Ayorkumi: A stage drama revealing the socio-economic impact of slavery slated for May 11
Ayorkumi, a music dance drama rendition by Gerald Nyarko-Mensah, is set to reveal the socio-economic impact of slavery on the Gold Coast until modern-day Ghana.
The drama would be held at the Alliance Française on May 11, 2024, at 7 p.m.
The stage drama set in the pre-colonial era, tells the soul-searching story of the life of an anointed princess from Ghana who narrowly escaped capture by slave raiders as a baby during shea butter market day in Salaga.
She was eventually rescued and adopted by a salt trader, who, guided by the gods, took the princess to his hometown in the South.
Against the skepticism of the elders, he raised the baby princess to adulthood together with his wife.
The rest of the story unfolds, and the royal ancestry of the young princess would be revealed on her 18th birthday in a romantic encounter with the gods.
Mr. Geral Nyarko-Mensah, the playwright, revealed in an interview with GNA Entertainment on the sidelines of the rehearsal session that the drama shows the prevailing and thriving economic activities in the pre-colonial era.
Contrary to the long-held misinformation of a non-existent economy in Africa during the pre-colonial era, the drama shows a buzzing economy in the trade of essential goods at that time, which included salt and shea butter.
The trade, according to him, stretched beyond Gold Coast, modern-day Ghana, to all parts of the world.
He said the attempted capture of Ayorkumi by slave raiders at the shea butter market in Salaga forecasted the social and economic impact of slavery.
Mr Nyarko-Mensah said the slavery occasioned a disruption in the economic activity in the country as the human resources, particularly the traders, were taken away as slaves.
This situation, according to him, has caused major disruption to the economies of the countries affected by slavery, which has manifested to this day as Africans struggle to match the West.
Mr. Nyarko-Mensah said the drama will enable the audience to have a better appreciation of the resilience of an African woman (Ayorkumi) who survived the odds to reconnect with her lineage.
The drama is interspersed with powerful live bad music, choreographed dance, deep narrations, and traditional poetry.
By Jibril Abdul Mumuni
Source: GNA