Gahu (OU African Ensemble, AZA 2012)

Gahu music and dance ceremony emanated from the musical traditions associated with marriage rites of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria, precisely, Badagri. It is now a recreational music performed in some southeastern Ewe communities in Ghana, Togo and Benin on occasions such as marriage and wedding ceremonies, festivals, funerals and other social occasions. Gahu dance ceremony is organized in four main movements or sections: ayodede/ayoo (greetings and prayers to the ancestors), two vutsotso (main fast dance drumming), interspersed with hatsiatsia (songs accompanied by bells and rattles with limited dramatic dance movements). This presentation features the Ayoo and Vutsotso phases. Contact Concert Directors: Paschal Yao Younge at [email protected] and Zelma Badu-Younge at [email protected]