Karl J. Haas

Kambon-waa: Warrior Music of Dagbon Karl J. Haas

In Ghana¿s Northern Region members of a Dagbamba warrior lineage known as the Kambonsi perform a traditional repertoire of drumming and dancing called Kambon-waa. Through the performance of Kambon-waa the participants of the event fulfill a religious and civic obligation to drum, dance, and shoot muskets at funerals for the repose of the spirit of the deceased, while the musicians rhythmically and melodically recount the history of the Kambonsi, honor the warriors and chiefs of past and present, and challenge those in attendance to ¿right living¿ through the recitation of proverbs. This monograph is based on fieldwork conducted in Northern Ghana, documenting the musical tradition of the Kambonsi through in-depth content analysis while also examining its role in the larger performance complex of the Dagbamba funeral. Kambon-waa: Warrior Music of Dagbon is a self-conscious, reflexive work containing an exposition of the author¿s original theory of African rhythm, which Mr. Haas has labeled ¿Movable 1,¿ all the while casting a skeptical eye on contemporary ethnography. The present volume has much to offer students of African music as well as traditional warrior societies.