Mejoras Algor´ıtmicas al Modelo Can´onico

Indeed, the use of the body for the expression of social ideology (Ingarden, 1986; McClary and Walsa, 1994; Gaunt, 2006) in hiplife is epitomised in the “azonto” ideology which expresses itself through music and dance. As an African musical art, it incorporates almost all the discursive practices discussed in this work. As an African dance form, it incorporates complex co-ordinated

168 and systematic body movement and non-verbal communication in a rhythmic fashion in very few one-two timed steps. The dance form constitutes the focus of our discussion in this segment.

Very little has so far been said about the relationship of the power capital of azonto which represents the youth and that of Ghanaian hegemony. My fieldwork is however very revealing in matters of power relations between the old and young generations. Nash, 22, claims “azonto is a vigorous dance so it does not suit the older people”. Richard Gyan, 24, is very blunt, saying the youth, placing their hands on their private parts and making vigorous waist movements while dancing means “they are driving away the adults” who “do not have the strength” to do that. They are corroborated by a popular rapper, Black Moon and Rev. Koomson, all from Tamale. Indeed, all the participants of the three focus groups I met, 19- 25 years, expressed a high sense of pride being associated with the “azonto” ideology. Grinning from ear to ear, Vera Annor could not hide her emotions about being part of the “azonto” ideology. She said with a smirk, “we own it…it’s our time”. Rugby Sarkeyfio could not wait to support Vera Annor, “It is our time so it fits [sic] us”. Clearly, these non discursive practices by the hiplife in-group members, suggesting that real power is in energy as expressed in the simulated sex act in the “azonto” dance, the kind of energy the youth believe the old lacks, deepen the already existing generational dividing line between them and the hiplife out-group members.

Indeed, in expressing the desire to break away from the Ghanaian social norm, the youth interviewed used the azonto concept as not only a generational divide symbol but also a metaphor for economic emancipation as well. They expressed the view that development is not the study of rocket science but a product of attitude and creativity. Ebenezer Oke, EO, 21, looking very confident, hinted:

169 EO: Before Ghanaians can change the society, we must learn to change ourselves…our psychological sense. Kwame Owusu Agyeman, KO, 20, quickly picked up the logic in Ebenezer Oke’s contribution and explained what this change entailed:

KO: If azonto has progressed to the other (outside), that should give us a sense that we have an opening, something inside that we can use to bring out the best out of ourselves.

This echoes the Turkish economic experience where the youth is reported to be making a meaningful input in national economy by producing “alternatives to the state-centric model of modernity” (Keyman and Koyuncu, 2005: 109). Again Ebenezer Oke, came in to support Kwame Owusu Agyman’s opinion, claiming:

EO: If you use a method to do something and it brings the same results, you need to change it because you are going to get the same results all the time.

Jones Osei, 22, concluded this debate saying:

JO: The fact that we have been able to let the West like an aspect of us makes us confident that some of the things we have, we can now export them.

This is a serious critique on the Ghanaian economic conditions and what they are suggesting is an alternative to the current economic dispensation in the country that seems to yield relatively insignificant results, making Ghana’s economy mainly import oriented. The youth interviewed here are not the only section of the society concerned with the dismal performance of the Ghanaian economy and therefore the need for a radical change. Kwesi Pratt, a leading Ghanaian journalist, known for his ardent support for the NDC government, had no option than to blame the NDC government for looking on as foreign interest take over the economy of the country to the detriment of indigenous productivity. He expressed grief for the fact that:

We import even tooth pick… Look at the amount of money the mobile phone companies generate a day; where is Ghana’s interest? We have no interest in mobile phone companies. Look at gold. After everything, it is only 5% that comes to our economy. So if you come and make promises to the people, you are just making a laughing stock of yourself because the economy is not in Ghanaian hands.

170 The figure of speech of importing the tooth pick does not necessarily say Ghana does not export any produce at all but it depicts how bad the economy is and that is the main concern of the youth too. Indeed, the youth were making allusion to the fact that if Ghanaians could have an indigenous practice that was recognized at the global level, then Ghanaians could promote local brand names and put them on the global market just like global brand names in fashion like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Tommy Hilfiger have done.

The participants representing the older generation, were however up in arms against the “azonto” dance, describing it as “something that will kill the will of God”. We present views that sum up what the generality of the older participants were saying. For Rev. Dr. Nathan Samwini, a Methodist minister in his 50s, it was not a recommended form of self expression in the church and must totally be discouraged. Mr Akpakli, 61, condemned it “because the lyrics do not match the Christian principles”. Most of the old participants were of the opinion that apart from being ungodly, “azonto” music and dance signified disrespect for the elderly. This perceived disrespect is vividly captured in E L’s “Obuu mu” (You don’t respect), a hiplife video, in which the father comes back to the house to see that the house had been messed up and to his utter shock his expensive car had been sprayed like a taxi, a symbol of the rich and authority reduced to that of the masses. When the father rebuked the son, “You don’t respect”, the son stood watching the father in a very nonchalant manner, as if to say, “I don’t care”. On the other hand, Rev. Gabriel Ansah, using the argument that if “adowa” with all its erotic symbols could be used in the church, then “azonto” was highly welcome in it, supported “azonto”. Rev. Bofa and Mr. Amakye Boateng, belonging to different charismatic churches approved of it. However, they all agreed that the secular meaning should be stripped off it when used in the church. Thus hiplife or youth culture is apparently constructing boundaries between the orthodox churches, believed to be the preference of the old,

171 and the charismatic churches, believed to be the preference of youth62. Hiplife does not stop there; it continues the protest, using polysemy in matters relating to sex as an instrument of attack.