Aesthetic elements in Tagbayiyi ritual performance of the Fiasidi tradition in the Klikor traditional area of Ghana

Abstract

The chiefs and people of the Klikor Traditional Area in the Volta Region of Ghana celebrate the Fiasidi tradition, an annual religious and cultural festival. A yearly ritual performance known as Tagbayiyi (pilgrimage to the sacred grove) is a part of the Fiasidi tradition. Despite the abundance of research relative to the human and cultural rights aspects of the Fiasidi tradition, there is a glaring lack of research on the aesthetic elements reflected in the Tagbayiyi ritual performance. The study investigated the aesthetic aspects of the Tagbayiyi ritual by highlighting its visual and performing arts to gain a deeper understanding of the Anlo-Ewe cultural identity. The study employed a qualitative ethnographic design to interact and access the viewpoints of the participants. A total of fifteen (15) participants, comprising high priests, tradition keepers, ritual functionaries, and supplicants in the Klikor Traditional Area were sampled using a homogenous type of the purposive sampling approach. The study found that the Tagbayiyi exhibits aesthetic elements such as indigenous costume regalia, sacred stools, local beads, priestly emblems, rhythmic and graceful musical dances among others, which symbolically represent the sociocultural identity of the Klikor people. The study, therefore, recommends that the leadership of Klikor (high priests, council of elders & ritual functionaries) should liaise with the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, Ghana Tourism Authority, National Commission on Culture, and other cultural institutions to preserve and promote the rich aesthetic elements showcased during Tagbayiyi rite for the benefit of the current and future generations of Klikor.