Abstract:
The purpose of this research is to explore the use of traditional symbols, especially, the Sankcfa Theory which means: it is not forbidden to go into history to validate or reclaim the past, in its entirety as a conceptual foundation which Ghanaians and other African artists have engaged in their creative representations. Most Ghanaian playwrights, in particular, during the colonial and post-colonial periods, are known to have extensively employed this concept as the main thrust of their creative expressions. Rhetorically, one wonders to what extent the narratives in Adinkra symbols of which Sankcfa is canonical and Akan clan symbols (Totems) have been employed by Ghanaian playwrights. The plays used in this study include; 4 selected plays; The Legend of Aku Sika by Martin Owusu, in respect of the reclaiming of Ghanaian folktale as a valid resource for modern theatrical expression, In the Chest of a Woman by Efo Kodjo Mawugbe and The Dilemma of a Ghost by Ama Ata Aidoo, which espouse the dichotomies of modern and traditional Ghanaian societies and, Edufa by Efua Sutherland, a play adapted from the classical Greek play, Alcestis by Euripides, which reinforces the commonalities of world views of traditional or primeval societies, however, disparate. The method employed are one-on-one interviews on Adinkra and Akan Clan symbols, field notes, field letters, original play production (Death on Trial), essays and memory data. The study, therefore, is largely Qualitative (Content Analysis (CA), ethnographic and phenomenological). The methods are unique to this study as they provide a reflexive analysis document, complemented by recognition of symbolic events that emanate from Akan traditions. Findings from the study reveal several major thematic manifestations of physical objects, social norms and abstract ideas of the Akan traditions and cultural practices. The study also exposes the dramatic elements in the narratives in Adinkra and Akan Clan symbols. The final product is an amalgamation of academic and literary writing, profiles, pictorial representations of traditional symbols and narratives.
