The Director of the Center for National Culture in Bolgatanga of the Upper East Region, Elizabeth Adongo has indicated that she is putting in measures to rebrand Dia (war-dance) performed by the Gurusis.
Madam Adongo said people no longer perform the cultural dance due to wrong perceptions about the art as spiritual and the need to acquire spiritual powers before one can perform it.
She indicated that there were plans to engage communities to sensitize them about the beauty of the art and the need to preserve the cultural heritage of the people of the Upper East Region but due to covid-19 pandemic, the Centre could not carry that out the said activities.
Madam Adongo said the intervention by the Centre is meant to help the youth understand their culture so that they can better appreciate it so as to preserve it as only a few communities still uphold the cultural art.
Known among the Gurunis speaking as Dia, war dance involves the wearing of animal skin and with a bow (tafɔ) and arrow (peema), in an emotional movement in preparation for a battle.
The stylized culture of the Frafra people is performed at funerals with the combination of drummers in honor of a late relative. Aside from the fact that the war dance (Dia) is a way to show respect to a deceased family member, it unifies the people.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Moses Apiah| Ghana
