Gadangme Heritage Launches Literary Award

Since its formation four years ago, GaDangme Heritage (GDH) has undertaken a number of projects in Ghana, most notably at Okwenya JSS and Teshie AMA 4 JSS.

One of GDH?s principal objectives is to encourage children at primary and JSS levels to read and write in Ga and Dangme. To this end, the GaDangme Heritage has established annual competition in essay writing and poetry in the two languages. This has been dubbed the Ga Dangme Heritage Literary Award project.

In 2004 the first competition was organised in collaboration with GaDangme lecturers of the University of Education, Winneba. The lecturers with extensive written and verbal competence in Ga and Dangme languages were responsible for the nature, contents and rules governing the competition.

A number of schools in the GaDangme area took part in the competition. These were: Somanya Mt. Mary JSS Anyamam Ada D/A JSS Addokopey Ada D/A JSS Big Ada Presby JSS Kasseh Ada D/A JSS Ada Foah Methodist JSS Atua St. Paul??Ts JSS (Odumasi) Odumasi Foreman Memorial JSS Kpong Roman Catholic JSS Somanya Roman Catholic JSS Somanya Methodist JSS Somanya Presby No.2 JSS Somanya Yilo State JSS Somanya Agome Anglican JSS Asutuare junction D/A JSS Dodowa Shai D/A JSS Ayikuma Roman Catholic JSS Dodowa New Town D/A JSS Afienya D/A JSS Agomenya Roman Catholic JSS Boundary Road Basic school (Accra) Mande Ddada (Accra) Bishop Mix JSS (Accra) Chemunaa JSS (Tema) Twedase JSS (Tema) St Pauls Methodist (Tema) and Kpone Methodist JSS. The winners of this year's competition are: DANGME (judged by Daniel Buenuertey Adi Esq., University of Education, Winneba) First Prize : Mary Terkor Tetteh (Somanya Mt. Mary Demonstration JSS) Second Prize: Ezekiel N. Abayateye (Anyamam Ada D/A JSS) Third Prize: Deborah Doku (Addokopey Ada JSS)

GA (judged by Emmanuel Nii-Adjetey Adjei Esq., University of Education, Winneba) First Prize: Richard Noye Addie (Kpone Methodist JSS) Second Prize: Gloria Williams (Chemunaa JSS, Chorkor, Accra) Third Prize: Joseph Tetteh Ashong (Twedase, Tema).

At the 4th Annual Ako-Adjei / Azu Mate Korle Memorial Lecture in Accra in October this year, the winners were presented with their cash prizes and certificates by Dr. K. B. Asante, President of GaDangme Council assisted by representatives of the Ako-Adjei and Nene Azu Mate Kole families.

Dr. Asante urged the students to value the importance of their culture and language and to work hard at preserving the Ghanaian languages.

Dr Asante hoped that the organizations involved in this worthwhile project would continue to support it for many more years to come.

Dr Asante thanked GaDangme Heritage for their vision and inspiration in contributing to the Ga and Dangme languages, and the teachers and judges from the University of Education, Winneba, for the immense selfless role they played in organizing the competition. To learn more and how to become a member, please visit www.gadangmeheritage.org