University of Michigan College of Engineering and the Kwame Nkrumah University of
Science and Technology (KNUST) Summer Program in Ghana (Fri May 17-Saturday
June 29, 2013)
Program Title:
Engineering Appropriate Technologies: Needs, Design and Entrepreneurship
Culture Component:
General Introduction to Ghanaian Culture (May 17-June 9, 2013)
Instructors:
Professor Kwasi Ampene
Director, Center for World Performance Studies (CWPS)
Associate Professor, Department of Afroamerican and African Studies (DAAS)
Associate Professor, School of Music, Theatre and Dance (SMTD)
Baffour Okyere-Darko
Lecturer and Head of Dance Section, Center for Cultural and African Studies, Kwame
Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi-Ghana
Course Description
General Introduction to Ghanaian Culture will be team taught by Kwasi Ampene (UM) and
Baffour Okyere-Darko (KNUST). It is designed to provide hands-on and experiential
learning for participating students. We shall cover special topics to prepare students to
acquire a general and basic understanding of Ghana (as a country), the larger Akan sociocultural set up, and Asante traditions and customs in particular. In place of regular
classroom lectures, students will visit selected sites, learn the cultural history from experts
in specialized fields, and, depending on the location, engage in hands-on activities. For our
daily reflections in the evening, instructors will answer questions or respond to
observations by students in an interactive session and, in the process, provide further
details about critical issues of the day. The selected sites include, Ahwaa (wood carving),
Bonwire (Kente weaving), Ntonso (Adinkra cloth), Fiema-Buabeng (monkey sanctuary),
Okomfo Anokye Sword, Manhyia Palace Museum, Akwasidae Ceremony (Manhyia Palace),
Center for National Culture, Kakum Rainforest and Canopy Walk, and the Elmina Castle.
Selected topics include music and culture; Akan court traditions, Akan social customs,
traditional religion, and Micro-Finance. Additional activities include participatory
performance by Agya Koo Nimo (legendary palm wine guitarist and folk singer), and a visit
to a cocoa farm.
Itinerary
Friday, May 17 2013
Saturday, May 18
Sunday, May 19
Description
UM Students depart JFK
UM Students arrive in Accra. Spend night @ KNUST
Accra Guest House. Reflections
7am Breakfast. 8am Bus ride to Kumasi. Lunch at
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Monday, May 20
Tuesday, May 21
Wednesday, May 22
Thursday, May 23
Friday, May 24
Saturday, May 25
Sunday, May 26
Monday, May 27
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Tuesday, May 28
Wednesday, May 29
Thursday, May 30
Bunso (Halfway). Check into International Hostel
at KNUST. 6pm Dinner. Reflections after dinner
7 am Breakfast. Welcome, orientation program,
tour of KNUST. 1pm Lunch & Dinner (6pm)
@KNUST. Reflections after dinner
7 am Breakfast. Tour of Kumasi. Manhyia Palace
Museum, Komfo Anokye Sword, Center for National
Culture. Lunch Performance by CNC Cultural
Troupe? 6pm Dinner at KNUST. Reflections after
dinner
Breakfast @ 7am. 9am-12pm Guest Lecture by
Prof. George Kushiator (KNUST). Topic: Overview
of Ghanaian Visual Arts. 1pm Lunch 2pm-6pm
Fieldtrip to Ahwaa (wood carving village). 7 pm
Dinner at KNUST. Reflections after dinner
7 am Breakfast. 9am-5pm Fieldtrip to Bonwire
(Kente weaving village). For guest lecture on the
history of Kente by Kentehene. Hands-on kente
weaving. Lunch TBA. 5pm return to KNUST. 6pm
Dinner. Reflections after dinner
7am Breakfast. 9am-5pm fieldtrip to Ntonso
(Adinkra village), guest lecture by Adinkrahene,
demo and hands-on. Lunch TBA 6pm Dinner at
KNUST. Reflections after dinner
7am Breakfast. 9am-6pm Field trip to FiemaBuabeng Monkey Sanctuary. Lunch at Nkoranza.
7pm Dinner at KNUST
Rest. 7am Breakfast. Reflections after dinner on
trip to Fiema-Buabeng Monkey sanctuary
7am Breakfast. 9am-12pm Interactive Lecture:
Overview of Music and Culture in Ghana. 1pm Lunch.
3pm Guest lecture: Nana Kwadwo Nyantakyi III,
(Otumfuo Sanaahene) Topic: Asante Kingship,
Tradition, and Customs.
6pm Dinner. No reflections.
7am Breakfast. 9am-3pm Fieldtrip to Tafo (Pottery
village) Lunch TBD 6pm Dinner. Reflections after
dinner
7am Breakfast. 9am-12pm Lecture: Overview of
Ghanaian Traditional Religions. 1pm Lunch. Rest
after lunch. 6pm Dinner. Reflections after dinner.
7am Breakfast. 9-1pm Participatory Performance
with Legendary Palmwine musician, Agya Koo
Nimo. 1pm Lunch. Rest after lunch 6pm Dinner.
Reflections after dinner
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Friday, May 31. Look for Chair of History
Dept. IPO Arrange?
Saturday, June 1
Sunday, June 2
Monday, June 3
Tuesday, June 4
Wednesday, June 5
Thursday, June 6. Amy and James arrive
in Accra
Friday June 7. Amy and James join us.
Saturday June 8
Sunday, June 9
Monday June 10
7am Breakfast. 9am-4pm Fieldtrip to Cocoa farm.
Lunch? Dinner. Reflections after dinner
7am Breakfast. 9am Fieldtrip to Lake Bosomtwe
Rest
7am Breakfast. 9am Bus ride to OAA. 10-12pm,
Guest Lecture by Dr. Philip Amakye, Topic: Micro
Finance in Ghana. 1pm Lunch. 6pm Dinner.
Reflections after dinner
7am Breakfast. 9am bus ride to First Allied Loans
and Savings Bank (micro-finance bank) to observe
operations. Pair students with mobile bankers.
Lunch TBD 6pm Dinner. Reflections after dinner
7am Breakfast. 8 am Field trip to Elmina. Hiking &
Canopy Walk at Kakum Rain Forest. Check in
Biriwa Beach Resort/Coconut Groove
Resort/Elmina Beach Resort. Lunch & Dinner
TBD. Reflections after dinner
7-9am Breakfast. 10am-4pm Tour Elmina Castle
Dungeons. Interactions with local fishermen.
Lunch & Dinner TBA. Reflections after dinner
7am-9am Breakfast. 9am Return to Kumasi. Dinner
and rest
7am Breakfast. 10am-4pm Akwasidae at Manhyia
Palace. Dinner. LUNCH TBA. Final Reflections after
dinner and wrapping up of culture component
Profs. James Holloway (UM) and Samuel Kwofie
(KNUST) take over.
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