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Korean troupe thrills audience with
popular Ghanaian folklore
Accra, Oct 5, Ghanadot/GNA - An audience at the Korean
cultural display at the Accra International Conference
Centre on Friday were thrilled with a Korean version of the
Ghanaian popular folkloric song "Kyekye kule".
The Korean female singer, who mesmerised the mix of foreign
and local audience had finished singing a Korean song and
gone off stage amidst thunderous applauds, but suddenly ran
back to the stage to do the popular "kyekye kule".
The occasion was the dual celebrations of 30th Anniversary
of Ghana-Korea bilateral relations and the Korean National
Foundation Day, which marked the founding of the first
Korean Kingdom by the sacred forefather Dangun, 4,339 years
ago.
In attendance was Mr Kwadwo Baah
Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning who
described Korea as an important development partner to Ghana
and expressed the country's gratitude for the Asian
country's immense contribution to the economic development
of Ghana over the past 30 years.
As part of the celebration, the Korean National Cultural
Troupe were in Ghana to participate in a weeklong cultural
and sporting activities.
Prior to the "kyekye kule" performance, the audience watched
with enthusiasm an equally outstanding and colourful dance
and music performances by the cultural troupe.
Notable among the performances were the eight female
drummers surrounded with 15 sets of drums, which they
skilfully played interchangeably.
Another performance, which could best be described as the
peacock dance performed by the ladies, also stood out.
But the five hat-wearing percussionist with ribbons tied to
the top of their hats definitely stole the show with
beautiful rhythms and exquisite control of the movement of
the ribbons attached to their hats.
In his remarks to open the show, Mr. Wi Keyei Chul, the
Korean Ambassador to Ghana, expressed his country's
commitment to Africa, particularly Ghana, saying, "since
President Roh Moo-hyun's declaration of Korean Initiative
for African Development last year, the Korean government has
tripled its Overseas Development Aid (ODA) amounts to
Africa."
He said Korea had designated Ghana as its main ODA partner
in Africa and that its support for Ghana's economic
development was rapidly increasing and in a more consistent
manner.
Mr. Chul noted that this year alone, Korea had supported
Ghana with information technology system.
"Now it is Korea's firm policy direction to provide Ghana
with two or three projects every year to support economic
development and improve the lives of Ghanaians," he said.
GNA
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