Brief description:

 

The primary objective of this project is to explore how songs contribute to understanding the identity, culture, and social dynamics of the Duakor community, a minority fishing settlement in Cape Coast, Ghana. Specifically, the project investigates how musical practices serve as a medium for identity negotiation, cultural preservation, and expressions of power between the Duakor minority and the dominant Fante population. Using applied ethnomusicological methods, I analyze the community’s songs to uncover the complex interplay of ethnicity, power, socioeconomic status, and religion within this multi-ethnic context.

The Duakor community originated in the 1950s when fishers from Keta in the southern Volta region, who speak the Anlo-Ewe dialect, migrated to Cape Coast. Despite being situated within a predominantly Fante-speaking area, the Duakor residents have retained their unique Ewe language, customs, and musical traditions. Singing plays a vital role in their daily lives, functioning as a tool for cultural expression during social, religious, and communal activities such as funerals, weddings, religious gatherings, and occupational practices. This study focuses on the musical styles, performance contexts, and roles of performers, highlighting how these practices reinforce social cohesion and reflect the community’s resilience in a dominant cultural environment.

The research employs ethnographic methods, including active and passive observations, interviews, and focus group discussions, to gather data on the musical traditions of Duakor. Analysis focuses on recurring themes, narratives conveyed through songs, and the socio-cultural meanings embedded in their lyrics and performance practices. By doing so, the project illuminates how music serves both as a form of resistance and as a bridge for fostering social integration.

This research represents a pioneering effort in West African music studies by foregrounding the concept of minority in relation to music. It offers new theoretical perspectives on minority-majority interactions within sub-Saharan Africa, emphasizing the significance of music in the negotiation of power and cultural identity. In addition to contributing to academic scholarship, the study aims to generate practical outcomes by promoting cultural heritage and social cohesion through public engagement. The outputs of this project will include scholarly publications and a documentary film, ensuring that the research findings are accessible to both academic audiences and the Duakor community. Ultimately, this project aspires to advance knowledge on the role of music in the lives of minority communities in Ghana while inspiring future interdisciplinary research and policy initiatives focused on cultural preservation and inclusion.

 

Project lead: Amos Darkwa Asare

Project team: Rosemond Esegbe Kutsidzo, Abraham Atobrah Asiamah, Princess Asare

Research Volunteer: Mercy Akyianu

Project duration: 2024-2027

Funding: Austrian Science Fund FWF Grant DOI 10.55776/ESP696