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...