Funeral Expenses for Cultural Pillars of Dzogadze

Greetings,

My name is Dr. Curtis "Kordzo" Andrews.

If you know me, you know I have been visiting Ghana since 1999 and have made many profound connections with several communities there, most notably that of Dzogadze. I've done much in this community with the help of partners there on the ground, ranging from building a 3-room school building to helping with a water reservoir project to facilitating a scholarship program. What brought me to the community was the culture, specifically its music and dance.

Recently, two pillars of the community have passed on, Hunor Labor Gatorwobuna Avi (62 years) and Kwadzovi Glago Agudzeamegah (89 years). Both were good friends of mine and I am close to both of their families (who are also closely related to each other). Both were important to the community for the work that they did. Glago aka "Faddah", a revered master drummer, was almost single-handedly responsible for the continuation of the community's revered drum-dance traditions known "Atsiagbekor". Without his efforts over the past 60 years, this dance would have been lost. Labor Avi was a master drummer but also a spiritual leader of the Nana Tongo shrine, which is a focal point in the community for not only indigenous spiritual matters but for traditional music/dance as well. The existence of both of these individuals has done much to make Dzogadze the rich cultural community that it is today. Both of these men are the fathers/uncles of my two best friends in Dzogadze: Ledzi Agudzeamegah and Vodzi Oliver Torgboh.

With their passing, their families are left to pick up the pieces and perform various life-cycle ceremonies befitting the stature of the deceased. It is normal amongst the Ewe for the extended network of family, friends and acquaintances to donate to the bereaved families to help offset the costs associated with funerals. It is in this spirit that this fundraiser has been started, to collect donations from folks from outside of Ghana who have either been to this community and knew these people and/or benefitted from their efforts. Likewise, if you have never been to the country but want to help the families involved, you are welcome to donate as well.

I will collect all of the funds and will personally carry this money with me to Ghana as I will be in the country for the funeral of Hunor Labor Gatorwobuna Avi (which is on July 7/8, 2023). Glago Agudzeamegah will be buried in November. I wish I could attend.

:-(

No donation is too small.

You may wish to donate generally to the fund and your donation will be shared amongst the two families, or if you want the money to go to one of the families in particular, that is also possible (just let me know at [email redacted]). If you prefer, your donation can be formally registered with the family during the funeral as well (as is custom).

Many thanks in advance.

Dr. Curtis Andrews