Renton children dance to Gansango’s West African music

The performance included several African drums, bells, flutes, singing and dancing.

By Max Burchi • July 14, 2024 7:30 am

The Gansango Music and Dance Company performed a routine that got everyone off their feet.

On July 8, the Gansango Company played West African music, mostly from Benin, Ghana and Togo at the Sunset Neighborhood Park to an entertained young crowd.

The performance focused on several West African drums, but also included singing, dancing, bells and a flute. The two lead performers, Etienne Cakpo and Yaw Amponsah, taught the young children about their culture and the different instruments from across the globe.

“The three drums in the front are djun-djun from Mali and Senegal,” said Etienne Cakpo, founder and lead director of Gansango. “The paholé is from Benin, that is very spiritual drum, we play it once a year, but I asked permission to come to Seattle and play it. Anyone who is sick, if you play the paholé for them for two to three days, naturally they will heal.”

Cakpo has been working as a professional dancer in Seattle for over two decades, continuing his lifelong passion for music and dance.

“I grew up playing music and dancing every day,” Cakpo said. “I grew up in a family where my grandpa and grandma were a drummer and dancer. I also learned from my dad. When I was 10, I decided to be a professional. I took some modern dance classes, and some traditional dance in Africa.”

Growing up in Ghana, Cakpo has a deep connection to West African culture. When he moved to Seattle with his wife 22 years ago, he was determined to keep and preserve his cultural identity.

“It is really, really important to keep the culture and share the culture,” Cakpo said. “The culture is very important to keep and to give to the next generation, so we do not forget where we came from and so we don’t forget who we are.”

The name Gansango combines the two most important parts of Capke’s life — his culture and its music.

“Gansango means the bell and the shaker together,” Capko said. “Gansango means you can dance because if you can play the bell and shaker and if you play them together, you can dance for the rest of your life.”

Whether in Ghana or Benin or Seattle, Cakpo highlighted how similar all humans are. He aims to spread a message of positivity and inclusion.

“The end of the day, we are all the same, we all have the same blood,” Capko said. “I want to share the peace. I love when people are together. I really love seeing people walk together and understand life and no fighting, no war.”