Abstract
This paper discusses how music functions as an emblem of identity for the Afro-Brazilian community in Accra, Ghana, known as the Tabom. The paper provides a contextual and analytical study of the complete musical enactment as practiced by this community, and argues, that the Tabom musical genre, known as Agbe, serves the purpose of creating and negotiating identity as found in their use of music within Tabom socio-cultural, religious, and political ceremonies. In this paper, I argue that Agbe is not only an organized sound in Tabom culture, but rather, it is one of the strongest cultural elements that serves as an emblem of identity relating to the life and culture of the Tabom community in Accra. Relying on ethnographic research design, Agbe is presented as the focus of study, subjecting the context in which it is performed to study and analysis. Moreover, the relationships between the Agbe ensemble and their performance context, as well as live events are discussed with the intent of conveying meanings of singing, drumming, dancing, and other related artistic expressions as they all contribute to help the Tabom to negotiate their identity.
Highlights
The Tabom community in Ghana form part of a larger Afro-Brazilian Community that, according to Amos and Ayesu (2002) and Schaumloeffel (2008), started arriving along the west coast of Africa in the early 19th Century
Agbe has helped in constructing the identity of the Tabom through the direct experiences it offered of the body, time, and sociability
Agbe, is customarily possessed and played only by professional musicians. Because this instrument features prominently in the Tabom’s Agbe performance, it is evident that perhaps this musical genre took its name from it, since according to Nketia (1974), some musical types are named after principal instruments used in the ensemble
Summary
The Tabom community in Ghana form part of a larger Afro-Brazilian Community that, according to Amos and Ayesu (2002) and Schaumloeffel (2008), started arriving along the west coast of Africa in the early 19th Century. Ayesu (2002) and several other authors report that at least three or more groups of Afro-Brazilians arrived at different times and dates and were welcomed by Mantse Kwaku Ankrah1 These returnees settled among the Otublohum people of Ga Mashie and, with time, picked up the name Tabom from the Portuguese word “Estabom” (briefly translated as, “it’s alright”) as a result of the natives’ inability to understand the Portuguese language that was frequently spoken by the returnees. Audio-visual recordings were made and complimented with library and archival search to form the basis of data gathered for this project
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