March 6.
The performance was at an event dubbed: “Big up Ghana,” to mark the 65th anniversary of the nation’s Independence Day. Guests were visibly thrilled at the show, and members of the ensemble acknowledged them for coming out to see the group on that auspicious day.
To the Akuma Ensemble, the chance to perform on March 6 at a significant venue such as the W.E.B. Dubois Centre meant a lot more than just dishing out their dynamic dances and infectious rhythms to those present.
The venue was where the great historian, sociologist and pan-Africanist civil rights activist spent his last years. The tombs of Dr. Dubois and his wife, Shirley, are also at the centre.
“It was like honouring our first president, Osagyefo Nkrumah and Dr. Dubois at the same time. We felt really proud to do that,” said Akuma Ensemble’s manager and spokesperson, Samuel Nii Noi Tetteh.
“We believe that celebrating our heritage helps to deepen our understanding of the society we live in, and it also encourages us to push forward with hope. People who don’t cherish their past are people without a soul. ”
The group capped off the Independence Day celebration with another performance at the Junction Mall, Nungua in Accra.
About a fortnight before the Ghana anniversary gigs, the Akuma Ensemble got busy at the Mama Cuisine restaurant inside the Alliance Francaise premises in Accra, where the management of the Lincoln Community School held a programme to welcome and appreciate the parents of their new students.
The Akuma Ensemble has consistently pushed an agenda of development of heritage appreciation, through performances and focused educational programmes. That prompted them to be part of the celebration of this year’s Black History Month, through a virtual concert on February 24, organised by Geotab Inc. on the theme: “Understanding Black Music and Culture Through Drumming & Dance.”
This event was used to highlight and celebrate the history and diversity of African music and culture across the globe. The ensemble gave brief backgrounds on the relevant culture before each performance. Participants were able to drum along with the ensemble and dance as well.
“Participants in that virtual show were mainly from Canada and the United States. It was an important drive towards new collaborations, and for attracting a far-reaching audience base, all in the name of promoting African culture to the world,” the ensemble’s manager said.
By George Clifford Owusu