Sarfoa of Ashanti Region wins star performer of the night

Benedicta Sarfoa Asamoah, representing the Ashanti Region, wowed the audience with her detailed interpretation of the royal traditional dance, Kete. Her confidence and oratory skills impressed the judges who saw fit to award her as the best performance of the night.

Sarfoa proudly spoke about how the uniqueness of their cultural elements sets the Ashanti people apart from the other tribes. According to her, their dance, kingship and food have significant meanings which binds them as a people.

“This particular dance is a royal dance performed by the Akans of which the Ashantis are proudly and greatly part of. For the purpose of our discussion tonight, I would want us to delve a little deeper into the Kete dance.”

Sarfoa pointed out that the dance begins with greetings and acknowledgement to the gathering. These dance steps seek permission from the highest authority at the function and a token of schnaps to the drummers to ensure they put on their best show.

Sarfoa demonstrated the basic movements associated with the Kete dance. The first dance steps illustrate the resiliency of the Ashanti people. These steps are known in English as ‘The cockroach-which-lies-on-its-back’ signifies the adaptability and tenacity of the cockroach.

The second set of dance steps is known as ‘when-two-rams-clash-the-stronger-emerges’. Sarfoa informed the audience that this indicates the competitiveness and confrontational disposition of the Ashanti warriors. The final set of kete steps depicts their identity as a people.

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