Abstract
Generations-old narratives about traditional leaders among the Ewe of Ghana continue to inform contemporary culture and shape the decision-making process. This performance art form serves to remind leaders and community members of their shared humanity and needs. The stories provide a moral education much like a passion play. They are an artistic rendering of values and norms, which guide leaders to use the collective wisdom to perform and transform small town life into vibrant satisfactory modern communities. Annually in 2016-2018, the Ghana Research and Education Abroad groups collected stories from Ewe storytellers. During this research, the participating undergraduates and faculty members heard many stories about togbes: stories about commoners winning the hand of a princess through brave feats or cunning; stories of togbes arbitrating between quarreling neighbors; stories of animals vying against each other to be king; and stories of Ayiyi the spider tricking togbes. These led us to seek to understand how the role of togbe has changed through the years and how the perception of Ewe subjects has evolved using storytelling as a way into the culture.
Presenters
Nathan CrookAssociate Professor, Arts, Science, Business, The Ohio State University, Ohio, United States D. Rose Elder
Associate Professor, Coordinator Humanities and Social Sciences, Arts, Science and Business, Ohio State University ATI, Ohio, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
"Togbe", " Traditional Leaders", " Traditional Storytelling"
Digital Media
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