| GODWIN AGBELI, the Founder
of the Dagbe Cultural Institute and Arts Centre is a
virtuoso performer, experience teacher and
traveller. |
| |
| Godwin Agbeli worked with
many local (Ghanaian) schools, artistic groups and
International Institutions (Universities) in Canada,
America, New Zealand, Germany, and Holland as music,
dance and drummer tutor and performer. |
| Among them
are: |
 Winneba Specialist Training College |
Ghana |
| Advanced Training College |
Ghana |
| Labone
Secondary School, Accra |
Ghana |
| National Forloric Company, Accra |
Ghana |
| Founder - Sankofa Dance Theatre |
Ghana |
| New
York University (NYC) |
U.S.A |
| Tufts
University |
U.S.A |
| Boston
University (B.U) |
U.S.A |
| Berkeley College of Music |
U.S.A |
| Brooklyn College of Music |
U.S.A |
| Harvard University |
U.S.A |
| University of Florida |
U.S.A |
| New
World School of the Arts, Miami |
U.S.A |
| Victoria University, Victoria |
N.
Zealand |
| Auckland University, Auckland |
N.
Zealand |
| University of Canada - Toronto |
Canada |
|
| |
| Godwin Agbeli Founded the
Dagbe Cultural Institute and Arts Centre in the Volta
Region, Ghana in 1982. The Chairman of the National
Commission on Culture inaugurated the institute on March
22nd, 1997. |
| |
| AIMS
OF THE INSTITUTE |
| To train people from all walks of
life interested in Africa arts, culture through the
medium of music, dance drumming etc. |
| |
| To provide research assistance to
students and associate Professors to study traditional
music, dance weaving of various types of kente, cloth,
wood carving, drumming production, religion and life
skills |
| |
| To offer lessons from Mondays to
Fridays. |
| |
| To Introduce students and visitors to
funeral and festivals celebrated in the region. Students
shall also be introduce to shrines where they watch
their operations |
| |
| To create the enabling environment
for visitors to funeral and festivals Celebrated in the
region. |
| |
| To encourage drumset (jazz Drum)
players to play the African music on the
drumset. |
| |
| To offer boarding and lodging
facilities to students in both Africa and
Abroad |
| |
| MUSICIANS,
PROFESSORS, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS |
| Since the inception of the
institute in 1982, Musicians, Professors, Teachers, and
Students from USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand had
participated in teaching and learning
programmes. |
| |
| Other students and their
professors from University of North Texas, Bowling Green
State University, University of Tennessee, Berlkee
College of Music, High school Teachers from Vermont,
individual musicians and students from various parts of
the world had all participated in our
programmes. |
| |
| THE
PEOPLE OF THE VILLAGE AND THE
VISITORS |
| The population of Kopeyia
is about 3000 people. Kopeyia is a farming area where
many people speak the Ewe language. |
| |
| Only few people speak both
the Ewe and English Languages at the same time. Our
visitors are encouraged to learn some of the Ewe words
through interaction with the adult and children
population. |
| |
| The Kopeyia-Bloomfield
School is the second institution of Dagbe Institute and
Arts Centre. This was also founded by Messrs. Godwin
Agbeli and Robert Levin, an American tourist from New
York, USA who was himself a student of the Dagbe
Institute. Majority of the people in the village has
natural skills in drumming, dancing and music. Their
expertise is always at the disposal of the students at
the institute. |
| |
| FESTIVALS OF KETU
DISTRICT |
| The Festivals of various
Yeve (Shango in Nigeria) The Thunder god Shrines begin
in December and fades out in March. The Godigbeza, which
is occasionally performed by the people of Aflao
traditional area, is in August. |
| |
| CLASSES |
| Classes at the institute
begin from 9 A.M. to 11 A.M. and 4 P.M. to 6 P.M. In the
performance Hall or under an open air shed which is
between the performance hall and the
dormitory. |
| |
| Traditional drums and
Western Drumset (Jazz Drums) are available for the use
of the students and our teaching staff. Tools and thread
are available for the use of our weaving staff and
students. |
| |
| Also available for the use
of staff and students are set of tools and wood for
carving and drum production. Children of the village
would assist students to do their private practice
during break period. |
| |
| Drumming and
dancing starts at the Centre from 7.00 A.M. till 8.00
P.M. when everybody is getting ready to go to bed. There
are many opportunities of rearranging classes to
coincide with fieldwork, i.e. funerals or burial
ceremonies, shrine performances and other performances
that the students have to witness. |
| |
| VISIT TO THE SHRINES, FUNERALS, THE BEACH
AND THE MARKETS |
| SHRINES: There are many shrines in the Ketu District where
the Dagbe Centre is situated. Some have sooth saying
facilities. Some can fall in trance. We take students to
the performances of these shrines for their
observation. |
| |
| FUNERALS: Funerals are also
celebrated in two phases: The burial ceremonies, mini
funeral and grand funeral. Students and their teachers
are always part of these celebration. |
| |
| BEACHES: kopeyia area has a
very clean beach on the Coast of the Pacific Ocean in
town called Denu, just three (3) miles from Kopeyia, the
Dagbe Centre where students who know how to swim and
those who want to relax on Saturdays and Sundays are
taken to. |
| |
| MARKETS: The traditional cloth markets of different
printed cloths and woven cloths are open to everybody on
different days of the week. One would also have the rare
opportunity to see beads and other traditional wares
being sold at the market. |
| |
| The Centre accepts Students
throughout the year from January to December. Students
and / or Researchers are allowed to stay with the Dagbe
Institute and Study as long as they wish. |
| |
| PROCUREMENT AND SHIPMENT OF TRADITIONAL
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS |
| The Dagbe Institute is
always careful when it comes to the procurement of good
and durable traditional musical for the Students who
would want to purchase them. The Centre assist with the
shipment of the instruments to Students destination.
Students can buy or order their instruments and leave.
The Centre arranges shipment to their destination by
CASH ON DELIVERY (C. O. D) |
