Fafali Performance

Descriptive Transcript

Gahu Song Lyrics
For Fafali / Dagbe Collaboration Video

Gahu is a social dance-drumming style from the Ewe tradition of Ghana, literally translating to “money drum”. Oral history states that fisherman from Ghana first encountered the Gahu dance while traveling for work in Nigeria, and over time, adapted the music to instruments from Ghana after they returned home. The original Nigerian Yoruba costumes for the dance are extraordinarily expensive, hence the nickname "money drum".

Gahu consists of drumming, dancing, and singing. Drummers play a largely pre-composed repertoire of music ranging from the steady timeline of the gankogui iron double bell to the call and response patterns between the boba lead drum and the kidi and sogo support drums. Dancers listen to the drums carefully, as every new dance movement is cued by a specific call from the deep bass of the boba lead drum. In this video, the vocalists sang eight traditional Gahu songs in call and response form, covering topics including greeting, advice on personal values and morals, education in Ewe dance-drumming, Gahu performance aesthetics, and even death -- as Ewe music is often performed at funerals to celebrate the life of the departed and send them off in style.

Fafali Music and Dance logo opens with percussion and singing in background.

Scene transitions to text that says, “Brandeis University, Fafali: Music and Dance from Ghana recorded in Fall 2020 in collaboration with Dagbe Cultural Center from Kopeiya, Ghana” superimposed over split screen showing 8 Brandeisians playing drums in individual shots across bottom and Ghanaian performers dancing and singing on top.

As music continues, we are introduced to each of the performers and the drum or percussion instrument they are playing. Each person is in an individual screen looking at camera while playing. In background, Ghanian dancers perform along to music. In order of appearance:
Gifty Lamotey on Gankogui
Leah Sagan-Dworsky on Axatse
Miguel Marte on Kagan
Rina Cohen on Kidi
Osarumen Osagie on Axatse
Ben Berner on Sogo
Rebecca Weiss on Sogo
Ben Paulding, Fafali Director and Video Editor

Transitions to text that says, “Starring the Dagbe Cultural Center led by Emmanuel Agbeli. Dagbe Members: Emmanuel Agbeli, Odartey Quashi, Mensah Ali, Jackson Gave, Atsupui Amefianu, Rosemary Godzor, Akos Gedzah, and Asibi Agbeli. Gahu.”

We return to the split screen. Brandeisian performers each appear across bottom of screen. In upper left, performers from the Dagbe Cultural Center perform dance in a circle. Most are wearing blue patterned clothing, while two people are wearing yellow clothing. In Upper right, same performers are in two rows singing. The music, Gahu, continues, combining the students drumming and the Dagbe Cultural Center singing.

Song #1 lyrics
“Gahu says he is greeting
He is greeting
Gahu says he is greeting “

Ben Paulding appears on screen and drums three times to signify transition to next song.

We return to the same split screen view as before. New song is sped up and dancing is more dramatic. Shots vary between close ups of each group of performers.

Songs lyrics performed are as follows.

Song #2
She feels too proud
What is it all about?
Anti feels too proud
What is it all about?
She feels too proud
What is it all about?
Anti feels too proud
What is it all about?
[Sound of a moving train]
The train will drive us
[Sound of a moving train]
If you are not on time, it will leave without you!
She feels too proud
What is it all about?
Anti feels too proud
What is it all about?
She feels too proud
What is it all about?
Anti feels too proud
What is it all about?
She feels too proud
What is it all about?
Anti feels too proud
What is it all about?
[Sound of a moving train]
The train will drive us
[Sound of a moving train]
If you are not on time, it will leave without you!
She feels too proud
What is it all about?
Anti feels too proud
What is it all about?
She feels too proud
What is it all about?
Anti feels too proud
What is it all about?
She feels too proud
What is it all about?
Anti feels too proud
What is it all about?
[Sound of a moving train]
The train will drive us
[Sound of a moving train]
If you are not on time, it will leave without you!
She feels too proud
What is it all about?
Anti feels too proud
What is it all about?

Song #3
It will not refuse any community
It will come, yes, it will come
Gahu in any community
It will come, [sound of the drum], it will come
It will not refuse any community
It will come, yes, it will come
Gahu in any community
It will come, [sound of the drum], it will come
It will not refuse any community
It will come, yes, it will come
Gahu in any community
It will come, [sound of the drum], it will come

Song #4
What will I do?
Kaleshi, what will I do?
What will I do?
Kaleshi, what will I do?
Gahu slaps Kaleshi
They called me to help Kaleshi
Kaleshi, what should I do?
Kaleshi, what will I do?
What will I do?
Kaleshi, what will I do?
What will I do?
Kaleshi, what will I do?
Gahu slaps Kaleshi
They called me to help Kaleshi
Kaleshi, what should I do?
Kaleshi, what will I do?
What will I do?
Kaleshi, what will I do?
What will I do?
Kaleshi, what will I do?
Gahu slaps Kaleshi
They called me to help Kaleshi
Kaleshi, what should I do?
Kaleshi, what will I do?

Song #5
Someone should call me the teacher
Someone should call for a lesson
Someone should call me the teacher
Someone should call for a lesson
Someone should call me the teacher
Someone should call for a lesson
Someone should call me the teacher
Someone should call for a lesson
Someone should call me the teacher
Someone should call for a lesson
Someone should call me the teacher
Someone should call for a lesson
Someone should call me the teacher
Someone should call for a lesson
Someone should call me the teacher
Someone should call for a lesson

Song #6
Unknown death does not kill
Adzo, that is the death in your room
Yes
Unknown death does not kill
Adzo, that is the death in your room
Yes
That is death in your room
Yes
That is the death in your room
Very neat outside
But dirty in the room

Song #7
My song has called them
My song has called the Gahu people
My song has called them
My song has called the Gahu people
Clap should fall on clap
Bell should fall on bell
For us to play the Gahu
Clap should fall on clap
Bell should fall on bell
For us to play the Gahu
Saturday at 2pm
Gahu drums sound far
Sunday at 3pm
Gahu drums sound far

Song #8
The live music will be leaving
It’s passed, it’s gone
It’s passed
It’s passed, it’s gone
It’s gone
It’s passed, it’s gone
It’s passed
It’s passed, it’s gone
It’s gone
It’s passed, it’s gone
It’s passed
It’s passed, it’s gone


Performance ends. There is a close up of one of the Brandeis performers shouting, “Fafali!” and blowing a kiss.

As Brandeis performers, appearing in a grid in background, take off their headphones and start to put away their instruments, text appears on the screen: “During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Dagbe Cultural Center lost nearly 100% of their annual revenue. The incredible artists at Dagbe earn their livelihood through music and dance, so this year has been a challenge. If you would like to support Dagbe by making a donation or enrolling in their remote drum and dance lessons, contact Ben Paulding at bpaulding@brandeis.edu.

As music fades out, the students’ individual frames shut off one by one.