me arts ed

Nana Yaw Kwakye

I spoke to Nana recently and he shared the offerings that Adinkra has for music and dance. They brings Elephant horns, Flutes, Balaphones, African Violins, Fontomfrom Drums and other instruments to share authentic culture in Maine schools.
ADINKRA’s music is a qualitatively new system of making African music that utilizes characteristics from diverse indigenous society on the continent. The result is unlike the music of any particular African society, but contains elements identifiable within individual musical cultures in Africa.  It is with the system that ADINKRA explores fundamentally new directions in African music composition.

The instrumentation of the ensemble comprises two atenteben (seven holed vertical bamboo flutes); two gyile (anhemitonic pentatonic xylophones); a set of atsimevu drums (comprising one master drum and four supporting drums); a set of fontomfrom drums (comprising two master drums and five supporting drums); four djembe palm drums; it also includes four highly spirited dancers who are also singers that will electrify, excite and thrill students during this tour. “Music is the universal message and our first love,” says Nana Yaw Kwakye. “It is our desire to share our culture and heritage as well as share its timely message of unity…nothing unifies people like music and dance.”

You can learn more by visiting their website at or by contacting Nana at 248-747-2141 or nkwakye2@hotmail. You can visit their website by clicking here. See more in the video below.