An Investigation into Adowa and Adzewa Music and Dance of the Akan People of Ghana
Kingsley Ampomah

Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to update knowledge on adzewa and how it compares with adowa. Unlike adowa, adzewa music has attracted very little attention from scholars of traditional African music in Ghana. The paper then investigates this assertion based on the history, songs and instrumental resources of the two female musical types. It was found out that adowa and adzewa rhyme in name and are both predominantly female ensembles having few instruments in common. The two have been associated with Asafo warriors’ groups as well as an ancient practice of keeping vigil with the singing of songs of exhilaration. Despite these similarities there is no evidence to support the claim by some music scholars that adzewa is the Fante version of adowa. There is no common repertoire of songs or identical instrumental rhythmic patterns.

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