Osoode highlife: recontextualisation of a Ghanaian indigenous music tradition

Abstract

Many studies in ethnomusicology have focused on the sustainability of musical cultures, as scholars seek to understand the factors that contribute to their decline or survival. The ability of indigenous musics to thrive in changing contexts is crucial to their survival, some traditions having faded due to unsuitable performance environments and others requiring support to adapt and flourish (Schippers 2016). In Ghana, an example of a thriving indigenous music is osoode, a recreational music that continues to be recontextualised in its contemporary iterations. One of the contexts of its recent reinterpretation is its highlife version. This article explores the evolution of osoode highlife, a fusion of the indigenous osoode music tradition and Ghanaian highlife. Recontextualisation processes are analysed by examining historical and contemporary practices that have influenced the development of osoode highlife. The following questions are addressed: What is osoode highlife music, and what are its features? How has osoode highlife contributed to sustaining osoode music? Drawing on the idea of musical recontextualisation, the study examines how indigenous musical features are preserved, adapted, and reconfigured within the stylistic framework of Ghanaian highlife. The findings reveal that while certain musical elements, such as rhythm, have been transformed from the indigenous 6/8 metre to the 4/4 metre characteristic of highlife, other defining features, including medley performance, call-and-response structures, improvisatory practices, and melodic borrowing have been retained, representing continuity with the indigenous tradition. The article concludes that osoode highlife’s continued relevance and popularity stem from its ability to harmonise an indigenous musical tradition with modern contexts, creating a distinct sonic identity that resonates with various audiences.