Adowa and Kete are well known, but they’re only part of the story. Ask an elder, and you’ll hear names that don’t often make it into school books or stage shows.
Sikyi, Nnwonkoro, Asaadua, Fontomfrom, and Sanga are part of that lesser-mentioned collection. Some are danced, others sung. Together, they reveal how the Akan have long used sound and movement to teach, joke, advise, and remember.
This is a return to what many grew up hearing, clapping to, or watching during a funeral, festival, or after a long day’s work. These traditions still live in classrooms, ceremonies, and cultural centers, waiting to be understood as part of a larger conversation on who the Akan are and how they’ve told their story over generations.
Sikyi
Sikyi is a popular social dance that emerged in the early 20th century (1920) but became very popular around Ghana’s independence in 1957. Sikyi is particular in southern Ghana, typically amongst the Akans. Playful, flirtatious, and deeply rhythmic, Sikyi is often performed at community gatherings, festivals, and durbars.
It is characterized by coordinated upper-body movements, expressive hand gestures, and synchronized drumming patterns, typically led by the atumpan (talking drum) and supported by the donno (hourglass drum). Traditionally danced by young men and women, Sikyi is also a subtle courtship medium; a way to communicate attraction, wit, and dexterity without words.
In contemporary settings, Sikyi maintains its youthful appeal, often reimagined by cultural troupes and used as a platform for teaching posture, rhythm, and social interaction to the next generation.
Nnwonkoro
Less visible but immensely powerful, Nnwonkoro is an Akan women’s vocal genre traditionally performed by elder women during evening gatherings or ceremonial occasions. It involves carefully arranged voices, improvisation, and collective wisdom passed through songs. The performers often use satire and poetic language to comment on moral issues, community politics, or generational concerns.
There is no elaborate choreography here; just women seated or standing in a circle, clapping and singing in call-and-response. Yet, in its simplicity lies strength: Nnwonkoro is a social mirror, held up by those who have seen enough to speak with authority. Its survival through oral transmission and its influence on modern spoken-word poetry and women’s activist circles is proof of its quiet power.
Asaadua
Asaadua is a light-hearted recreational music and dance style originally performed by Akan male youth during communal labor, especially in farming communities. It blends singing with instrumental accompaniment; typically drums, clappers, and bells. The dance features short, repetitive movements that reflect the rhythm of work and relaxation, often with humorous lyrics and friendly mockery.
Asaadua remains popular among school ensembles and cultural exhibitions in Ghana. It is often used as a teaching tool to instill values of unity, diligence, and friendship, traits that were essential in the communal farming systems of pre-colonial Akan societies.
Fontomfrom
Among all the traditions mentioned, Fontomfrom stands tallest, literally and symbolically. Fontomfrom, aside from music, is regal communication. The Fontomfrom is a set of royal drums used in the palaces of Akan chiefs and during state occasions. Its name derives from the heavy sounds it produces, meant to mimic speech. Drummers are trained to “speak” through these drums, relaying proverbs, historical praises, and directives in tonal language understandable to the initiated.
It often includes a ceremonial dance, performed during processions, installations of chiefs, and funerals of respected figures. The dance reflects dignity, hierarchy, and social responsibility, with measured steps and gestures that mirror the regal beats of the drums.
Sanga
Sanga is a lesser-known yet highly energetic dance form found in certain Akan regions. Often performed during harvest festivals and communal celebrations, Sanga is percussive and fast-paced, with foot stomping, waist twists, and clapping that adds energy and keeps it going.
It blends elements of social commentary and celebration, allowing participants to display flexibility and rhythm while honoring communal achievements. Specific rhythmic motives suggest Northern Ghanaian, particularly Dagbamba origins, lending a distinctive flair to the dance. Sanga blends elements of social commentary and celebration, allowing participants to display flexibility and rhythm while honoring communal achievements.
Though Sanga lacks the institutional presence of Fontomfrom or the cultural familiarity of Sikyi, its intensity and collective engagement make it an unforgettable performance experience.
Cultural Awareness in Action
What links Sikyi to Sanga, Nnwonkoro to Fontomfrom, and Asaadua is rhythm and history. Even more, it is the Akan ethos, a belief that music and movement are not separate from daily life, but connected to its very architecture. These forms reflect detailed understandings of hierarchy, humor, gender, labor, and language.
As global audiences seek to understand Ghana’s cultural landscape beyond tourism and textiles, the relevance of these traditional Akan songs and dances offers a compelling starting point. In them lie philosophies and rhythmic embodiments of how people see, feel, and remember themselves.
