School Performance: Okaidja Afroso: Jaku Mumor—Ancestral Spirit (KCYS)

This performance is part of the Krannert Center Youth Series, school-day performances for public, private, and home schools, grades PreK-12.

Okaidja Afroso ushers in a fresh breeze of musical flavors from the shores of Ghana’s Atlantic Gulf of Guinea, drawing from the ecological knowledge of the indigenous Ga-Dangme fishermen, the power of the nature-based rituals, and the connections that his ancestors had to the elements, particularly the Ocean. In Jaku Mumor, Okaidja’s distinctive musical style extends ancestral traditions and creates a contemporary African oral tradition, combining percussion, guitar, dance, and native language vocals. His artistry is grounded in traditional dance and rhythms with modern harmonies and updated lyrics. Jaku Mumor dives deeper into Okaidja’s cultural roots by collaborating directly with the fishermen to share the full artistry of their a cappella singing and chants that awaken the spirit of the human soul.

Recommended for grades 6-12