The Socio-Cultural Impacts of Flimani Kɔku Dance and Rituals on Kadzakɔƒe - An Ethnographic Overview.

Abstract

This study documents the historical origins and significance of Flimani Kɔku, its dance, song and ritual performances in Kadzakɔƒe, a small farming community in the Ketu South District of the Volta Region of Ghana. Just like Yeve, Flimani Kɔku and its variants Afesa and Tu are restricted societies whose rituals and practices are strictly kept from the public space although many people are aware of the fascinating supernatural powers that are put in the public domain on celebratory occasions among the Ewes. The practice of Flimani Kɔku and its variants Afesa and Tu are mainly the preserve of the Ewe ethnic group that is spread across West Africa including Ghana, Togo, Benin and some parts of Nigeria. Essentially, Flimani Kɔku, which is the focus of this study, is an Aŋlɔ-Eʋe religious and cultural practice with its own music and dance patterns. The study, therefore, presents the significance of Flimani Kɔku, by documenting its practice – dance and music performance patterns as well as its values and rituals in Kadzakɔƒe. This study area of study is complete virgin territory and was therefore replete with some challenges, which but for the researcher‟s own early immersion into vodu practice, would have derailed the work. In documenting Flimani Kɔku, the study conceptualises the practice as an embodiment of AŋlɔEʋe indigenous Knowledge systems and is an archive of history, beliefs and culture, which impart social values and a sense of identity by ensuring the spiritual development of its members. The study therefore aims to preserve and protect the practice from the onslaught of foreign religions, especially the Judeo-Christian faith, which is at the forefront of denigrating traditional religious practices as exemplified in a similar attack on the „Trokosi‟ religious practice with the justification that it was not a „religion‟ but an enslavement of women and girls. Based on the data collected by this study, Flimani Kɔku practice is clearly not only an age-long religious belief of Kadzakɔƒe of other Aŋlɔ-Eʋe communities who benefit from its spiritual protection and guidance, the inculcation of moral values, impartation of generational knowledge while fostering social cohesion in the communities of practice. The study relies on an ethnographic field work approach which explores and documents the practice of Flimani Koku through participant observation and other ethnographic techniques in the community of Kadzakope. Finally, the study used a qualitative approach of enquiry of intensive ethnographic exploration with its tools and mechanisms - interviews, focus group discussions, observation, participant observation and audio-visual recordings - in documenting Flimani Kɔku, its history, dance and socio-cultural impact on the Kadzakɔƒe