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Musical-games present a highly pervasive new platform to create, perform, appreciate and transmit knowledge among children. This study therefore sought to identify the enthno-musical games among Akan children in the Ashanti region that could be relevant to their cognitive development. The study mainly used ethnographic research case study design. Observation, video recording and focus group discussion were used to glean data from study participants. The findings were presented in text and notations. The study found the ethno-musical games among the study participants to include: Kyerε Wo Ti/Kyekyekule (Body-Part Pointing Game), Antoakyire (Circle-Round Game), Awoda Agorכ (Birthday Game), כBoכ Asi Wo Nsa (Stone-Passing Game) and AsכBa (Teen-Jump Game). Others included Atintim Adeε (Strenth-Test Game), Pempenaa (Elimination Game), Dua O Dua (Mammal Tail Game) among several others in the study area. The study found these ethno-musical games to present a unique, yet relatively untapped activities to help cognitive development of children. This warrants investigation of the potentials of these ethno-musical games to promote engagement with music, and the wider benefits of cognitive and psychomotor development in the lives of children.

The Socio-cultural Context of Dirges among the Akan People in the Ejisu Communities in the Ashanti Region of Ghana: Aesthetics and Intonation 1. Introduction Various explanations and interpretations have been given as to what a dirge means. A dirge is mournful poem or piece of music composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person (Alembi, 2002). It is a musical piece of music composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person (Alembi, 2008). Again, it has been defined as the musical piece that is performed as a part of the funeral service (Nketia, 1969; XIAO & WU, 2010). It is a hymn or song of mourning composed to dedicate in the memory of a dead person. The song laments and expresses grief for the lost one. The synonyms of the word dirge are threnody, requiem, and lament (Boadi, 2013; Cai-Hua, 2010). The tone of the song is somber and soulful. It is a slow, mournful musical composition. A dirge is again seen as a weeping song lamenting on the feeling of the performer based on the affection he or she has for the deceased. It is an unplanned or unprogrammed type of music which comes just out of shock and moved by the emotion of the singer who sings the weeping songs providing the lyrics both consciously and unconsciously (Nketia, 1969; Chun-Jing, 2006; Yahalom, 2010). It is worthy to note that its intensity depends to a large extent the relationship, affection and value or level of cooperation that existed between the singer and the deceased before the death. In all these, a dirge is arranged in such a way that the name of the dead, his appellation, where he comes from, the family or clan, his good works, the pains the family is going through among others are mentioned (Enszer, 2002). There is for each clan and in particular for the lineages within it, a set of dirges, each of which may contain a reference to someone who might have been a common ancestress, patriarch, a leader, a ruler, or simply a lineage head (Hai-feng, 2006; Xiaoliang, 2007). Hence nearly every dirge would be found to contain some personal names. For example, when an Akan person dies, a portion of the dirge to be sung for him is predetermined by the clan or lineage to which he belongs. In the performance of dirges, there are themes which throw light on features which might otherwise seem puzzling or banal (Hui-ling, 2012). The deceased is the focal point. He/she may be addressed, his individual qualities described, or he may be identified with one or several ancestors. To refer to him the mourner often uses a series of different names which vary the language as well as honouring the dead. Besides proper names the Akan also have corresponding 'by-names' and these often occur in dirge for effective reasons (Nketia, 1969). Beside these names, the deceased is also addressed by kinship terms and terms of endearment. Again, a name of reference may be used to associate him with his clan or group (Boadi, 2013). Qualities are often dwelt on benevolence in particular is frequently lauded in the dirges (Junli, 2014). While the person of the deceas...

The Methodist Church Ghana has been using different kinds of musical styles in its liturgy since its inception and notable amongst them is Ebibindwom (Akan musical art form). The objective of this ethnographic study was to ascertain the aesthetic and cultural significance of Ebibindwom in the liturgy of the church. Direct observation and interviews of qualitative research method were employed to elicit primary data from respondents such as Reverend Ministers, Directors of Music, and Christ Little Band members who are conversant with this musical tradition. Again, extensive literature was drawn on the subject matter relying upon secondary data from numerous documented sources relevant to the study. Findings indicated that during worship service, the texts seen in Ebibindwom were repeated and thus afforded those who could not read the opportunity to participate and memorise some of the words from the scripture. Also, Ebibindwom, since its introduction into the liturgy, was intended to allow the illiterates and the older generation to participate in the worship but the contemporary situation transcends participation to include extra-liturgical and social dimensions. It is recommended that the leadership of the church should encourage the Christ Little Band to intensify their activities and organise more singing competitions as a step in preserving the history of their music traditions rooted in the socio-cultural landscape of the Akan people.