Asafo Music in Context of Simpa Aboakyer Festival

The study investigated how Asafo music accompanies the Aboakyer festival celebrated by the Effutu of Winneba. It took a perfunctory look into the history of the people, the reasons for the celebration of the festival as well as a detailed study of the nature of music performed during the festival celebration. The research design used was ethnographic while interview and participant observation were used to collect the data. Audio recordings were done while musical sounds were transcribed and scored using Finale 2012 music software. It became clear that asafo music is inseparable from the Aboakyer festival as it permeates the entire activities of the festival. Asafo music performance during the festival is not restricted to any particular set of individuals but becomes a public performance where anyone who wishes to perform with an Asafo company could do so. Undoubtedly, Asafo music elements are rich and are source materials for music creative activities.

Key words: Aboakyer, Asafo songs, festival, Effutu, Winneba