"SINGING THE HEALING": THE RITUALS OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES CHURCH IN GHANA

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21504/amj.v11i1.2295

Keywords:

Healing, Wellbeing, Rituals, Indigenous music, Religion, Worship, African Indigenous Churches, The Twelve Apostles Church

Abstract

While many in Ghana prefer modern medical systems, others use indigenous means such as those emanating from shrines and indigenous sects. Today, many religious practices in Ghana focus a greater part of their services on healing and the general wellbeing of its members. The formation of African Indigenous Churches (AICs) has played a central role in bridging the gap between indigenous and Christian concepts of worship, healing, and wellbeing. The Twelve Apostles Church, first of the AICs in Ghana, is prominent as far as good health and the wellbeing of its members are concerned. These indigenous musical healing practices are seldom recognised for their significant contribution towards good health and wellbeing. In this article, I use an ethnographic approach, employing interviews and participant observation, to describe the significance of the musical healing rituals of the Twelve Apostles Church in Ghana. The question is, how does drumming, dancing, and singing in the Twelve Apostles Church contribute to good health and wellbeing?

Author Biography

Amos Darkwe Asare, University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Amos Darkwa Asare is a Teaching Associate at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He is a PhD candidate at the University of Cape Coast, and the University of Hildesheim in Germany. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Music) degree from the University of Cape Coast and a Master's degree in Global Music from the University of the Arts, Sibelius Academy, Finland. His research interests are in the areas of music and healing, music and business and cultural policy.

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Interviews by Author
Madina, Abena. Anomabo Taedo, Ghana, 4 July 2014.
Darko, Amos. Moree, Ghana, 11 July 2014.
Nyaaba, Comfort. Anomabo Taedo, Ghana, 11 July 2014.
Amissah, Mary. Brofoyedru, Ghana, 5 June 2015.
White, Oyina. Pedu, Ghana, 5 June, 2015.
Nyamaah, Adwoa. Anomabo Taedo, Ghana, 13 May 2016.
Sackey, Nyamekye. Kormantse, Ghana, 17 August 2016.
Otoo, Michael. Kormantse, Ghana, 4 September 2017.

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Published

2019-12-01

How to Cite

Asare, Amos Darkwe. 2019. “‘SINGING THE HEALING’: THE RITUALS OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES CHURCH IN GHANA”. African Music : Journal of the International Library of African Music 11 (1):113-16. https://doi.org/10.21504/amj.v11i1.2295.