KWAKU ANANSE MAKES GHANA DEBUT

Director Akosua Adoma Owusu | photo by Mantse Aryeequaye

AKOSUA ADOMA OWUSU’s approach to Ghanaian folklore reconstructs the history of the mythical spider, Kwaku Ananse, in a way that forces a modern day interpretation of stories that have defined Ghanaian storytelling for eons. This Ananse story recreates the old legend through a transformative apparatus that bends and melds storytelling into a new history. Kwaku Ananse premieres in Ghana on July 4th at Alliance Francaise. The film stars Highlife music legend Koo Nimo, veteran actor Grace Omaboe, and Ghanaian indie music artist Jojo Abot, who plays the lead character in the film. Kwaku Ananse has screened at several international film festivals including the Cannes Film Festival and Berlinale. The film also won Best Short Film at the African Movie Academy Awards this Spring and has also been shortlisted at the French Cesar Academy.

OWUSU chills in James Town | photo by Mantse Aryeequaye

Watch this space for full updates on KWAKU ANANSE’s director AKOSUA ADOMA OWUSU.

JOHN COLLINS: Digging Ghana’s Sonic Gold [part 1]

by AIGERIM SAPAROVA

PROF. JOHN COLLINS at the University of Ghana-Legon, April 2013 | photo by Aigerim Saparova

Growing up in England, Dr. John Collins felt like a black sheep. The other sheep were tightly packed with screws, bolts and a craving for the materialistic. To him, they’d been unknowingly brainwashed amidst a western hierarchical class system.

JOHN COLLINS: Digging Ghana’s Sonic Gold [part 2]

by AIGERIM SAPAROVA

JOHN COLLINS with members of Ghana’s National Folklore Board, 1997 via BAPMAF

This is part two of an interview with JOHN COLLINS – professor, musician and historian of Ghanaian popular music for over forty years. Check out some of Prof. Collins’ essays here – downloadable for free – after reading the interview below.