Africa Fest Tufts University 2009 Tora

Kiniwe performs Tora at Tufts University African Drum and Dance Festival March 7, 2009. David Locke is the Director and Professor. Tora is a game like dance in which dancers knock buttocks together on the cadential moment of the drumming. Tora began many centuries ago with a domestic tragedy in the household of the paramount chief. Women kindly bumped a bereaved woman back away from her dead relatives. After many years Tora became a happiness dance for females. The drums say, "Listen to the elders [to avoid trouble]."

KINIWE at TUFTS U African Music & Dance APR 22 2008 7 Parts

David Locke and Alhaji Abubakari Lunna lead a music and dance concert. Part 1 of 7 is KINIWE musicians and dancers peforming TAKAI a circle dance in which dancers strike rods against their neighbor's. TAKAI began as a peace dance: Dagomba warriors discovered they were at war with a neighboring ethnic group with whom they shared a common ancestor. Rather than fight they struck their swords together in a rhythmic dance. The leading lunga drum says, "Chief says, 'Listen to the drums.'" The other drums say, "Stop the fight!" (David Locke) For more see
http://dagomba.uit.tufts.edu

David Locke and Alhaji Abubakari Lunna lead a music and dance concert. Part 2 of 7 is KINIWE musicians and dancers peforming TAKAI a circle dance in which dancers strike rods against their neighbor's. TAKAI began as a peace dance: Dagomba warriors discovered they were at war with a neighboring ethnic group with whom they shared a common ancestor. Rather than fight they struck their swords together in a rhythmic dance. The leading lunga drum says, "Chief says, 'Listen to the drums.'" The other drums say, "Stop the fight!" (David Locke) For more see
http://dagomba.uit.tufts.edu

David Locke and Alhaji Abubakari Lunna lead a drum concert. Part 3 of 7 is KINIWE drummers performing SALMA, Praise Name Drumming in which each composition is associated with a political leader within the kingdom of Dagbon. The drum language is proverbs that refer to the circumstances by which the person became chief and impart a moral lesson or observation of the world. (David Locke) For more see
http://dagomba.uit.tufts.edu

David Locke and Alhaji Abubakari Lunna lead a drum concert. Part 4 of 7 is KINIWE drummers performing SALMA, Praise Name Drumming in which each composition is associated with a political leader within the kingdom of Dagbon. The drum language is proverbs that refer to the circumstances by which the person became chief and impart a moral lesson or observation of the world. (David Locke) For more see
http://dagomba.uit.tufts.edu

David Locke and Alhaji Abubakari Lunna lead KINIWE in a drum and dance concert. Part 5 of 7 is TORA, a "game-like dance in which dancers knock buttocks together on the cadential moment of drumming. Begun with a domestic tragedy it became a happiness dance for females. The drums say, "Listen to the elders [to avoid trouble]." (David Locke) See more at
http://dagomba.uit.tufts.edu

David Locke and Alhaji Abubakari Lunna lead a drum concert. Part 6 of 7 is Agbekor Society Dagomba drummers performing SALMA, Praise Name Drumming in which each composition is associated with a political leader within the kingdom of Dagbon. The drum language is proverbs that refer to the circumstances by which the person became chief and impart a moral lesson or observation of the world. (David Locke) For more see http://dagomba.uit.tufts.edu

David Locke and Alhaji Abubakari Lunna lead KINIWE in a drum and dance concert. Part 7 of 7 is BAAMAAYA, a "dance begun in a time of food shortage, as an expression of happiness and gratitude for a good farmers' rain. Children began dance-like playing, using corn shucks around their waists for fun. Adults were inspired to shape the children's antics into a formal dance retaining the spirit of youthful joking." (David Locke) See more at
http://dagomba.uit.tufts.edu