Kete, known today as one of the most dignified Asante court dances, has an origin that reaches back to a different region entirely. It is believed to have come from Kete-Krachi in the Volta Region. What started as a hunting dance by the Kete-Krachi people was later adopted by the Asantes following a military victory.
Aside from being told in oral history, this shift has also been symbolically shown in the Kete drums, which are covered with cloth known as sum ne mogya, meaning “darkness and blood.” The phrase captures a long-held belief that even when war does not lead to death, it must still lead to sacrifice.
According to oral tradition, the original name of the dance was Abɔfogorɔ, a reference to its hunting background. It was the rhythm of hunters’ drums used to energize and communicate during expeditions. When the Asantes conquered the area around Kete-Krachi, they integrated the dance into their royal traditions. With time, Kete became a royal performance deeply connected to state functions, hierarchy, and spirituality.
Royal Ownership and Structure
Unlike Adowa, which is widely accessible, the full Kete orchestra is reserved for the Asantehene. Only the king owns a complete ensemble, and it is his prerogative to permit its use by paramount chiefs or royals under specific conditions. Kete is often performed during solemn occasions such as funerals of royals, annual festivals, or other state ceremonies.
A typical Kete performance begins with a vocal introduction. A song sets the tone before the drums begin. Once the drumming starts, the singing stops, allowing the rhythm to take center stage. The layers of drumming, composed of a lead drum, support drums, and bells; guide the dancer’s movements, while the master drummer’s cues signal specific gestures.
Rules of Performance
Costuming and decorum during a Kete performance follow strict guidelines that reflect status and respect. Chiefs and royals may dance while wearing sandals and carrying handkerchiefs, signaling their rank. In contrast, commoners must remove their sandals, lower their cloth to the waist, and bare their shoulders when dancing to the royal drums. These distinctions highlight the dancer’s position within the Asante social structure and the reverence required in such moments.
This careful structure also applies to movement. Dancers are expected to be precise and intentional. Footwork, twists of the torso, flicks of the handkerchief, and graceful turns carry meaning. The gestures form a coded language, exchanged silently between the dancer, the drummer, and the observing audience.
As noted by Opoku (1966), for the ordinary person, participating in a Kete performance requires discipline. Every move must show deference to the royal drum. The toga, known as ntama, must be tied between the armpit and the waist, and gestures should be modest and appropriate.
A Dance of Expression
Both Kete and Adowa share elegant walking movements, detailed footwork, and symbolic hand gestures. At the center of these dances is communication. The dancer listens to the master drummer for rhythm as well as for messages. According to Nketia (1963), the drumming contains surrogate texts, rhythmic phrases that convey moral teachings and historical reflections. These messages are echoed by the dancer, turning each performance into a silent dialogue.
The dance, then, is not an isolated performance. It connects the dancer to the drummer, the drummer to the audience, and the audience to the broader social and spiritual values of the Asante people. Furthermore, Kete music is believed to attract good spirits, making it both performative and spiritual.
The Shift in Meaning
In recent times, Kete has appeared at social gatherings, public festivals, and school performances. While this wider exposure has helped keep the dance visible, it has also led to concerns about cultural loss. Some dancers wear Ahenema (royal sandals) without knowing they are reserved for royals. Others mimic movements without understanding their symbolic meaning. This has raised questions among scholars and cultural custodians about how traditional values are being preserved.
Yet, the core of Kete remains unchanged. When performed with understanding and respect, it still speaks clearly. The sum ne mogya cloth on the drum still reminds observers of its martial history. The rhythm still calls for dignity. The gestures still communicate stories that words alone cannot hold.
A Shared Responsibility
The survival of Kete lies in shared responsibility. Institutions can help by teaching its correct form and meaning. Families and individuals can honor its protocols. When knowledge is passed down with care, and performance is guided by respect, Kete continues to serve as a dance, history remembered, a culture upheld, and a tradition lived.
As Albert Mawere Opoku once said, dance in African societies is not only about movement and rhythm. It is a language that speaks to the mind through the heart. In Kete, that language remains clear, disciplined, and full of purpose.
As with many traditional dances, Kete tells a story of change. It once emerged from hunters’ rituals, later moved into royal courts, and now appears on public stages and during social ceremonies. This transition calls attention to the shifting roles of dance in society; from performance to preservation, and from ritual to representation. The structure of Kete itself acts as a map. Each step, each rule of dress, and every rhythm reflects the values and social systems it has moved through.
Opoku’s view that “life, with its rhythms and cycles, is dance” is clear in Kete. The dance is not isolated from daily life. Instead, it mirrors social order, respect, leadership, and belonging. Bare feet in the dance speak of humility. A hand raised in rhythm responds to history. In this way, Kete stands as a living record of identity, memory, and order in Akan culture.
To fully understand Kete, it’s not enough to know how it is danced. One must also learn when, where, and by whom it is performed, and why. These questions open the door to a deeper understanding of Akan cultural communication and how dance serves not only as entertainment, but as education, archive, and expression.
