Traditional Women's Music from Ghana: Ewe, Fanti, Ashanti, and Dagomba

by Various Artists

Released in 1981, Traditional Women's Music from Ghana features songs and dances attributed to women of the Ewe, Fanti, Ashanti, and Dagomba societies. In these societies, participation in music is restricted by both age and gender, and only women perform these songs using instruments and techniques that have been designated appropriate for them. Each song serves a specific purpose, whether it is purely for recreation, like the gabada of the Ewe, or for a rite such as marriage, as in "Ooi yaada " of the Dagomba. Liner notes include introductions to age and gender-specific Ghanaian music, and detailed track notes.