Lecturer at the Department of Dance Studies, School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Dr. Terry Kweku Ofosu, says colonization has led to Africans appreciating their culture less.
“Unfortunately for us, I say very passionately we were damaged by the colonialists so they actually made us repudiate our traditional dance performances. So, in fact even within Christianity you were not allowed to wear cloth and Ephraim Amu was sacked from the church premises for wearing cloth. Imagine if the church was disgusted by the wearing of cloth then how much our traditional dance and all that.”
Dr. Terry Kweku Ofosu made this revelation in an interview with e.tv Ghana’s Fati Shaibu Ali on a special Made In Ghana discussion on the topic; “Passing on the Ghanaian Heritage through Dance”.
As a lecturer, Dr. Ofosu more often than not experiences first hand mockery of students of performing arts who are labeled ‘dondologists’. “These people although Ghanaians have been damaged and that has been transferred from one person to another and it is just sad. Most Ghanaians will prefer for their children to learn ballet dance as they assign prestige to it but these same people will frown on their children learning our traditional dance.”
Citing China as a country which cherishes tradition and has imbued that in its citizens, he shared the country’s dragon dance has been instituted and treated with passion.
“Our psyche is so damaged that we don’t want or like what belongs to us. But what does not belong to us we rush in for that sadly,” he reiterated.
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