Promise Nyatepeh Nyatuame

Misego, which is a ‘sacred’ performance of the Anlos of Ghana, has been described by several cultural anthropologists as ‘dance’ or ‘musical-dance’ or ‘musical accompaniment’ to a ‘dance’. Such inconsistent considerations undermine its numerous functions. In fact, a critical study of Anlo oral histories reveals Misego as a compelling reenactment of history through a collective reconstruction of a liberatory political exodus narrative of the Anlos. Using ethnography and socio-cultural historical theories, I argue that Misego is not a mere artistic repertoire of dance and/or music but a configured performative manifestation of history and cultural repository of the people. My study will expand the frontiers of socio-cultural historical narratives and their application in performance studies. It also contributes to historical documentation and education in that it shows that oral traditions, like other sources of history, are a treasure in historical reconstructions, especially in the re-memorialisation of the history of indigenous communities.