The Lunsi Traditional Music Of The Frafras In Tamso

ABSTRACT Lunsi musical type, according to the Frafra in Tamso, is a traditional music meant for general use in the community. It can be performed at funerals, weddings, parties and any other recreational events. This study accesses the difference in lunsi at its place of origin and at Tamso so far as instrumentation, costume, recruitment, training, performance, communication, and migration are concerned. The study also examines the characteristics of lunsi music as compared to that of African music in general. Furthermore, the study characterizes lunsi music as part, or one of the traditional musical types of the Northern region of Ghana. Therefore, as a result, augments the existing traditional music literature of Tamso and also that of the Northern region of Ghana. To achieve the discussed objectives above, appropriate methods were employed. Since most of the resource persons involved, in the music concerned were illiterates, oral questions were used to acquire necessary information about the music in question. The lunsi ensemble of Tamso was assisted financially to organize a performance; where the true colour of the music was manifested; during which a video coverage of the performance was taken. The video of the performance provided a source of information and analyses. In dealing with the popularity of the music in question, a questioner was prepared for non-Frafras; generally nonNortherners; which determined the degree of popularity of the music among other Northern indigenous music. In addition, published documents were accessed. Lunsi music of the Frafra exhibits the two general rhythmic characteristics of Africans namely, syncopation and cross beats. This is as a result of the simultaneous use of contrasting rhythmic patterns within the same scheme of accents or meter. In addition, the manifestation of two or more meters in the same scheme confirms the African nature of lunsi music in Tamso. It is also discovered that inasmuch as there is the use of a standard or key pattern in v Lunsi music, it does not conform to the seven-stroke figure commonly used among most African ethnic groups. Furthermore, the study reveals that all drums in lunsi music are double-headed, and that they are either hourglass or cylindrical in shape. The study also reveals that while the lunsi drum performs the communicative role back home, the weiya rather does it in Tamso, while the remaining drums in the ensemble are mainly used as accompaniment. Moreover, lunsi is identified as court music back home, but it is a recreational music, used for ensuring social solidarity among the Frafra in Tamso. The study further reveals that back home, traditional costume, (comprising “kalambiu” and “newerenada”) is used for performing lunsi music. However, T-shirt and a traditional trouser made of traditional cloth are used in Tamso. Lastly, the results show that back home recruitment for lunsi music group could be obligation or retention, affiliation or appointment method. However, among the Frafra people in Tamso, only the appointment method was employed for recruitment into lunsi music group. To Zablog Zakariah Abdullah (African Studies, Legon) and the author of lunsi institution of Dagbon, lunsi is an institution. To him, there is a special family for the institution. Unless you are born or initiated into this family, you cannot be a lunsi.