Originally Posted On April 12, 2021, By thatTonguGirl
Right from when I received the warmest embrace into the Ehalakasa Family, I’ve been bathed with memories of their events and escapades. One of such memories was their occasional trips to Haduwa Arts and Culture Institute in Apam, Ghana. Just so you know, Haduwa is a serene haven not only for the family, but also all local, national and international artists. It has become a safe space for artists to connect with nature, create artistic works, improve their spirituality and most importantly rediscover themselves.
Now would you not agree that a memory such as this one can only be lived and not told? Mm hmm…I began to wait patiently for a date to be set for the next trip. Plans were advanced for the trip to happen immediately after our “2019 Environwomental Slum” on Climate Change and Action. But lo and behold 2020 had different plans for us all.
It did not only take from us our freedom to move but also our freedom to converge. Amidst that, I had hope, loads of hope. After all, it was what we were left with. The hope that things would go back to what they used to be. But like you, the wait became exceptionally longer than I had imagined.
And so, our physical world gradually merged with the virtual world. With technology at the centre of it all, we began to develop a transformative mind towards our creative arts. This is our new normal.
Good things, they say, come to those who wait but it’s sweeter when you least expect them.
The timing I would say was right. April 2021…hmm just perfect. I love to travel a lot. But for a long while I have not been able to do so. Well, this Tongu girl just got to plan it well and make it worthwhile. A journey that would be worth reminiscing with a broad smile.
Oops…let us anti-clock to what Ehalakasa is all about.
First of all, it is an acronym composed from three Ghanaian languages – thus Ewe, Ga and Twi. Eha means Song in Ewe. La means Sing in Ga and Kasa means Speak or Talk in Twi. Now that we understand the meaning of the name Ehalakasa, let me tell you what it is.
Ehalakasa is a community of artists with diverse arts. Right from Poets to Writers, Storytellers, Spoken word performers, Acoustic musicians, Choreographers, Painters, and the list goes on. The community’s goal is to awaken, inspire, and challenge artists to utilize the different art forms to advocate and address social, economic, cultural and political issues while projecting the values of Ghana. Their projects and activities comprise but not limited to the Ehalakasa Talkparty, the Ehalakasa Annual Slum and the Ehalakasa Senior High School Workshops.
Well, let me peg it there and bring you back to where we left off.
I had my clothes well pressed and baggage all packed for the Ehalakasa weekend getaway. Like I always do, I never forgot to add to my baggage a locally-made snack called, “Akatsi Kpɔnɔ” a biscuit made from starch by the people of Akatsi – a town in the Volta Region.
The Akatsi Kpɔnɔ
Saturday morning flooded my phone with series of missed calls from fellow Ehalakasaians. At about 8:45am I found myself waiting comfortably in a Mercedes Benz Sprinter minibus set for Takoradi to get full. Little did I know I was going to be the last person to arrive at Atlantic Beach Resort in Mumford.
I know my people never disappoint. At least not when Akambo, Nii Muzick and Faiba Bernard are around. I arrived in a pool of Eha, La and Kasa. But as an adage in my local dialect says,
“Ha dɔme ɖewo sena hafi ha kuna ati wo ke”
which translates, the belly of the pig must be strong in order for it to dig the root of a tree; I made sure I stuffed my belly with a ball of Kenkey and some fried fishes in the company of Bonkua The FanteGirl.
But as nature would have it, we still could not join the welcoming creative train. Hahahahaa…we got all drowsy and weak after the meal. And bed at that moment looked like one sexually attractive being to lay on.
Poof….we thought wrong. All those creative minds alighted from that creative train and bumped into our world before we could dare dream. They cunningly knitted the idea of a quality time at the beach into our stressed brains and got us joining that escapade. One we never regretted when all was said and done.
The beach was empty and very peaceful. The basin of the water compared to that of Accra was very clean. No plastic waste, no human debris, no harm in any form to the Sea. It was really refreshing to have the waves kiss my feet in absolute admiration without a piece of polythene greeting me. Once again, she sparked ablaze the love I almost forgot I had for her. I did not know I missed her that much. This got me writing a few words in memory to the reunion.
Dear Sea,
Words are not enough to narrate that which gets brewed in my bosom whenever your gentle waves rub my invincible hairs wet.
How could I not tell of your coarsely fine bed cushioning the soles of my feet every time I firmly lay them bare?
How could I not tell of the enriching sensation that bubbles up my groin? One that transfuses molten signals of need for your piercing chill and warmth all at the same time.
Sad as it might sound, the sight of you is a constant reminder of my inability to stylishly let go of myself under your rolling sheets.
Till we meet another time, hold on to this memory of us.
Your love,
Adzovi Sika.
Did I get you drenched in the letter? Aww…sorry about that.
Anyway, the quality time promised overflowed with several memories captured in frames. When the curtains finally drew over the Sky’s giant, we had Banku with grounded pepper and fried fish to console our bellies.
But you see, it can never be the last song for Ehalakasaians under a summer hut. Soon, we engaged in a game of cards. A game filled with deceit, doubt, disappointment, truth, confidence, and hope. This we played for several hours and had the best of laughter. One we graciously did in different tones and rhythms.
A caption from Sir Black that read, “In loving and losing memory of Humankind (the artist standing) who carried the night with fame“🤭
But when the drumbeats of sleep sounded, one after the other our feet guided us to our rooms, where the breezy night handed us to a sunny Sunday. Breakfast we had in the spirit of communism.
Although we were unable to visit Haduwa due to our short stay, Sir Black aided in paving way for our artistic selves to blurt out through series of brain games. This actually got me appreciating what we had before Covid-19 made its grand debut on this theatrical stage of life.
Two different teams playing it out on names of living Presidents in the world.
A trip I so longed for came after all. And now that I’ve shared with you the memory, don’t hold back to live it yourself.
Mawuli School has emerged champions of the first-ever Poetry Competition organized for Senior High Schools in the Ho Municipality to commemorate this year’s World Poetry Day.
The competition dubbed “Ehalakasa Senior High School Poetry Slam Competition” was an initiative of Ehalakasa in partnership with Goethe Institut, Ghana Library Authority, and the Ghana Education Service.
A total of five schools, namely, Sokode Senior High Technical School, OLA Senior High School, Mawuli School, Taviefe Senior High, and Mawuko Girls Senior High participated in the competition held at the Ho Municipal Assembly Hall on Friday, March 19, 2021.
After three rounds of keen contest, Mawuli School emerged winner with 76 points, OLA Senior High came second with 73 points and Mawuko Girls secured the third spot with 71 points.
They were presented with cash prizes of Three Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH₵300), Two Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH₵200) and One Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH₵100) respectively, in addition to a plague each and sets of branded T-shirts. All the participating schools were awarded certificates of participation.
UNESCO first adopted 21 March as World Poetry Day during its 30th General Conference in Paris in 1999, with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard.
The Organizer at Ehalakasa, Yibor Kojo Yibor alias Sir Black, speaking at the event, noted that, the competition did not only showcase the poetry talent of participants but also boosted their confidence level in public speaking. “Poetry as an art helps us to mature, think, expand, and gather information as well as research for information,” he added.
He thus entreated teachers to continue to nurture the interest of students in poetry, noting “this is the only way to project the Ghanaian culture and values”, likewise he called on stakeholders in the region to support the arts industry for what has been started to continue. `
The Head of Library and Information at Goethe Institut Ghana, Mad. Meli Eyram Portia Mansu, said the aim of decentralizing the initiative to the regions has been justified by the high level enthusiasm exhibited by the students during the competition, and called on stakeholders especially GES to sustain the initiative as part of promoting the region and Africa Literature.
The Volta Regional Librarian, Mr. Guy Amarteifio, in an address expressed gratitude to the organizers for pioneering the first ever poetry competition in the region, as he expressed optimism that, the idea to arouse the poetry interest in students and people in the region will not be truncated but rather turned into a daily activity in order to revive and sustain poetry in the region.
He also noted the Ghana Library Authority has launched the Ghana Library App to stimulate reading interest among the public, including school children.
A representative of the Regional Director of Education, Mr. Eric Kofi Gamadeku who also doubled as the chairman at the event in his remarks thanked the organizers of the competition and commended both the teachers and students for preparing in such a short notice and suggested the use of literary devices in the subsequent competitions.
Well woven with fine threads of words to address the patterns of the African fabric, The._.Observer has done more than just his name sake. He focuses on the existent and pertinent elixirs of problems brewing continuously in the African pot.
He seeks to revisit these problems with subtle solutions that can muster such boldness on their own. From one mouth to the other, this piece of work can be described most accurately as a body of astute young wisdom and mastery of penmanship.
From ‘we are one people’ all through’ Africa54′, the listener is taken on an unending journey of life, poetry, music and a continues revival in rhythm and pattern, in soul and spirit, to awaken the African in him or her.
It’s no surprise that the collection has the master craftman himself, Nana Asaase; little wonder that Jo Nketia and Fawash, both from a female narrative, covered the expanse of true African voices.
The artistry and showmanship of Eli 360, and Ebo resonate throughout the pulse of this artwork. This sort of completeness in any poetry collection is unparalleled.
This is not something I should define in letters or paragraphs. This is what would demand an experience. And for a first collection, this is something really worth every ounce of your time.
And time, if you have any, should be used buying every bit of words and music from ‘The-Son-Of-Africa’.
The Observer set to release His Debut Album
From the heart of Adenta, a suburb of Accra, Ghana, a poet rises to defy all odds in order to stamp his feet and leave an indelible mark in the industry.
His name? The observer.
With a blend of lyrical deftness and entertaining delivery, he makes spoken word poetry appealing to the masses.
For three years, the Observer has been working on an Album titled “Son of Africa”.
According to him, “Son of Africa” is a journey that portrays the realities of the African dream, how far it has come and how it should go. The everyday life of an African youth is captured in each piece.
Reflecting his thoughts and the various conversations he’s had with friends and strangers, he believes the fears, worries, pains and joys of a regular African is represented.
“Son of Africa” has some notable features such as one of Ghana’s biggest spoken word poetry acts, Nana Asaase, revered poet, Jo Nketia and writer, Ebo Hinson who blessed the project with their masterclass. For a blend of more Africanism, it also has the feminine voice from Kenya, Fawash whose soothing tone brings in more magic.
[ai_playlist id=”2879″]
Son of Africa is available on all music platforms.
On behalf of my Team Ehalakasa, I like to invite you to join us this Friday December 25th to celebrate POETRY and to mark our last and final Online Show for 2020 dubbed “End of Year TalkPARTY PARTY”
This will be our 5th Episode in the 3rd Season. In total we’ve produced 31 weekly productions over a period of 7 months. This is what COVID19 has brought us, behold we are more connected than ever, thanks to CoronaVirus lol.
I like to assure you this show promises to be a great show, a relaxed one, chilled and smooth operation between YOU our Special Guests and our amazing moderators the Daunting King Natty & the Queen of Blackness Affumwaah lyrically luring you as we enjoy Christmas in WORD, POWER & SOUND.
We want you to come on and have fun with us.
We like to take this opportunity to say MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎁🎄 🎁🎄🎁🎄& A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL for supporting G3 CHANNELS/EHALAKASA all this years.
Kindly NOTE:
The show will start at 6:00pm / 18 hours GMT GHANA 🇬🇭 TIME.
ADMISSION FREE
I personally insist that you come into the show with a drink or a friend or both😜
The link to join us on the flyer.
Today’s TalkParty was unique. With 5 performers on bored. Hope Da Poet, Faiba Bernard, Daavi Emefa, Nii Muzik and Erfiyah from Ghana and vangile gantso from South Africa.
Nii Muzick opened the session with Let there be love shared Among is by Dave Bilbrough.
This grand opening was followed by a piece from Erfiyah titled “the road to Kwabenya”
Her piece is a poetic form of directions from Circle to her home in Kwabenya.
We also had Daavi Emefa, a poet and a nurse who blessed the mic with a piece titled “Hope”. According to her this piece was inspired by how we see ourselves to be independent although we’re not.
Vangile Gantso shared her first poem which title translates to “we became civilized” the poem is in a mixture of Xhosa and the English language. Significant to how both white and black people tell different stories on colonization. "They sold us milk from our cows Grains from our lands," she says.
We also had an amazing fiery performance from Faiba Bernard.
Erfiyah came again with a second piece titled “This grace”
“This gracious piece on grace was lyrically graceful” Natty the meeting host said after the performance.
Hope the poet also shared his piece titled “walk the talk”
“Each step I take, decides my fate so I bent the bridges so I’ll never look back and regret,” he says.
Daavi Emefa brought us a second piece titled “town crier” which she did in collaboration with a guitar. She said she was only trying her hands on the guitar but in the end, she played like a pro.
Vangile Gantso our guest performer from South Africa carried on from there till the close of the days Talkparty session. She performed three pieces Breathing underwater”, “Mama I’m burning” and “I want to speak to my children”.
From Mama Makeda AKA Sandra Hooper vangile’s poetry is like medicine and it’s good for the soul.
Our Next TalkParty, on The 3rd July 2020 will feature Frank Langmack(Denmark), Doris_Mawusi, and Chas Boat from Ghana, You Can't miss This.
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